Kick-It Picks Kick-It Picks
The stops worth the drive —
and the truth about the ones that aren't.
Honest, checkable travel guides, state by state. Each place gets a blunt Bucket Rating — from Non-negotiable to don't bother — so you build a trip around what matters and skip the filler with a clear conscience.
Pick a state
State guide
Alabama
The stops worth the boots — and the truth about the ones that aren't.State guide
Arizona
The stops worth the drive — and the truth about the ones that aren't.State guide
Colorado
The stops worth the drive — and the truth about the ones that aren't.State guide
Florida
The stops worth the drive — and the truth about the ones that aren't.State guide
Georgia
The stops worth the drive — and the truth about the ones that aren't.State guide
Kansas
The stops worth the drive — and the truth about the ones that aren't.State guide
Michigan
The stops worth the drive — and the truth about the ones that aren't.State guide
North Carolina
The stops worth the drive — and the truth about the ones that aren't.State guide
South Carolina
The stops worth the drive — and the truth about the ones that aren't.State guide
Tennessee
The stops worth the drive — and the truth about the ones that aren't.State guide
Utah
The stops worth the drive — and the truth about the ones that aren't.State guide
Virginia
The stops worth the drive — and the truth about the ones that aren't.Coming soon
Tennessee · Texas · Florida…
The collection is building, state by state.A few non-negotiables
Alabama · Month by Month · Auburn or Tuscaloosa
November: The Iron Bowl
Non-negotiableAlabama · The Big Ten · Decatur
Eat White-Sauce Chicken Where White Sauce Was Invented
Non-negotiableAlabama · Month by Month · Tuscaloosa or Auburn
September: A College Football Saturday
Non-negotiableAlabama · The Great Outdoors · West Blocton
Catch a Rare Lily Blooming in a River
Non-negotiableAlabama · Eats · Evergreen
Make the Pilgrimage to Conecuh Sausage
Non-negotiableAlabama · The Great Outdoors · Tuscumbia
Explore the Best Trail System Nobody Charges For
Non-negotiableLatest trip-decision guides
South Carolina ·
Articles
Is Congaree National Park Worth Visiting?
Yes, if you want giant trees over big views. South Carolina's free national park: the honest catch, the paddle worth doing, and the logistics. Alabama ·
Articles
Is Fairhope, Alabama Worth Visiting?
Yes, for a bayfront small town with a quarter-mile pier and a real downtown. Who should skip Fairhope, the move at sunset, and the logistics. Alabama ·
Articles
Lookout Mountain Parkway Day Trip: Gadsden to Mentone, Stop by Stop
A timed one-day plan for Alabama's Lookout Mountain Parkway: Noccalula Falls, the Little River Canyon rim, DeSoto Falls, and Mentone, with drive times.What's a "Kick-It Pick"?
It's the seal on the cover — the boot kicking the bucket. When we stamp a place with it, that's us saying: if you do nothing else, do this. Everything on this site earned its spot, but the seal is us pointing.
How we rate things →