Ask and You Shall Receive

One of my goals for the New Year was to make more things happen for myself, especially when it comes to my travel writing. Over the last month, I have had more freelance projects than ever before, which has its positives and negatives. While it is a lot of extra work on top of my full-time job, and there are times where I get very stressed out about interviews and deadlines, it is also an indication that my editor and publisher at Premier Toursim Marketing really trust me to write their content, and like what I produce. Of course, the extra bit of money every month is certainly nice, and being able to add to my writing portfolio is priceless, but there is another perk that I greatly hope to take advantage of by working for them: Traveling!
So, when my publisher reached out to me yesterday to assign me yet another project, he mentioned how he was not blind to the fact that I had been taking on quite a lot, and that he greatly owed me for it. And so I took a shot, and asked if there was a chance that I could be sent somewhere for an actual editorial assignment. And guess what? HE SAID YES!!
So, now I have to choose among more than a dozen different destinations stateside that I would want to visit and he agreed to arrange an editorial trip! You cannot imagine how excited I was when he made me this offer. Not only do I get the chance to travel somewhere comepletely new, but I get to write about the experience, and enjoy it pretty much free of charge. Now the only question is, where do I want to go?
My options are:

• Alaska
• Utah
• Arkansas
• Kentucky
• Idaho
• Oregon
• Vermont
• Louisiana
• Hawaii
• Arizona
• Maine
• South Carolina
• Tennessee

There are a few other states in the Midwest that I could visit, but I can go to those anytime I want, really, and most of them I've already been to.
At this point, Alaska and Hawaii are at the top of my list. Yes, I have been to the tropical islands, but why not go back again, especially if I get sent during one of the colder months of the year. I think Alaska is up there just because it is so exotic and different compared to what I am accustomed to. Plus, I would love to see that sprawling landscape of soaring mountains, thick forests and artic deserts; it all seems so magical on television and in pictures. And who wouldn't want to check out the glaciers and the ocean wildlife? Sign me up for a whale watching tour or polar dive any day!
As far as the other possibilities, I am sure I would have fun in any location, though Oregon, Maine and Louisiana seem to be calling my name more than the others.
Even though I get to select a couple that I really want to go to, where I inevitably end up will be up to my publisher, since he's the one who has to organize the trip. But I will be happy with whatever he arranges for me, because, let's face it, he's giving me a great opportunity, so it really doesn't matter where I go.
So what do you all think? Which ones should I go for?