Seconding New Jersey as most people who talk bad about have only been through New Jersey (basically Newark) and not actually spent decent time there, or they watched Jersey Shore and made their judgements based on that. Jersey Shore isn't even about people from New Jersey; they're from New York. New Jersey is close enough to NYC so you get a part of the city life and when you're out of it you get the joys of the woods and quiet. Also NJ has the best Six Flags hands down. I really love Pennsylvania too and it's Omish country.