Since Minnesota was the 32nd state to join this wonderful 239-year-old country we call America, I present to you 32 reasons why Minnesota has earned the title of the best one.

1. Going to a cabin for the weekend during the summer is a normal thing.

2. You either own a boat or know someone that owns a boat.

3. There’s a reason it’s called “Minnesota Nice.”

4. You can drive 30 seconds in any direction and hit water.

5. The Twin Cities has the best hiking trails in the nation.

6. You haven’t seen a state fair until you’ve seen the Minnesota State Fair.

7. The quietest room in the world resides in South Minneapolis.

8. We have the first indoor mall ever. #Southdale

9. The Land of 10,000 Lakes (actually 11,000) has more shoreline than California, Hawaii and Florida combined.

10. 40 degrees is the new 75. And you don't feel bad about it at all.

11. True beauty lies on the Lake Superior coastline from Duluth to Canada.

12. The Minneapolis Skyway system allows you walk nearly five miles without going outside.

13. Home of the stapler.

14. Vikings may have sailed to America in 1362, long before Columbus, according to findings on the Kensington Rune Stone near Alexandria, MN in 1898.

15. Did I mention we have a lot of lakes?

16. No wonder the first water skier skied on a lake in Minnesota.

17. Tonka Trucks were created and are still made in Minnetonka, MN. (Shout-out to my fellow Skippers!)

18. The World’s Largest Ball of Twine is located in Darwin, MN.

19. The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is the largest of its kind in the world.

20. We also invented scotch tape… You’re welcome.

21. The honeycrisp apple was developed at the U of M.

22. If you live in Minnesota, you know what a hotdish is. And you love it.

23. Bob Dylan was born here. Enough said.

24. If you’ve lived in Minnesota past age 16, you know what its like to get stuck in a snow bank, and you have lived to tell the tale.

25. You understand a true rivalry.

26. No one likes a cheesehead.

27. You'll never hear someone complain about the cold.

28. The University of Minnesota completed the first open heart surgery.

29. Home of over 3 million cows.

30. Our state flower, The Lady Slipper, can live up to 100 years old.

31. The snowmobile was invented in MN.

32. And if you live here, you most definitely love it. A lot.