Having lived in Idaho for a number of years, I've met numerous adults who have told me they've never traveled outside of state lines. It's hard for me to fathom the thought of someone dying and never taking the opportunity to pay the ocean a visit.

I was born just 30 miles from the Pacific Ocean and grew up playing in the currents and waves with my older brother and friends through my teen years. I didn't move to Idaho until I was in my early forties. Taking trips to the coast is something I do regularly because I feel too detached if I go too long without putting my feet in the sand.

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It's mind-blowing to me to meet southern Idaho residents who live less than 700 miles from the Pacific Ocean and say they've never seen the sea, especially when it comes to adults. The majority of people I've met in Idaho do travel to states like Oregon, Washington, and California periodically for vacations, but I've also chatted with numerous Idahoans who admit they've never left city limits.

One study conducted a few years ago suggests that as many as 11 percent of U.S. residents have never traveled out of their home state. That's a shocking number of people that aren't seeing our amazing country. It also blows me away to hear people in Idaho express a disliking for West Coasters while at the same time admitting they've never passed through a single town from the tip of Washington State down to the Mexican border.

I'm not being critical of anyone who chooses to not leave Idaho, or feels like they have everything they could ever possibly need right at home in the Gem State. Getting to the mountains is every bit as enjoyable as staring out at the ocean for some, but it's still hard to believe so many people haven't at least visited the ocean once in their adult life.

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