After receiving a copy of “1,000 Places to See in the USA and Canada Before You Die,” I spent an hour on a rainy day to see how many I’ve visited.

My hope was 150 and at least 100 given I’ve been to 38 states and Canada. I finished at 144 – respectable considering these books find some unusual places. A fall trip to Charleston, S.C. will add four more.

I’d been to 68 places in the Mid-Atlantic versus zero in the Great Plains and six in New England and Midwest. Washington spots included the Holocaust, American History, Natural History, Hirshhorn, Newseum and Spy museums. Northern Virginia sites included Mount Vernon, Leesburg and Manassas.

Some of the unusual places on my list are the Hearst Mansion on the Pacific Coast Highway, John Deer’s Viscaya mansion near Miami and James River plantations near Wiliamsburg. What can I say, I like old homes.

Overall, the book was disappointing. Too many mainstream choices like the White House, Statue of Liberty and National Mall. Either stick to big names or find unusual ones. Still, pick up a copy and see how many you’ve seen.