I’ve dated women from all 50 states but still haven’t met the one

He’s had dates by the load in different area codes — but just can’t find “the one.”

Trekking across the country twice in the hopes of finding Mrs. Right has proved to be an exercise in futility for hapless romantic Matthew Wurnig, who has proudly dated two women from each state in the US and remains on the hunt for his perfect match. 

“I am still a bachelor,” groaned Wurnig, a 26-year-old digital content creator and date connoisseur from Huntley, Montana, after making a series of failed love connections with the 100 women he’s met via online dating since 2020. 

The star-crossed singleton told Caters News he initiated his nationwide search for a significant other amid the throes of the pandemic in an effort to add some spice into his isolated life. 

“I downloaded Tinder during lockdown due to boredom,” said Wurnig, adding that he quickly realized the app allowed him to set his location to anywhere in America. 


Matthew Wurnig, 26, from Montana, with different women on different dates across America.
Matthew Wurnig, 26, from Montana, has traveled across the country, dating two women from each state, in an effort to find the girl of his dreams. The popular digital content creator has documented his “50 Dates 50 States” journey to tens of thousands of followers across several social media platforms.

Matthew Wurnig, 26, from Montana, looking at a map of the US.
Wurnig said he created a route for himself that allowed him to make a nearly seamless trip across the U.S.
50 Dates 50 States / CATERS NEWS

“I went on virtual dates with girls in different states, and when lockdown was over, I wanted to do it in real life,” continued the wannabe hubby. 

“All the dates went pretty smoothly, but unfortunately, I didn’t find that one special connection,” he added. “So, I decided to make the trip again.”

Putting the pedal to the metal, Wurnig hopped in his car, a decked-out white pickup truck, and embarked on what would be a five month state-to-state quest — which started in Michigan and ending in Alaska — for a bride. 

“I drove everywhere except Alaska and Hawaii, I had to take a flight to those states,” noted the amorous nomad. “I planned my journey by mapping out the most time-efficient route.”


Matthew Wurnig, 26, from Montana, in front of his car.
Wurnig relied on his decked-out pickup truck to take him from coast to coast for his dating exploration.
50 Dates 50 States / CATERS NEWS

Matthew Wurnig, 26, from Montana, parasailing with a date.
Some of Wurnig’s dates included zip lining, parasailing, a helicopter ride, horse riding, paddleboarding, paintballing and air boating.
50 Dates 50 States / CATERS NEWS

He meticulously mapped out each meeting with his matches, too. 

Rather than treating all of his would-be sweeties to stale candlelit dinners, Wurnig curated every date to be distinctively special for his love interest of the day. 

“I wanted to make sure that I was creating unique experiences for myself and each of my dates, so they were well thought out and not just standard, boring dinner dates,” he said. “Some of the date activities that we did include zip lining, parasailing, a helicopter ride, horse riding, paddleboarding, paintballing and air boating.”

A lover of high-octane revelry, Wurnig admitted that he chose exploits that permitted him and his new friends to enjoy some zippy action. 


Matthew Wurnig, 26, from Montana, with a date after a fun activity.
Wurnig said he worked to avoid “boring” dates like dinners and movies.
50 Dates 50 States / CATERS NEWS

Matthew Wurnig, 26, from Montana, with a date after a helicopter ride.
The thrill-seeker said he quickly noticed differences between women from the Midwest and those from major cities.
50 Dates 50 States / CATERS NEWS

“It’s so much better than just sitting across a table from each other and asking the other person questions,” he insisted. “That seems more like a job interview than a fun date.”

The adrenaline junkie added, “The worst kind of date for me would be going to the movies. You can’t talk, apart from sharing your opinion of the film after. It just sounds boring to me.”

Lucky for him, most of his hopeful darlings shared his daredevil spirit. 


Matthew Wurnig, 26, from Montana, with a .woman during their paintball date.
Wurnig was thankful that most of his Tinder matches were willing to join him in some wild fun.
50 Dates 50 States / CATERS NEWS

“Out of all the dates I have been on now, there haven’t been any horror stories as they’ve all gone pretty smoothly,” said a relieved Wurnig, conceding, however, that he’s encountered a few dull bulbs amongst his field of American beauties. 

“Obviously, there were some that were a little awkward,” he said of his dates. 

“Some girls were really shy and couldn’t hold a conversation very well, or they had a personality that seemed dry,” the adventurer continued. “There were also some girls with bad attitudes that I wasn’t a fan of, however, I respectfully powered through and none of the dates were too terrible.”

And although Wurnig struck up a spark with a few of his flames, the Montanan said committing to a long-distance relationship didn’t seem worthwhile. 


Matthew Wurnig, 26, from Montana, with a date enjoying seafood.
Wurnig feared getting involved with a woman who lives across the country would be too difficult to manage.
50 Dates 50 States / CATERS NEWS

“I did manage to make some good connections with a couple of the girls, but of course, they live miles and miles away from me in different states and after going on one date, it’s not like we would just jump into a relationship,” he said, noting that there‘s hope for some. 

“We still talk and keep in touch,” confessed the Tinder jet-setter, “and perhaps if further down the line any of us happen to relocate, then something might happen.”

But his mating mission wasn’t a total bust — he did pick up some valuable life lessons along the way. 


Matthew Wurnig, 26, from Montana, with a date smoking cigars.
He hopes that his nationwide dating experience will help him in his continued hunt for a life partner.
50 Dates 50 States / CATERS NEWS

“How people grow up really impacts how they act, and it was really interesting to see this as I traveled from state to state,” said Wurnig. 

“For example,” he added, “a girl from Iowa who grew up on a farm was entirely different from the girl who grew up in New York City. One is more laid-back and easygoing, whereas the other is more high-maintenance.”

“I learned a lot about what I can relate to and connect with better,” said Wurnig. “So hopefully this will help me with dating in the future.”  


Matthew Wurnig, 26, from Montana, giving a date a kiss on the cheek.
Wurnig is urging other guys to boldly make a move on a woman he finds attractive.
50 Dates 50 States / CATERS NEWS

He’s now sharing his pearls of wisdom with others hoping to score a spouse. 

“While everyone is very different, it showed me how similar we all are, too. We all like to laugh and smile and want to feel special and have fun,” said the well-traveled inamorato. 

“My dating tips for guys would be to just be yourself and be real. Girls just want to feel comfortable around you so that they can be themselves, open up and talk,” Wurnig advised. “They don’t want to feel shy or awkward around you.”

“I would also say just be confident and shoot your shot,” he encouraged. “If you see someone cute, just go for it.”