Coastal country we are too, as a matter of fact people here live in a perpetual state of fear because this country habitatial areas are actually under sea level. Depending in which state you live here, i was told that the depth of your land area on average in that state stipulates the water tax you have to pay per year so that the government can provide safety and construction of dams, barriers and that kind of thing.

The few benefits are that easy access waterways are allowing smooth marine trade.

As european I am quite familair with the East Coast states like LO FL NY NJ; but for the West coast i hear the name California drop often. I still need to make a trip over there soon to see some new attractions in Missouri which is a mid state i suppose. They were building some kind of Titanic attraction called "Titanic Branson"

http://www.titanic.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=78

When is it high season for these kind of activities in Missouri? i bet that people will take their kids to this central place for viewing these attractions.