Today we’d like to introduce you to Crystal Statskey-Biichle.
Hi Crystal, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’m Crystal, one half of the couple behind Dates in the States alongside my husband, Shane. We’re based in Rochester, New York, and over the years we’ve traveled to every mainland U.S. state on a budget while documenting unique date ideas, hidden gems, road trips, and experiences along the way. What started as a passion project has grown into a full brand centered around writing about our dates throughout the United States.
Dates in the States actually began during our first year of dating when Shane and I took a 5-week cross-country road trip in my Mustang. That trip completely changed the way we looked at travel. We realized some of our favorite memories weren’t necessarily the big expensive attractions, but the quirky roadside stops, local restaurants, scenic hikes, and small-town experiences we discovered along the way. We started sharing those adventures online to inspire other couples, friends, and solo travelers to explore in a more meaningful and fun way.
Since then, our travels have expanded beyond the U.S., and we’re now exploring a new country each year in alphabetical order. Through our blog and social media, we try to keep everything approachable, personable, and realistic for everyday people who still want to make memories without breaking the bank.
Outside of travel, I also run my own digital marketing company where I help small businesses strengthen their online presence and better connect with their communities. Shane runs Beekstar Fitness out of our home in Rochester, offering virtual and on-location personal training with a focus on helping people with limited mobility regain strength and get back to doing what they love.
One of the most exciting things to come from Dates in the States has been our Mystery Date Books. We created them to help people take the guesswork out of planning a fun day together. Each city-themed book walks couples through a surprise-style adventure with 3-5 local stops, telling them exactly where to go, what to do, and where to eat. The goal is to help people explore their own cities like tourists and discover hidden gems they may have otherwise overlooked.
At the heart of everything we do is the idea that you don’t have to choose between work, creativity, and adventure. We’ve built a life that blends all three together, and we love encouraging others to do the same.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a completely smooth road. I think one of the biggest struggles that comes with travel is balancing the expenses that come along with it. We’ve always tried to travel on a budget while still experiencing the places and activities we genuinely want to do. There’s a constant balancing act between being financially responsible and still saying yes to adventure.
At the same time, we’ve been working hard to grow Dates in the States into something bigger. Right now, I feel like we’re in a major growth stage. More people are discovering our city-themed Mystery Date Books, which is incredibly exciting, but bringing those books to life takes a lot of time, creativity, and funding. We’re trying to expand them into cities and states across the country while also making enough sales to keep producing new ones.
There have definitely been moments of uncertainty and times where we’ve questioned how fast we should grow or how much we should invest back into the business. But seeing people connect with what we’ve created and hearing that our books or travel ideas helped someone make memories together makes all of the hard work worth it.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
A big part of my work revolves around storytelling, marketing, and helping people bring ideas to life in a way that feels authentic and approachable. Through my digital marketing company, I help small businesses strengthen their online presence through content creation, social media, blogging, email marketing, and overall brand strategy. I really love helping businesses connect with their communities in a more human way instead of feeling overly corporate or sales-driven.
Over the last few years, I’ve also stepped into the publishing world through our Mystery Date Books. When Shane and I first started creating them, I had to learn everything from scratch, from formatting and design to printing, ISBNs, distribution, and marketing. That process taught me so much about self-publishing, and now I’ve been able to help other authors navigate that world too. I know firsthand how overwhelming publishing can feel, especially for independent creators trying to figure it all out on their own.
What I’m most proud of is building something that blends creativity, travel, entrepreneurship, and community together. Dates in the States started as an idea during a road trip and has now grown into a brand with books sold in local shops, collaborations with businesses across the country, and a growing audience of people looking for more meaningful experiences.
I think what sets me apart is that everything I create comes from real experience. Whether I’m marketing for a client, writing about travel, or helping someone self-publish a book, I’m not teaching from theory. I’m actively doing it myself every day. I also try to keep everything personable and realistic. I want people to feel inspired, but also feel like these experiences and goals are actually attainable for them too.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Honestly, I don’t know if I would call much of it luck. I think a lot of where we are today has come from years of hard work, consistency, and continuing to show up even when things were growing slowly.
There were a lot of moments early on where it felt like we were putting in so much effort without seeing immediate results. Building a blog, growing an audience, creating products, and running businesses all take a lot longer than people sometimes realize. I think now we’re finally starting to see some of that work pay off as more people discover Dates in the States and our Mystery Date Books.
Of course, there have been opportunities and connections along the way that I’m incredibly grateful for, but I think those opportunities often came because we kept putting ourselves out there and staying consistent. I’ve learned that sometimes what looks like “luck” from the outside is really years of behind-the-scenes work that people don’t always see.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://datesinthestates.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/datesinthestates
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/datesinthestates
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@datesinthestates
- Other: https://crystalstatskey.com
