Top Instagrammable Spots in the U.S. You Need to Visit

Want to stare at something truly beautiful? Then, it’s time to head outside and take a good gander at Mother Nature’s offerings — specifically, those found in California and Nevada.

To help travelers discover the most picturesque landscapes in America, the experts at Storyboards, a photo printing company specializing in creating unique wall art, analyzed Instagram hashtag data. They sought to determine which landscapes are considered the most “picturesque.” According to the findings, Lake Tahoe, which straddles the Sierra Mountains between California and Nevada, came in at No. 1.

“Placing first on the list of the most picturesque landscapes in America is Lake Tahoe, with 2,986,225 Instagram hashtags,” the findings explained. This extremely high number of mentions may be due to the lake’s remarkably clear waters, along with the “many outdoor activities to partake in” for guests, including hiking, fishing, and skiing during winter.

Lake Michigan, one of the five Great Lakes in North America, came in a close second, with 2,788,904 hashtag mentions on Instagram. “With a length of 307 miles and a width of 118 miles, Lake Michigan is the third-largest lake in America and the fifth-largest in the world — plus, it’s home to abundant natural habitats.” Interestingly, four of the five Great Lakes feature in the top 10.

In third place is Florida’s Clearwater Beach — a stunning sugar-sand paradise lapped by turquoise waters, which boasts 1,298,877 Instagram hashtag mentions. Following this, Lake Superior, also one of the five Great Lakes and the largest freshwater lake globally, ranked number four with 1,157,663 hashtag mentions. The team believes that its popularity is also due to “incredibly clear” water. Rounding out the top five is Lake Ontario, with just over 1 million hashtag mentions.

The sixth through ninth spots are similarly filled with water-centric destinations, including Honolulu’s Waikiki Beach; North Carolina’s Lake Norman; Lake Huron, another of the five Great Lakes; and Lake Powell, which sits across both Arizona and Utah.

Interestingly, the only non-water-focused area to make the top 10 is the Mojave Desert, which reported 429,066 hashtag mentions. The desert likely wins significant praise due to its unique habitat, boasting features like towering mesas, sand dunes, and Joshua Trees.

“With the top 10 landscapes located across various states, including Florida, Hawaii, and North Carolina, it highlights that Americans are spoiled for choice when it comes to stunning scenery,” Gavin Glick, co-founder of Storyboards, stated. “However, it’s noteworthy that seven of the top 10 landscapes are lakes, suggesting a strong preference among Americans for this type of natural beauty.”