10 of the most beautiful places in the US, according to someone who's been to all 50 states
- I'm a solo traveler who's been to every US state and national park.
- The beauty of Glacier National Park has brought me to tears on several occasions.
- I've also loved traveling to gorgeous places like Grand Teton National Park and Sedona, Arizona.
Growing up in the Midwest, I often saw photos on calendars or computer-screen wallpapers that seemed too good to be true.
The towering mountain peaks, jagged coastlines, and unique rock formations were so different from what I saw in my daily life that I couldn't imagine they actually existed.
As I started to travel more in my 30s, eventually to all 50 states and 63 major United States national parks, I found that not only did they all exist, but that there was an almost never-ending list of beautiful places.
Here are the 10 most beautiful spots I've visited in the US.
From my first glimpse of the Teton Range nearly a decade ago, I've never gotten over its beauty.
The jutting peaks, ample wildlife, and clear blue lakes make this park stunning from all vantage points and have led to me coming back more than a dozen times.
The String, Jackson, and Jenny lakes are some of my favorite accessible viewpoints, and the more than 200 miles of hiking trails take visitors to vistas that feel like a mirage.
I once spent a few weeks in the summer traveling solo in a van through Alaska.
Although the views throughout the state were some of the most beautiful I've ever seen, Seward was the place I never wanted to leave.
The port city is on the Kenai Peninsula and serves as the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park.
Seward is the perfect place to enjoy the mountains and the sea. Camp on the beach, kayak in the bay, or take a sightseeing tour to spot puffins, humpback whales, and sea otters.
People are sometimes surprised to hear that I rank the Georgia coast among the most beautiful places I've traveled to in the US.
Although not as obviously awe-inspiring or in-your-face as the dramatic Western vistas and mountaintops often seen as bucket-list locations, the Georgia coast has a truly unique beauty.
I love visiting Cumberland Island to admire the wild horses, walk below the live oak trees, and relax on more than 17 miles of uninterrupted and undeveloped beaches.
I wouldn't trust a list of the most beautiful places in the US that didn't include Yosemite National Park.
Located in California's Sierra Nevada mountains, the towering granite and impressive waterfalls of the Yosemite Valley are bucket-list items for a reason.
Watch the sunset at Tunnel View, hike on some of the roughly 800 miles of hiking trails, or relax next to the Merced River, which runs through the valley.
In Yosemite, you'll be surrounded by beauty that can't be captured or described.
Colorado, my home state, is full of indescribable beauty. But with so many gorgeous areas, the one that always stands out is Telluride.
In a box canyon surrounded by the up to 14,000-foot mountains the state is known for, the small town offers adventure, luxury, and views you won't find anywhere else.
Just two hours north of Phoenix and two hours south of the Grand Canyon lies the spiritual and adventure mecca of Sedona, Arizona.
Sedona is known for its impressive red rocks, energy vortexes, bucket-list hiking, mountain biking, and stargazing.
In my opinion, there's no place as peaceful and spectacular in the Southwest as this town of just under 10,000 people.
The Northeast doesn't always get the praise that outdoor areas in the West might, but it has no shortage of remarkable landscapes.
One of my favorite places to visit — specifically in the fall — is the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
Hike Artists Bluff Trail in Franconia Notch State Park before walking through Flume Gorge for more impressive views.
With many scenic roadways throughout the country, the US has become synonymous with road trips.
Although there are many impressive drives, my trip along California's Highway 1 to Big Sur and San Simeon was the most scenic and jaw-droppingly beautiful I've encountered.
Here, the coast dramatically meets the sea, with impressive cliffs, views, and beaches.
Be sure to stop at Bixby Creek Bridge for a photo op and continue to Pfeiffer Beach to see the unique purple sand.
I've visited Glacier National Park several times, and each trip has brought tears to my eyes.
Driving the nearly 50-mile scenic Going-to-the-Sun Road is a feast for the senses, with imposing mountains surrounding waterfalls.
Take your time at this more than 1 million-acre park, where each view somehow tops the last.
The park is known for its stunning glacial lakes and wildlife, including mountain goats, grizzly bears, and bighorn sheep.
This story was originally published on January 11, 2024, and most recently updated on November 4, 2024.