In this article, we will look at the 25 most beautiful states in the US. But before that, let’s take an overview of the topography and tourism sector of the United States.
America’s Topography: An Overview
The United States of America has one of the most diverse topographies in the world, with its landscape dotted with fertile grasslands, snow-covered mountains, arid deserts, and glistening water bodies. With an area of about 9.53 million square kilometers, it is the fourth largest country in the world by area, standing behind Canada, Russia, and China. That makes the US more than 39 times the size of the UK. Due to its large area, the country has a wide spectrum of climates, ranging from snow-packed Alaska to hot and sunny Florida. The USA’s northern wing has a predominantly arctic climate all year round, but its interior has a subtropical to continental climate. However, since the country does not have a continuous mountain range other than the Rocky Mountains, it is not uncommon for the cold Arctic air to blow southwards, affecting otherwise warm states such as Florida and Texas, especially in the winter.
Encompassing 50 partly sovereign states, the country boasts numerous geographical zones. Its location between oceans grants it a 19,924-kilometer coastline, along with 18,617 islands (some of which are sparsely or partly inhabited). Around 83% of the country’s total population of approximately 334.91 million is concentrated in urban centers.
Travel and Tourism in the USA
Due to its diverse geographical landscapes and climate, the country is a popular tourist destination for not just foreigners but its own residents as well. While the travel industry tumbled after losing 75% of its value in 2020, it is on the way to completely recovering by the end of 2024. Although much of the boost in the sector is caused by “revenge travel,” or people making international trips that were delayed by the pandemic, domestic travel is also making a comeback. In fact, domestic travel in the country is expected to account for nearly 70% of the total travel spending by 2030.
Apart from its natural beauty, diverse landscapes, and cultural richness, the US boasts a strong infrastructure supporting travel and tourism, which also bolsters spending power. According to the travel forecast released by the United States Travel Association (USTA), the US received around 79.4 million international visitors in 2019 (before the pandemic) and spent around $180 billion. This generated an economic output of around $2 trillion. To put these numbers into perspective, France, the most visited country in the world, received 90 million visitors in the same year, generating around $61 billion in revenue from international tourism. Although the USA’s international visitors revenue generation has become volatile after the pandemic, it is expected to rise to its pre-pandemic level by 2025. You can also look at 25 Cheap Places to Travel in the U.S. with Beaches for more insight.
Where Does Technology Come In?
Technology has eased travel and allowed access to hidden gems in the US, with several travel applications allowing users to plan their trips with a few clicks. One of the most prominent examples is Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG), which ranks among the world’s largest online travel and related services providers. It offers online travel services in more than 220 countries through its brands, which include Booking.com, Priceline, Agoda, KAYAK, and OpenTable. In its Q2 2024 financial results, the company reported a total revenue of $5.9 billion, up 7% year over year. Gross travel bookings reached $5.9 billion, up 4% year over year.
One of the primary reasons behind the company’s strong Q2 results is its increasing use of artificial intelligence in its platforms. Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) offers its users the AI Trip Planner which recommends accommodation and destination options to users. Based on the company’s existing machine learning models, the travel planner works with the technological aid of Open AI’s ChatGPT and allows travelers to ask general travel-related questions, refine their real-time searches, and ask for suggestions. The tool also offers information and tips regarding potential travel destinations, giving users different routes, travel, and accommodation options for a particular region, country, or city. The AI Trip Planner has thus streamlined travel for its users, irrespective of how popular or remote their potential destination may be.
Now that we have taken an overview of the topography and tourism industry of the US, let’s look at the 25 most beautiful states in the US. For more insight, you can look at 15 Best AI Travel Apps for Vacationing in 2024 and 20 Best Places for Adventure Travel in the World.
Peter Kunasz/Shutterstock.com
Our Methodology
To compile a list of the 25 most beautiful states in the US, we used a consensus approach and a visitor survey through Reddit. Firstly, we consulted ten online expert sources to compile a list of the 40 most beautiful states in the US. Next, we looked at ten Reddit threads that asked commenters to mention the most beautiful states they had visited in the United States. We only chose threads that had more than 100 comments and studied more than 1,500 comments to shortlist the states with the most recommendations by Reddit users. We then counted the number of upvotes on each comment and chose the top 25 states with the most number of upvotes. The 25 most beautiful states in the US are arranged in ascending order of their number of upvotes on Reddit.
Note: This list is not exhaustive and does not reflect our opinion. The ranking is solely based on the opinions of mass consumers on Reddit.
At Insider Monkey we are obsessed with the stocks that hedge funds pile into. The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
25 Most Beautiful States in the US
25. Nevada
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 1085
Nevada takes up the 25th spot on our list of the 25 most beautiful states in the US. The landlocked state is located in the western region of the United States, and is most famous for the Red Rock Canyon, Ruby Valley, and Lake Tahoe, and Death Valley National Park.
24. Minnesota
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 1091
Popularly known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes, Minnesota ranks 24th on our list. The state’s landscape is dotted with rugged lakeside cliffs and dense forests filled with waterfalls and hidden hiking trails.
23. Wisconsin
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 1103
The midwestern US state of Wisconsin boasts coastlines on two Great Lakes, Lake Michigan, and Lake Superior, along with a nexus of green farms and forests. The state’s 1,200-meter-long Ice Age Trail studs through its landscape like a tapeworm, offering visitors a peek into its diverse landscape.
22. South Dakota
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 1110
Mount Rushmore isn’t the only thing that makes South Dakota popular: the state’s Black Hills region, Spearfish Canyon, and Palisades State Park are some of the several popular scenic attractions. The sparsely populated midwestern state ranks 22nd on our list.
21. Tennessee
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 1131
The 21st spot on our list of the most beautiful states in the US is held by Tennesse, with 1,131 Reddit upvotes. The landlocked eastern state’s Smoky Mountains offer visitors some of the best views in the country.
20. West Virginia
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 1135
The eastern state of West Virginia ranks 20th on our list, and is popular among adventure travellers. The state’s scenery revolves around rivers and hills, with the Monongahela National Forest safeguarding dense forests and wildlife.
19. Idaho
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 1146
Idaho is one of the lucky states to house the Yellowstone National Park, one of the most popular national parks in the country housing diverse wildlife and landscapes. Idaho is also home to the Sawtooth Mountains, offering mountain bikers breathtaking views. It ranks 19th on our list.
18. New Mexico
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 1159
The 18th spot on our list of the 25 most beautiful states in the US is held by New Mexico, with 1,159 upvotes on Reddit. The state is located in the southwestern region of the United States, and ranks among the four Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains.
17. Oregon
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 1171
Oregon’s landscape is one of the most diverse in the country, containing sprawling rainforests, dense forests, snow-capped mountains, volcanic fields, and high desert. It is also famous for its Columbia River Gorge Highway, which has waterfalls and scenic views.
16. New York
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 1174
New York is not just famous for the Big Apple: the state’s natural beauty is also one of the most breathtaking in the country. With 1,174 Reddit upvotes, New York ranks in the 16th spot on our list of the most beautiful states in the US.
15. North Carolina
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 1187
North Carolina offers its visitors the complete experience, from the beaches on the East Coast to the Blue Ridge Mountains in the West. Its Outer Banks coastal retreats are also some of the most famous in the US, as is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
14. Massachusetts
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 1193
With 1,193 upvotes on Reddit, Massachusetts takes the 14th spot on our list. The state borders the Gulf of Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to its east, and draws visitors with its picturesque spots: the Berkshires, Cape Cod National Seashore, and Pioneer Valley.
13. Montana
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 1201
The 13th spot on our list of the most beautiful states in the US is held by Montana, with 1,201 Reddit upvotes. The western state’s diverse landscape ranges from the Great Plains to the Rocky Mountains, housing alpine hiking trails, snow-covered peaks, and an expansive wilderness that runs all the way to Canada.
12. Wyoming
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 1221
Located in the Mountain West subregion of the western United States, the landlocked state of Wyoming offers the high plains of Laramie, eerie rock formations of Vedauwoo, Milky Way views of the Lower 48, views of the Red Canyon, and sights of the Devils Tower all in one state. It ranks 12th on our list.
11. Michigan
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 1227
The landlocked state of Michigan is surrounded by inland seas and houses some of the most scenic beaches in the continental US. Ranging from the coast of Lake Huron to the sand-filled beaches of Lake Michigan, the state encompasses more than 11,000 inland lakes. It ranks 11th on our list.
10. Vermont
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 1231
Vermont is located in the northeastern United States, and its picturesque natural landscape ranks it tenth on the list. The state is most popular for its maple syrup production and for housing more than 100 wooden bridges dating back to the 19th century. A part of the New England region, its landmark spans thousands of mountainous terrain.
9. Colorado
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 1249
Colorado holds the ninth spot on our list of the 25 most beautiful states in the US, with 1,249 upvotes on Reddit. The landlocked state is located in the Mountain West subregion of the country’s Western wing and has a diverse landscape dotted with river canyons, arid desert, and snowy Rocky Mountains.
8. Florida
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 1254
Florida boasts the honor of being the US state with the largest number of natural lakes, up to 30,000. The springs area in the north of the state is considered the best in the world, with the Biscayne National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, and the Everglades being some of the top scenic spots in the state.
7. Maine
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 1279
Maine has one of the most scenic natural landscapes in the Northeast of the country, with thousands of miles of breathtaking coastline extending to its several offshore islands. The state’s dense wilderness and picturesque seashore rank it seventh on our list, with 1,279 Reddit upvotes.
6. Washington
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 1,287
Washington has the honor of having the most beaches in the country: 1,368. The state’s national parks are not only among the best but also the most remote in the country, including Olympic National Park, North Cascades National Park, and Mount Rainier National Park.
5. Arizona
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 1298
Arizona holds the fifth spot on our list, with 1298 upvotes on Reddit. The southwestern US state is most famous for the Grand Canyon, one of the most popular tourist destinations worldwide. Saguaro National Park is also a state treasure, protecting its cactus-filled landscape.
