40 of the most beautiful places in the US

Talia LakritzJan 30, 2024, 01:33 IST

Thor's Well in Oregon.Lijuan Guo/Shutterstock

Business Insider chose 40 of the most beautiful places in the US based on national rankings.
Notable sites include the Pacific Coast Highway, Lake Tahoe, and Central Park.

Whether you enjoy hiking through dazzling natural wonders or viewing historic architectural marvels, there's no shortage of beautiful places to visit throughout the US.

Business Insider rounded up 40 of the most stunning destinations based on national rankings as well as input from locals across the country.

Here are 40 of the most beautiful places across the US.

Established in 1885, Niagara Falls State Park in Buffalo, New York, is the oldest state park in the US.

Niagara Falls.Mark Blinch/Reuters

Shoshone Falls in Twin Falls, Idaho, is even larger than Niagara Falls at 212 feet.

Shoshone Falls in Twin Falls, Idaho.Shutterstock/Png Studio Photography

The Tallulah Gorge sits inside the gorgeous, 2,700-acre Tallulah Gorge State Park in Georgia.

Tallulah Gorge in Tallulah Falls, Georgia.Sean Pavone Photo/Getty Images

Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, is the largest privately owned house in the US.

Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.Rauluminate / iStock

The redwoods in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, part of California's Redwood National and State Parks, are some of the tallest in the world.

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park in Northern California.Rebecca L. Latson/Getty Images

"Good Morning America" viewers once voted Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan the most beautiful place in America.

Sleeping Bear Dunes.Shutterstock

Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska features a majestic glacier.

Kenai Fjords.Sean Lema / Shutterstock

Hamilton Pool Preserve in Dripping Springs, Texas, is a swimming hole with a 50-foot waterfall.

Hamilton Pool Preserve.Kristine T Pham Photography/Getty Images

The Grand Prismatic Spring's bright colors make it a standout spot in Yellowstone National Park in Teton County, Wyoming.

Grand Prismatic Spring.Yongyut Kumsri/Shutterstock

Business Insider named Oregon's Oneonta Gorge one of the 11 most spectacular waterfalls in the US.

Oneonta Gorge.evenfh/Shutterstock

Skagit Valley Tulip Fields in Washington is a stunning landscape in the spring.

Skagit Valley.Shutterstock/karamysh

White Sands National Monument in New Mexico consists of gleaming gypsum sand dunes.

White Sands National Monument.sunsinger/Shutterstock

They don't call Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas "The American Spa" for nothing.

Hot Springs National Park.Zack Frank / Shutterstock

With its views of the Rocky Mountains and charming hubs like Pearl Street, Boulder, Colorado, is one of the prettiest cities in the US.

Boulder.littlenySTOCK/Shutterstock

US News and World Report named Clearwater Beach in Florida one of the top five beaches in the US.

Clearwater Beach, Florida.kurdistan/Shutterstock

Charleston has been voted the best city in the US and the world.

Charleston, South Carolina.Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

The Pacific Coast Highway in California is one of the best-known scenic drives in the US.

The Pacific Coast Highway.Pun /Shutterstock

Acadia National Park in Maine is one of the most-visited parks in North America.

Acadia National Park.Joesph Sohm/Shutterstock

Badlands National Park in South Dakota is known as "the Grand Canyon of the Midwest."

Badlands.Natchapon L. / Shutterstock

Newport, Rhode Island, is a whimsical storybook town.

Newport.Shutterstock

Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park, known as "nature's waterpark," is nestled in Missouri's St. Francois Mountains.

Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park.Sharon Day/Shutterstock

The Wave in Coyote Buttes North, Arizona, is a famous computer desktop background.

The Wave in Arizona.Tu Le/Shutterstock

Glacier National Park is a breathtaking natural wonder in Montana.

Glacier National Park.Vaclav Sebek/Shutterstock

Business Insider readers dubbed the Palace of Gold the most beautiful building in the state of West Virginia.

The Palace of Gold.Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Arches National Park in Utah is nature's sculpture garden.

Arches National Park.Andrew S./Shutterstock

The Milwaukee Art Museum in Wisconsin features 90-foot ceilings in Windhover Hall and wings that open up.

The Milwaukee Art Museum.Checubus/Shutterstock

Volcanoes in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island ooze lava.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.Alexey Kamenskiy/Shutterstock

Lake Tahoe's clear blue waters make for breathtaking scuba diving.

Lake Tahoe.Anton Foltin/Shutterstock

Business Insider named Wellesley College in Massachusetts one of the most beautiful college campuses in America.

Wellesley College.EvgeniiAnd/Shutterstock

Central Park in New York covers 843 acres of land in one of the world's busiest cities.

The Central Park Reservoir in New York City.Shutterstock

The Grand Canyon is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

The Grand Canyon.Anton Foltin/Shutterstock

Tallgrass Prairie National Reserve in Kansas is the only national park dedicated to preserving the tallgrass prairie ecosystem full of forbs, flowers, trees, and shrubs.

Tallgrass Prairie National Reserve.Ricardo Reitmeyer/Shutterstock

Tallgrass Prairie National Reserve in Kansas is the only national park dedicated to preserving the tallgrass prairie ecosystem full of forbs, flowers, trees, and shrubs.

Water fills Thor's Well in Yachats, Oregon, during high tide, then sprays out of it, and drains back inside for a mesmerizing water show.

Thor's Well.Lijuan Guo/Shutterstock

The top of the Willis Tower provides a sprawling view of Chicago, Illinois.

The view from the Willis Tower.Angel Stellrecht/Shutterstock

Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and North Carolina is the most-visited national park in the US.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park.Dean Fikar/Shutterstock

Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio features the state's largest recess cave.

Hocking Hills State Park.Bill Swindaman/Getty Images

With 300 miles of shoreline, Door County, Wisconsin, is known as the "Cape Cod of the Midwest."

Door County.Christopher J. Franklin Photography/Getty Images

Cheaha Mountain State Park features the highest point in Alabama with panoramic views of the mountains.

Cheaha Mountain State Park.JimVallee/iStock/Getty Images Plus

Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky features over 400 miles of caverns.

Mammoth Cave National Park.rukawajung/Shutterstock

The picturesque village of Stowe, Vermont, is located 10 miles from Mount Mansfield, the state's highest peak.

Stowe, Vermont.Songquan Deng/Shutterstock

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40 of the most beautiful places in the US

Established in 1885, Niagara Falls State Park in Buffalo, New York, is the oldest state park in the US.

Shoshone Falls in Twin Falls, Idaho, is even larger than Niagara Falls at 212 feet.

The Tallulah Gorge sits inside the gorgeous, 2,700-acre Tallulah Gorge State Park in Georgia.

Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, is the largest privately owned house in the US.

The redwoods in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, part of California's Redwood National and State Parks, are some of the tallest in the world.

"Good Morning America" viewers once voted Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan the most beautiful place in America.

Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska features a majestic glacier.

Hamilton Pool Preserve in Dripping Springs, Texas, is a swimming hole with a 50-foot waterfall.

The Grand Prismatic Spring's bright colors make it a standout spot in Yellowstone National Park in Teton County, Wyoming.

Business Insider named Oregon's Oneonta Gorge one of the 11 most spectacular waterfalls in the US.

Skagit Valley Tulip Fields in Washington is a stunning landscape in the spring.

White Sands National Monument in New Mexico consists of gleaming gypsum sand dunes.

They don't call Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas "The American Spa" for nothing.

With its views of the Rocky Mountains and charming hubs like Pearl Street, Boulder, Colorado, is one of the prettiest cities in the US.

US News and World Report named Clearwater Beach in Florida one of the top five beaches in the US.

Charleston has been voted the best city in the US and the world.

The Pacific Coast Highway in California is one of the best-known scenic drives in the US.

Acadia National Park in Maine is one of the most-visited parks in North America.

Badlands National Park in South Dakota is known as "the Grand Canyon of the Midwest."

Newport, Rhode Island, is a whimsical storybook town.

Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park, known as "nature's waterpark," is nestled in Missouri's St. Francois Mountains.

The Wave in Coyote Buttes North, Arizona, is a famous computer desktop background.

Glacier National Park is a breathtaking natural wonder in Montana.

Business Insider readers dubbed the Palace of Gold the most beautiful building in the state of West Virginia.

Arches National Park in Utah is nature's sculpture garden.

The Milwaukee Art Museum in Wisconsin features 90-foot ceilings in Windhover Hall and wings that open up.

Volcanoes in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island ooze lava.

Lake Tahoe's clear blue waters make for breathtaking scuba diving.

Business Insider named Wellesley College in Massachusetts one of the most beautiful college campuses in America.

Central Park in New York covers 843 acres of land in one of the world's busiest cities.

The Grand Canyon is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

Tallgrass Prairie National Reserve in Kansas is the only national park dedicated to preserving the tallgrass prairie ecosystem full of forbs, flowers, trees, and shrubs.

Water fills Thor's Well in Yachats, Oregon, during high tide, then sprays out of it, and drains back inside for a mesmerizing water show.

The top of the Willis Tower provides a sprawling view of Chicago, Illinois.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and North Carolina is the most-visited national park in the US.

Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio features the state's largest recess cave.

With 300 miles of shoreline, Door County, Wisconsin, is known as the "Cape Cod of the Midwest."

Cheaha Mountain State Park features the highest point in Alabama with panoramic views of the mountains.

Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky features over 400 miles of caverns.

The picturesque village of Stowe, Vermont, is located 10 miles from Mount Mansfield, the state's highest peak.