The United States is one of the most naturally diverse and beautiful countries in the world. It’s really no surprise, given that the nation is absolutely gigantic, so it has a lot of space to fit in snow peaks, deserts, beaches, canyons, mountains, rivers, prairies and even volcanoes.
But while the vast land of “America the Beautiful” has plenty of scenery to offer, it’s not all equally distributed among its states. We’re not here to call any of the states ugly, but let’s just say some have Hollywood star-level looks while others are pretty in a normal-person-next-door kind of way.
At the risk of offending many people, we ranked the 25 most beautiful states in the U.S. Note that we’re looking at natural beauty, the kind that comes with the territory and can’t be developed. This means that flashy cities or cute colonial towns do nothing to give their state points.
What Makes South Dakota So Beautiful
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South Dakota may just be the most underrated state of them all. Most people only know it because of Mount Rushmore, but believe us when we say that’s not the state’s best attraction by far.
Instead, we’d recommend you focus on the rest of the Black Hills, which have tall mountains, deep caves, powerful waterfalls and hot springs. Custer State Park is another point of interest, with jagged rocky peaks and deep blue lakes.
South Dakota is definitely isolated, but that’s part of what has helped it preserve its natural beauty so well. It may also be why — somewhat surprisingly — this is one of the happiest states in the country.
What Makes Virginia So Beautiful
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Virginia has the advantage of having a long coastline on one side and the Appalachian Trail on the other. This means that wherever you go, you’re guaranteed natural beauty.
Sure, the beaches aren’t the absolute best in the country, but Assateague Island has wild ponies. That is much more than any other state can say for their beaches.
The true beauty of Virginia, though, is its mountains. There are few things as relaxing as seeing the Blue Ridge Mountains from one of the state’s many vineyards.
Virginia natives love partaking in a little forest bathing. Camping, hiking and other outdoor activities are popular pastimes. Visitors are highly encouraged to look beyond neighboring D.C. and focus on the mountains.
What Makes Nevada So Beautiful
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Before you cry foul for including Nevada on here, let us quickly state that this has nothing to do with Las Vegas. We hear you, is there anything in the state besides Sin City? Absolutely yes, and it is mostly a collection of astonishing natural formations.
Right outside of Vegas, for example, is Red Rock Canyon, which features large red limestone and sandstone formations that call rock climbers from all over the planet. There is also the Ruby Valley with snow peaks, hot springs and deep verdant valleys.
Of course, we can’t forget Lake Tahoe, arguably the prettiest lake in the country.
What Makes Michigan So Beautiful
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Nobody should be surprised to see Michigan here, considering how the state has a coastline on Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron and Lake Erie.
Access to the Great Lakes basically guarantees beauty to this state, which has forest, beaches, dunes and sandstone cliffs.
Despite the cold, Michigan residents find ways to spend time outdoors at any time of the year, with ice fishing being a popular pastime in the winter. When your state is this beautiful, you definitely don’t want to waste any time staying indoors.
What Makes New York So Beautiful
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It may be obvious to Americans, but foreigners often don’t know about the immense natural beauty of New York state. Blame New York City for taking all of the attention.
First of all, the state boasts two mountain ranges, the Adirondacks and the Catskills, which make for some of the best fall foliage trips in the whole country. There are also many fluvial landscapes, courtesy of Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and the Atlantic.
Yes, the beaches are cold and windy, but they still make for some fascinating views, especially when you can drive to the mountains from them in a couple of hours.
What Makes Alaska So Beautiful
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Part of Alaska is set within the Arctic Circle, which in itself means that the landscape is harsh, dramatic and demanding. You can’t do the Alaskan wilderness in a leisurely manner, but that effort is what gets you hooked to the isolated places that are almost too beautiful to take.
Get far up north enough during the winter, and you may get to see the Northern Lights on the Arctic Tundra. A little farther south, you’ll find forests, fjords and glaciers. There are also dozens of islands with rugged coastlines and seacliffs. And let’s not forget its impressive eight national parks.
Many people also go to Alaska for the opportunity to see wildlife, which includes a very healthy population of bears and moose.
What Makes Hawaii So Beautiful
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No state even comes close to having the kind of landscapes you can find in Hawaii. Broken up into isles, the state’s space may be limited, but that doesn’t keep it from having a surprising amount of biodiversity and a variety of landscapes.
You can, for instance, experience various beach types, which range from typical white sand to rocky to glass. The volcanic islands also have lava tubes, caves, natural pools, desert-like canyons and tall waterfalls.
The ocean is, of course, a playground that’s to be respected, where you can swim, surf, scuba dive, snorkel and whale watch.
