Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
1. California- may the closest thing to a clear #1 on a fairly subjective topic.
2/3. Washington or Oregon- Seattle is personally more stunning to me than Portland, but I don't have a sense of the who state. This area is probably the most scenic outside CA and maybe even more so if you like lush greenery. You have dramatic western mountains and scenic ocean front, harbors, gorges, lakes etc. The west coast just feels more dramatic than the east coast.
4/5. Maine or New York State- Maine is more consistently scenic. Hard to find an area of the state that isn't pretty. But, I do like sandy ocean beaches so I give NY the nod for that. NYS also probably has more variety: Long Island beaches/islands/bluffs, Catskills, Hudson Valley, Adirondacks, Lake Champlain, Thousand Islands, Finger Lakes, rolling hills of central and western NY, Niagara Falls, Great Lakes with beaches, bluffs, islands, and dramatic sunsets.
5. North Carolina or VA- NC really has a nice mix of oceans, rolling lush pediment and rugged mountains. The only downside is the ocean is a long way from the mountains. Much of eastern NC away from the ocean is somewhat bland costal plain. The Ocean and Mountains are generally closer in VA, although maybe a little less spectacular than NC. These two certainly have better weather than ME or NY. But, I don't them for their somewhat muted interior regions and the lack of natural lakes.
Honorable mention: NH and MA. These lists are obviously biased in favor of geographically larger states. MA and NH pack an amazing about of scenic variety (mountains, lakes, hills, forests, ocean beaches, bluffs, islands) into small areas.
Places like Florida, NM, AZ Colorado are obviously beautiful. But, for me personally, I like a mix of water, topographic variation, and lush greenery.
Massachusetts
New York
Pennsylvania
Washington
New Hampshire
I believe the 5 above have the most continuous natural beauty and diversity of landscape. They are not the only beautiful states but definitely have strong continuity throughout.
Maybe I'm biased about Wisconsin, but it is beautiful. Probably the reason why Frank Lloyd Wright chose to build his home, Taliesin, south of Madison...stunning, hilly area.
If you look at the states with the eye of a photographer or artist, they all could be on the list. There is something scenic or picturesque in rural or urban places. My five favorites would be New Mexico, California, Missouri, North Carolina, and New York. I find Kansas to have its own kind of beauty but you have to get off the interstate. That is true of most states. Montana and Wyoming I like a little better than Colorado. I haven't spent enough time in the Pacific NW or upper Midwest to really judge. The scenic diversity is what gets my attention.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
