Ginevra Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 If your criteria for where in the US to live was based on beautiful surroundings, what states/regions would make your top five? Im just curious…after just driving through the most fabulous fall deciduous trees on both sides of the road, I think it’s hard to beat Maryland. But I am interested in hearing others scroll the natural virtues of other states/regions. If you live outside of the US, I would still enjoy hearing about what is beautiful wherever you are. 😊 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 (edited) So many choices! Places I've lived or travel to often: Utah has fantastic desert canyons. Colorado has real mountains. Arizona has the Grand Canyon. Oregon has the Cascades and the coast and the high desert in the East. Missouri has clear spring fed rivers. Arkansas has Ozarks and the Buffalo. California has perhaps the most variety I've experienced, from the Sierra to the Mojave, and the great coastline. Otoh, Kansas or Oklahoma can't quite compare. (And Illinois. I forgot about Illinois. ) Edited October 28, 2023 by regentrude 5 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 Way too hard! Because of course what constitutes "natural beauty" is in the eye of the beholder. I need trees and greenery. So much of the east coast from NC (which I'm biased towards, being a native--it's hard to beat the range of scenery) and northward would get my vote. I'm also fond of parts of the Midwest and Great Lakes region. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 While it can be argued that other states have bigger things, my vote is for Michigan, especially the UP. There are more pretty things in a small way constantly with all the forest and creeks and rivers and lakes, with the big thing being the Great Lakes which are near to virtually any location in Michigan. Same goes for Minnesota. My daughter says Maine is like that, too, with the added bonus of ocean coastline. But my heart is mostly in Michigan. 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 Maine, obviously! Lol We have big mountains, endless forest, 4 distinct seasons, innumerable lakes, the most stunning of rocky coastlines, big sandy beaches too if that's your thing... The one thing we don't have is Big Sky. For that I vote Utah. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilaclady Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 Like Regentrude said, California has the most diversity. I just love that state if it wasn’t so expensive. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith-manor Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 Well, as a Great Lakes Girl, I can say I have never seen a state better than Michigan for general beauty being all over that state. Sure, I have been to spectacular spots in individual states, however, these were one off, two off type places where the rest of the state was rather less pretty. I am hard pressed to drive anywhere in this state that isn't beautiful. And when you grow up on lakes the size of seas, it isn't impressive really to go hang out on an ocean. My sister in law tries to get us to say that the Tampa Bay is just drop dead gorgeous, but I have Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Superior handy, and no sharks, no stinging jellyfish, and deciduous trees plus pines lining the coast way, plus mana dunes, cliffs, rocky coastlines, mountains just high enough for winter sports, and glorious summers where we rarely bake in intense heat. So ya. I love this state!!! But, that said, I kind of think this thread could start a bit of a rumble. 😂 5 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 5 minutes ago, Faith-manor said: Well, as a Great Lakes Girl, I can say I have never seen a state better than Michigan for general beauty being all over that state. Sure, I have been to spectacular spots in individual states, however, these were one off, two off type places where the rest of the state was rather less pretty. I am hard pressed to drive anywhere in this state that isn't beautiful. And when you grow up on lakes the size of seas, it isn't impressive really to go hang out on an ocean. My sister in law tries to get us to say that the Tampa Bay is just drop dead gorgeous, but I have Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Superior handy, and no sharks, no stinging jellyfish, and deciduous trees plus pines lining the coast way, plus mana dunes, cliffs, rocky coastlines, mountains just high enough for winter sports, and glorious summers where we rarely bake in intense heat. So ya. I love this state!!! But, that said, I kind of think this thread could start a bit of a rumble. 😂 😍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith-manor Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 I would also like to say that there is a close 2nd place. We lived for 18 months in Newburg, OR at the base of Mt. Hood. We were in wine and rose country, and an easy drive to coast for seeing seals and such. Lots of orchards. The Willamette Valley is pretty dang amazing. Astoria is gorgeous. The east side of the state is deserty, but also has some interesting landscape. We did love it there, very much. We lived for years in Indiana, and sadly, we just don't have those kinds of things to say about that state, or Illinois, or Iowa, or Nebraska, or Kansas..... 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annandatje Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 Pacific Northwest. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 Do you all ever watch Aerial America? They're all beautiful states, in their own ways. 9 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 In addition to the amazing beauty in the Pacific Northwest, we don't have bugs (or not much). I don't get bitten while enjoying the beauty. I grew up in CA and appreciate the many different kinds of beauty there but have to acknowledge much of it isn't so amazing (like the Central Valley where I grew up). My vote is for Oregon. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 Of the ones I’ve been to, Florida, California, Colorado, Utah, Wisconsin. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 (edited) Oregon has the beautiful rocky coast, the lush rolling hills and valleys of the Willamette Valley (mix of farm and forest), the Cascade mountain range and the high desert area around Bend, the sparsely populated Rogue River forested areas with Crater Lake, and the ranch lands and other worldly John Day Fossil Beds of eastern Oregon, plus the Wallowas (nicknamed Little Switzerland). For the sheer diversity of natural beauty, I’m not sure CA, WA, OR, and Alaska can be beat with the amazing number of diverse ecosystems. I’ve lived on the east coast (and travelled there extensively), the Midwest (ditto), and Colorado and while all of those places have lots of natural beauty, none have the diversity of the west coast all within one state. Edited October 28, 2023 by Frances 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 (edited) I spent most of my life in California, and as has been said, for diversity it can't be beat. There is basically everything there. Oregon and Washington are pretty spectacular too. New York and Connecticut have some beautiful areas too, and of course New England is gorgeous. Now living in Pennsylvania, with the trees changing... oh my. Oregon and Cali have nothing on PA when it comes to fall color, of course. And even though I live in the Philly suburbs, it is not hard to get out to beautiful rural/remote places. (Even within Philadelphia city limits there beautiful places that have a wilderness feel.) So right now, today, my vote would be Pennsy because it is so beautiful here right now. ETA: Wow, I forgot about North Carolina and Virginia. Blue Ridge Mountains, so awesome. Edited October 28, 2023 by marbel 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasProud Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 We always loved Colorado as our go-to place; however, our trip to the Upper Peninsula in Michigan was absolutely wonderful! I cannot wait to go back. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 PA, especially The Wilds area (tourist interests refer to it that way). I like hills and green and seasons and clear streams, lol. Parts of Western MD and of WV have a very similar look—the Alleghenies sweep through those regions as well. I think a lot of places are quite pretty though (takes a little more looking in the Midwest—pretty things aren’t displayed on a hillside). There is beautiful and there is rare and unique, but people don’t necessarily inhabit the rare and unique places we have in the National Parks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halftime Hope Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 We were just in Northwest Arkansas, and while the trees were changing color beautifully, and we had a stunning, drop-dead-gorgeous view where we were staying, I came away less than impressed with the wildness and trashy look of endless deciduous trees. I was surprised, because I'm an avid tree lover. Green leaves are my love language. I guess I just like them a bit more tidy. Maybe that's why the less jungle-y look of northern Colorado and Oregon forests appealed to me. Anyway, that was a new revelation, and a surprising one at that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Tiggywinkle Again Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 This is my hometown. 14 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith-manor Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 Photo 1: Presque Isle Park, Marquette MI Photo 2: Sailing on Lake Huron Photo 3: Sleeping Bear Dunes, Lake Michigan 6 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 1 hour ago, Ginevra said: If your criteria for where in the US to live was based on beautiful surroundings, what states/regions would make your top five? Im just curious…after just driving through the most fabulous fall deciduous trees on both sides of the road, I think it’s hard to beat Maryland. But I am interested in hearing others scroll the natural virtues of other states/regions. If you live outside of the US, I would still enjoy hearing about what is beautiful wherever you are. 😊 I’m looking out my Maryland window right now and we do seem to be gearing up for a glorious fall this year. The color and light is amazing today. I’m gonna drag Dh out to hike with me. We have to enjoy it before winter because then it’s decidingly less stunning. I’ve lived all over the northeast and there’s a reason fall is so many peoples’ favorite season around here. 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popmom Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 (edited) I visited CO for the first time this summer, and it was beautiful--but only in the mountains. It is surprisingly flat everywhere else. Compared to where I live in the SE, the mountains are otherworldly. The flora is (or is it floras are?) so different. I want to go back, and when I do Utah is definitely on my bucket list for natural beauty. I would love to see Michigan, @Faith-manor. I have seen some beautiful pics on Pinterest. There and Wisconsin surprisingly. I follow an account on Insta of a family renovating a cabin on a lake in Wisconsin, and it is glorious. My only issue with these states is that I am a such a water person.. Looking at water is not enough for me. lol I need to be ((in)) the water. And that water needs to be 78 degrees or warmer. 😉 I definitely tried out some cold water therapy in the streams of CO. But all I could do was put my feet in! It was like ice! Hawaii is dreamy. I have only been to Maui--just once. We stayed on Ulua Beach. We could snorkel a reef from the beach. It was magical. And the gardens, the birds...Everything was magical. Edited October 28, 2023 by popmom 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith-manor Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 2 minutes ago, popmom said: I visited CO for the first time this summer, and it was beautiful--but only in the mountains. It is surprisingly flat everywhere else. Compared to where I live in the SE, the mountains are otherworldly. The flora is (or is it floras are?) so different. I want to go back, and when I do Utah is definitely on my bucket list for natural beauty. I would love to see Michigan, @Faith-manor. I have seen some beautiful pic on Pinterest. There and Wisconsin surprisingly. My only issue with these states is that I am a such a water person.. Looking at water is not enough for me. lol I need to be ((in)) the water. And that water needs to be 78 degrees or warmer. 😉 I definitely tried out some cold water therapy in the streams of CO. But all I could do was put my feet in! It was like ice! If you came, I would take you on a tour! Also, more bragging photos. Photo 1, 2, & 3: Lake Michigan, Charlevoix County, Tunnel of Trees scenic drive Photo 4: The Mighty Mac. We used to cross it, round trip so 16 crossings, 8 times a year for 4 straight years while youngest ds went to college in the U.P. apart from the insane driving conditions on US 2 and MI 28 during the dead of winter, I always loved making the run. Total, believe it or not, it was cheaper to do all that driving than buy, insure, and maintain a car on campus. I actually loved doing it. Mark made the trip about 4 times in that span. Mostly it fell to me because I had a lot more flexibility in my fine arts director job than he had in his IT job. 8 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popmom Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 (edited) My favorite place to hike in Alabama is Bankhead National Forest. It's a hour and a half drive, so I don't get to often. There are innumerable waterfalls--especially in the Sipsey Wilderness, and they remind me a little of the falls in Maui (minus the incredible flowers in Maui). My most recent hike was to Sougahoagdee Falls in the first pic. I didn't spend much time in the water because there were leeches. 🥲 Second pic is Caney Creek Falls. Edited October 28, 2023 by popmom 6 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraw4321 Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 Coeur d’lene (spelling?) Idaho. Just drove through and and was amazed at how beautiful it was. I love PNW, Alaska, Montana, Utah, Tennessee, Virginia, Gulf Coast (AL and FL). So many places. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith-manor Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 3 minutes ago, popmom said: My favorite place to hike in Alabama is Bankhead National Forest. It's a hour and a half drive, so I don't get to often. There are innumerable waterfalls--especially in the Sipsey Wilderness, and they remind me of the falls in Maui. My most recent hike was to Sougahoagdee Falls in the first pic. I didn't spend much time in the water because there were leeches. 🥲 Thanks for the heads up! When we go to the Alabama house, I am always looking for new places to take my eldest grandson and romp around. He is almost 8 now so he can really go places now. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanie32 Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 I live in South Florida and though it has its own beauty, I long for woods. I haven’t traveled that much but I am partial to the Smoky Mountains. I just love the mountains and the trees and the mountain streams and waterfalls and something new to see around every corner. Also the weather is fairly temperate. 4 distinct seasons but not extremely cold or extremely hot. The photos above are absolutely breathtaking! I would love to visit all of those places! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith-manor Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 Just now, Melanie32 said: I live in South Florida and though it has its own beauty, I long for woods. I haven’t traveled that much but I am partial to the Smoky Mountains. I just love the mountains and the trees and the mountain streams and waterfalls and something new to see around every corner. Also the weather is fairly temperate. 4 distinct seasons but not extremely cold or extremely hot. The photos above are absolutely breathtaking! I would love to visit all of those places! Michigan welcomes you with open arms! And so am always available to give advice on best places to see, routes to take, etc. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanie32 Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 Just now, Faith-manor said: Michigan welcomes you with open arms! And so am always available to give advice on best places to see, routes to take, etc. I’d be on my way now if I could! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanie32 Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 Pictures of the Smokies: 8 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith-manor Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 4 minutes ago, Melanie32 said: Pictures of the Smokies: Gorgeous! I have to say I do love the vast array of scenery and natural resources of the US, and I am thankful for our National Park, National Forest, Bureau of Grasslands, and State Park systems that maintain such amazing vistas for everyone. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 6 minutes ago, Melanie32 said: Pictures of the Smokies: I haven't been to the PNW, but I've been to Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Nevada, California. And those western mountains are certainly beautiful and awe-inspiring. But for me the Blue Ridge and the Smokies are downright magical. I think it's their ancientness. It speaks to my soul in a way the mountains out west don't. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith-manor Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 1 minute ago, Pawz4me said: I haven't been to the PNW, but I've been to Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Nevada, California. And those western mountains are certainly beautiful and awe-inspiring. But for me the Blue Ridge and the Smokies are downright magical. I think it's their ancientness. It speaks to my soul in a way the mountains out west don't. One of the bucket list trips Mark and I have for when he retires is to drive Shenandoah National Park in autumn and drive the Blue Ridge Parkway all the way. We were in a piece of that highway this summer in North Carolina on vacation and fell in love with it. 3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halftime Hope Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 (edited) 6 minutes ago, Faith-manor said: One of the bucket list trips Mark and I have for when he retires is to drive Shenandoah National Park in autumn and drive the Blue Ridge Parkway all the way. We were in a piece of that highway this summer in North Carolina on vacation and fell in love with it. That's where I ran cross-country (track really, but we would run cross-country on our own) while I was in high school. We were 6 miles from the BRP, and we'd run to it and then on it. Gorgeous. ETA: the BRP but near Asheville, not Shenandoah. Edited October 28, 2023 by Halftime Hope 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeachGal Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 Any of the Hawaiian islands would make the top of my list. The climates and landscapes are so different and diverse. Golden, red, green and black sand beaches, old and younger mountains, cloud and bamboo forests, volcanoes, waterfalls, flora, fauna… hard to dislike it. I’m also partial to Montana where I grew up. I think a lot of states are beautiful, though, even North Dakota. lol 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 The only thing I don’t have in PA that I would want is an ocean, but it’s still a doable day trip, so that’s fine. The photography isn’t the greatest, but here’s my baby child on my cc campus the other day. 10 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popmom Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 @Faith-manor another cool place to take your grandson. I haven't been yet, but my kids have. It is one of of only a few places in North America with this species of bioluminescent flies. Close cousins to the glow worms in Australia and New Zealand. 🙂 https://www.dismalscanyon.com/ 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CT Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 Love this thread, especially the pictures! I'm slowly picking off bucket lists of both all 69 (?) national parks and all 50 states; and, thus far in my investigations I can report that ALL of the parks and states I've made it to thus far have their gems and wonders. And for me part of parsing the best-of-the-best superlative "natural beauty" coils around what amounts to personal aesthetics. Deserts are awe-inspiring and mystical but, oceans.... Hawaii is breathtaking but, seasons.... extremely-flat topography feels a bit threatening to me... etc. I'm formed by what I know best, and so if forced to choose just one: Maine. But we are sooooooooo lucky to have the diversity we do. 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmandaVT Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 I'll pick part of a state -Cape Cod. If we could afford it I'd have my house on the market today and would be moving!! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Geek Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 Alaska is way up the list for us, from Glaciers to volcanoes, to the wildlife, Denali, Hatcher's Pass, the blue green water of the lakes and streams, it is incredible country. I also have really enjoyed Utah, Washinton State, Colorado, Utah, California, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, the area around Yellowstone, the Chesapeake Bay Our country has a lot of beautiful places and very unique. 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acorn Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 Michigan 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 A few pics from our much needed healing afternoon at the beach today. I'm an ocean person and can't imagine living far from it again (the Great Lakes filed the hole when we lived in Minnesota and Ohio, but I missed the sea air). 7 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasProud Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 (edited) @Faith-manor Just a few pics from our trip. Edited June 29 by TexasProud 11 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith-manor Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 4 minutes ago, TexasProud said: @Faith-manor Just a few pics from our trip. You were in some of my favorite country! Love it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanie32 Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 I love the wild rockiness if the northern beaches. I love our Florida beach sunsets but our beaches are too tame. I do love the smell of salt air! Every year we roll down our windows on the way to the Florida Keys as soon as we hit the first good bridge. It smells wonderful! I love being out on the ocean with nothing but water as far as the eye can see. I would miss it if I ever moved but I love the woods more. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clemsondana Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 I've road tripped across the country a few times and lived in several states and never been in one that I didn't think was beautiful. I don't like cities, but I find them all to be lovely. I have preferences, but they are more about familiarity, I think. And weather-I never think cold is beautiful even when its pretty. 😀 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 My home county in PA. 9 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historically accurate Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 5 hours ago, regentrude said: So many choices! Places I've lived or travel to often: Utah has fantastic desert canyons. Colorado has real mountains. Arizona has the Grand Canyon. Oregon has the Cascades and the coast and the high desert in the East. Missouri has clear spring fed rivers. Arkansas has Ozarks and the Buffalo. California has perhaps the most variety I've experienced, from the Sierra to the Mojave, and the great coastline. Otoh, Kansas or Oklahoma can't quite compare. (And Illinois. I forgot about Illinois. ) Illinois can be quite beautiful (well, if you like corn and soybeans). Here's the sunrise from my living room window last December. 10 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popmom Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 @historically accurate that is stunning! ❤️ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not_a_Number Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 (edited) We’ve driven through many states when driving from NY to CA, and gosh, so many are pretty. Here are some I remember: Upstate NY has beautiful forests and Niagara. Montana has amazing mountains. Washington has lots of lovely landscapes. California had a lot of everything. Arizona had amazing alien desert landscapes with cacti — we didn’t make it to the Grand Canyon, but I know it has that going for it, too. North Caroline was very pretty and wooded… and has mountains too, iirc. That’s what’s jumping out at me right now!! This is making me want to drive across the country to California again, goodness 😂. Edited October 29, 2023 by Not_a_Number 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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