For the last seven years, I’ve lived outside of the USA. I left all those years ago thinking that there was nothing to see in my home country, that the rest of the world was where I needed to be.
It’s taken me a long time and several visits back to the US to realize that actually, it’s a pretty stunning place. The natural beauty, the buzz of the cities, the colorful artwork in the middle of nowhere.
I find myself scrolling through Instagram in awe that these places were right in my backyard all along. While I don’t think you should plan your vacation based on the most instagrammable destinations in the world, the app is an incredibly helpful resource for getting inspiration and figuring out what you want to see most.
New York City
Okay, I’m mildly biased because this is where I spent the first 21 years of my life, but if you’ve ever been to New York, you’ll probably be biased too. It’s just a city full of life. The architecture is incredible, the sunsets are crazy beautiful, the food is presented like a work of art.
New Orleans
New Orleans is a place that has been on my bucket list for a few years now. Every time I read a blog post about it or see photos of it on Instagram of Facebook, I feel a little bit of FOMO. The food sounds like exactly the sort of spicy, salty goodness that I love, the vibrant music scene entices me, and the architecture and bright colors are what Instagram was made for.
Alaska
Yea, I went and put an entire state on here. All of Alaska is freaking beautiful. Those mountains, the glaciers, the vast oceans, and all that wildlife. These Instagram accounts make me YEARN to go to Alaska. Every time I scroll past one of these incredible views I look up flights from Mexico City to Alaska. It’s always as expensive as it was the last time I checked…
Charleston
I once scrolled past a picture of Charleston, South Carolina and thought, “wow that’s a nice picture, where in France is this?”
I genuinely couldn’t believe that this was the US, nevermind a small coastal town in South Carolina. The buildings are colorful, the coastline is beautiful, the skies seem eternally blue. Don’t take my word for it, look at this colorful ‘grams.
Rocky Mountain National Park
There are so many breathtaking national parks around the US, but the Rocky Mountain National Park is always popping up on my Instagram. Probably because I follow the Rocky Mountain National Park Instagram which features the most ridiculously beautiful pictures of the park. It makes me want to buy a pair of hiking boots and get out there right now.
San Diego
San Diego has always been a city that I’ve dreamt of living. When Christine of C’est Christine moved there recently, I started seeing more and more of the city on my Instagram feed. It’s so cool. It’s colorful, the Pacific Ocean is dreamy, and there are almost as many tacos in San Diego as there are here in Mexico City (just kidding, but almost).
These are just a few of the many places around the United States that I love looking at on Instagram and daydreaming about visiting one day. Just remember when you’re visiting these amazing sites, to put your phone away every now and again and look at where you are through your eyeballs instead of your phone screen.
Where are your favorite places in the US? Where else would you recommend I start daydreaming of?