Beautiful Photos of All 50 States

When Katharine Lee Bates wrote about purple mountain majesties and amber waves of grain, she was talking about the stunning natural beauty that makes up a large part of the United States. Each state has its own unique appeal, from spectacular sunsets in Florida to the northern lights in Alaska to never-ending fields of farmland to the sweetly simple small town charm that exists in tiny pockets of the U.S.

No matter what your politics are, you really have to admit that America is beautiful. We found stunning pictures from sea to shining sea that show off each state in its best light. And while a lot of travel is on hold due to COVID right now, some of these pics might inspire your next road trip or post-pandemic vacay.

Now THIS is a Talladega Night (no offense, Ricky Bobby). This sunset over Talladega, Alabama gives off major summer vibes.

With glaciers, mountains and ocean waters it seems impossible to take bad photos of Alaska, but when you add in the Northern Lights (seen here near Atigun Pass, Alaska) you get something spectacular.

It's hard to believe that a state that's home to the awe-inspiring Grand Canyon, can also be home to the soft flowing rock formations of Lower Antelope Canyon in Page, Arizona.

A perfect day in Fayetteville, Arkansas with nature reflecting perfectly against the lake.

California has so many beautiful landscapes, from gorgeous coastline beaches to the Golden Gate Bridge, but its hard to beat Yosemite National Park. Photographer Ansel Adams once said, "Yosemite Valley, to me, is always a sunrise, a glitter of green and golden wonder in a vast edifice of stone and space."

This picture of the sun reflecting on the lake in Aspen, Colorado looks like a painting.

The sunset of Heublein Tower Avon, Connecticut.

You can almost feel the sensation of sand between your toes looking at this beach in Delaware leading to the Atlantic Ocean.

Florida is known for it's amazing sunsets, but as this pic of the palm trees in Miami show, it also has some pretty outstanding sunrises as well.

This tree-lined path at the Wormsloe Historic Site in Savannah looks like a romantic place for a stroll.

Tunnels beach in Kauai, Hawaii has pretty much everything to make a picture perfect vista. There are mountain views, sandy beach, ocean and even rainbows (on a good day.)

The serene landscape of Sawtooth National Forest is enough to put a visit to Stanley, Idaho on your bucket list.

It's not the land of Oz, but this stretch of brick road in Auburn, Illinois is part of the original Route 66.

Indiana Dunes is one of the newest National Parks in the system, with its large sandy bluffs along the coast of Lake Michigan.

Madison County in Iowa is known for it's covered bridges, like Roseman Covered Bridge.

It might look like Stonehenge at a glance, but the Monument Rocks in Gove County, Kansas are natural chalk pyramids in the midst of the prairie.

Wild horses roam and dine on grass in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky at sunset.

Cypress trees grow in the middle of the Atchafalaya River basin in Louisiana.

Acadia National Park in Maine is filled with natural beauty, like the rocky coastline near the Otter Cliffs.

This marina in Annapolis, Maryland looks particularly stunning at sunset.

Autumn in New England is filled with stunning foliage, made prettier against the Connecticut River here in Erving, Massachusetts.

The east coast isn't the only place filled with prime leaf-peeping, Grand Island in Michigan's Upper Peninsula is also home to some vivid fall colors.

Minnesota's Cook County looks stunning in the fog as shown here. You can barely see the Grand Marais lighthouse in the distance.

Vicksburg National Military Park in Vicksburg, Mississippi is home to battlefields and civil war cannons.

While you're unlikely to run into Jason Bateman while wandering the Ozark mountains, you might spot some breathtaking vistas.

Glacier National Park sits atop the continental divide and the Swiftcurrent Creek is just one of the gorgeous natural spots in the park.

Superior, Nebraska sits just over the border from Kansas and is filled with big, open fields and its a prime spot for storm watching.

It's easy to see why the Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada got its name, with its fiery landscape.

In the midst of New Hampshire's White Mountains you can visit the Flume gorge to see waterfalls cut through the granite walls.

The historic, bright red mill in Clinton, New Jersey is a bright spot on the Raritan River.

An annual Balloon festival in Albuquerque, New Mexico makes the scenic landscape even more colorful.

Twice a year the sun aligns perfectly with the New York City skyline to create Manhattanhenge.

Nestled in North Carolina's Outer Banks, the striped Hatteras Lighthouse has been standing above the dunes since 1870.

An avid fan of the National Park system, Theodore Roosevelt visited this park in the late 1800s to hunt bison and now this rugged landscape is named for him.

In South Logan, Ohio you can find the waterfall at Old Man's Cave in Hocking Hills State Park.

The stormy skies in the middle of a field in Oklahoma create a striking effect.

Head to Cannon Beach in Oregon at golden hour (just before sunrise) to see Haystack Rock in its best light.

The Benjamin Franklin Bridge heading into the bright lights of Philadelphia cast some gorgeous reflections on the Delaware River.

Newport, Rhode Island is home to the charming Castle Hill lighthouse that keeps boats away from the rocky shoreline.

South of Charleston, South Carolina you can visit Kiawah Island for some birdwatching.

The otherworldly Badlands National Park looks like the Grand Canyon in the middle of South Dakota.

Sunset at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park's Clingman's Dome is a great time to see how these famed mountains got their name.

The stars at night are big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas. And there's few better places to spot constellations than in Big Bend National Park.

Utah is home to some epic National Parks, including Canyonlands which is home to the stunning Mesa Arch.

The Green Mountain National Forest is a great place to see foliage against clear blue skies.

The famed Chincoteague wild ponies wander free on this small island in Virginia.

In Starbuck, Washington, you can visit Palouse Falls State Park to see these epic waterfalls.

These blueberry bushes look bright red in Dolly Sod Wilderness in West Virginia's Bear Rocks Preserve.

The vivid red Sturgeon Bay Lighthouse really stands out on the blue water in Door County, Wisconsin.

The rainbow-colored Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park is eye-catching, but deadly if you get too close.