The United States is full of beautiful places that many photographers dream of capturing for themselves. While an abundance of them are in the western US, there are still plenty of sites around the US to give even coverage. These may not be the top ten but they are certainly some beautiful places to visit. Here are some top photography bucket list destinations in the US as well as the airports nearest to them. Plus, some side trip options for extra fun!
As with all of our photography bucket list destinations, we will be breaking out each one to show you how you can travel to it for almost free using miles and points! Stay tuned!
10 Top Photography Bucket List Destinations in the US
Here are some of the top photography bucket list in the US to get you thinking!
Grand Canyon – Arizona
The Grand Canyon needs no introduction and it is a positively beautiful and vast place to visit. It really is one of those places that takes your breath away. Capturing that in a still image can be hard to do but it is something that is desired by many.
Airports
- Flagstaff, Arizona – 80 miles away (small airport that will have you connecting through a larger airport in the southwest for most flights)
- Phoenix, Arizona – 230 miles away (a much better option for non-stop flights from many airports and a larger rental car facility)
- Las Vegas, NV – 272 miles away (a great option for cheap rental cars and cheap hotels if you need a place to stay when you arrive)
Side Trips
If you want to maximize your time, plan on grabbing a rental car and hitting some of these other popular and beautiful places:
- Sedona, Arizona – 103 miles away
- Horseshoe Bend – 110 miles away
- Antelope Canyon, Arizona – 113 miles away (note: Antelope Canyon no longer conducts regular photography tours which means you will not be able to use a tripod here).
- Monument Valley, Arizona – 151 miles away
- Zion National Park, Utah – 216 miles away
Zion National Park – Utah
While actually not that far from the Grand Canyon in the whole scheme of things, Zion National Park and other nearby attractions could deserve their own trip – or at least a good portion of a larger trip.
If you have seen images from here, you know there is a lot to capture and a great way to put your own look into the photos. For some great ideas on what you should know about shooting Zion National Park, check out this great guide for more details.
Airports
- St. George, Utah – 45 miles away (a small airport that is fed with flights from larger hubs in the southwest)
- Las Vegas, Nevada – 167 miles away (a much larger airport with cheaper fares, more airline options, and great prices on rental cars)
- Salt Lake City, Utah – 313 miles away (definitely a further distance but if you want to hit both Arches and Zion in the same trip, it may make sense)
Side Trips
It is almost not fair to categorize some of these as “side trips” when many of them could have been the title stop. Yet, there is a lot to pick from and you can grab what speaks to you the most during your trip to Utah.
- Bryce Canyon, Utah – 72 miles away
- Antelope Canyon, Arizona – 112 miles away
- Arches National Park, Utah – 310 miles away
Yellowstone National Park – Wyoming
This part of the country also has no shortage of amazing features and vistas to capture. This is not the easiest place in America to get to so it is a good idea to plan your time in this part of the US to capture everything you have always wanted to see for yourself.
Airports
- Jackson Hole, Wyoming – 48 miles from the South Entrance (this is a very scenic airport and the best located one to maximize your time)
Any major airport is going to require a minimum of a 5 hour drive so it would be best to focus your travel efforts on Jackson Hole.
Side Trips
- Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming – 7 miles away
- Jackson Hole, Wyoming – 47 miles away
Death Valley National Park – California
Many people think of deserts as bland and lifeless but that is only if you have never been inside of one. When you see it from the inside – or even from the outside during the various light conditions – you see the beauty and life that does exist. Not only that but getting a great shot of a sky without light pollution is also something a desert provides.
Airports
- Las Vegas, Nevada – 106 miles away
- Los Angeles, California – 220 miles away (while further away than Las Vegas, it is worth considering LAX if you plan on hitting some other popular destinations in the area as side trips – see below)
Side Trips
- Yosemite National Park, California – 220 miles away
- Joshua Tree National Park, California – 260 miles away
- Sequoia National Park, California – 310 miles away (even though the distance is very short between the two, there is no entrance on the eastern side so it requires driving all the way around)
Niagara Falls – New York
We are going to stretch this one a bit because the Falls are actually really great on the Canadian side as well so you may want to cross over the border for some of the best views. Still, even from the NY side, you are going to see a great wonder that is worth seeing for yourself! While it is beautiful in the summer, getting the snow and ice in the winter is also something to consider – especially since you will be dealing with far fewer tourists at that time.
Airports
- Niagara Falls, New York – 5 miles away
- Buffalo, New York – 25 miles away (worth flying in there if you want some of the best pizza and wings ever – Buffalo is known for both!)
- Toronto, Canada – 78 miles away
Side Trips
The Finger Lakes region of NY is beautiful but Niagara Falls is not so far out of the way from many airports and cities that you should think about having to pack a lot in on one visit.