Brighten your day with these colorful US landscape photos

America in technicolor

Whether it's glorious geysers or rainbow streets, there's no denying that the US is filled with beautiful places bursting with color.

Click through the gallery to discover the most colorful places across America...

Na Pali Coast, Kauai, Hawaii

Stretching for 15 miles along the northwest coast of Kauai, the forest-clad cliffs and blue waters of Na Pali are a spectacular sight. Na Pali means 'the cliffs' in Hawaiian, and the peaks rise up to a staggering 4,000 feet.

Looming above the Pacific Ocean, the colorful coast, which ranges from emerald greens to dark reds, is one of the most striking places in the world.

River Walk, San Antonio, Texas

Rich in history, culture, and attractions, San Antonio is a beautiful blend of old and new. And winding its way through the heart of the city is the famous River Walk.

Lined with cypress trees, stores, restaurants, museums, and bars with bright umbrellas, the colorful 15-mile urban walkway is one of the biggest attractions in the state.

Fly Geyser, Nevada

One of Nevada’s most unique sights, the mesmerizing Fly Geyser was actually created by accident. In the 1960s a geothermal energy company drilled on the desert site trying to find a viable energy source. The water that the workmen hit wasn’t warm enough for their purposes, but they failed to seal up the well properly, causing water to spew from the hole. 

Today, Fly Geyser continues to spew steam and water. Its impressive colors are caused by growing algae that thrives in warm and moist environments.

Painted Ladies, San Francisco, California

One of San Francisco’s most photographed sights lies along the eastern side of Alamo Square Park. Nicknamed the Painted Ladies, these pastel-colored Victorian houses sit shoulder-to-shoulder on the slope of Steiner Street.

Built in a Queen Anne style, the pretty homes rose to fame after featuring in the opening credits of the hit TV series Full House and have been a popular attraction ever since.

Painted Hills, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon

It’s hard to believe that these beautiful mountains in Oregon are not man-made. The striking red, yellow, black, and orange stripes of the Painted Hills are the result of climate change over millennia, as well as fossilized animals and plants preserved from millions of years ago.

The distinct hills form part of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, alongside two other archaeological sites.

Mendenhall Ice Caves, Juneau, Alaska

Less than 12 miles from Alaska’s state capital Juneau, the Mendenhall Glacier is easily one of the most beautiful in North America. Ice caves form seasonally. In the right conditions, hardy adventurers can join guided tours to explore them – as light streams through the clear ice, the shimmering blue walls of the caves look magical.

At other times, hiking trails including the relatively short and mellow Photo Point Trail offer views of the glacier, while a kayak excursion on Mendenhall Lake will get you closer to the ice.

Havasu Falls, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

With its aqua-blue waters sheltered by the Grand Canyon's deep-orange cliffs, Havasu Falls is a lovely sight. Hidden along Havasu Creek, the cascade's bold blue-green hues are caused by the water flowing through the limestone rock, which gives it high levels of calcium concentrate. The challenging hike to the natural wonder is well worth the effort.

Remember that these lands are sacred to the Havasupai Tribe though and should be visited with the lightest of footsteps.

Rainbow eucalyptus, Hawaii

You may be surprised to find that these neon-striped trees, dotted across the Hawaiian archipelago, have not been painted by hand. Known as the rainbow gum tree, this incredible natural phenomenon is caused by sunlight and air reacting with the bark as it peels off, turning the strips from green to red, yellow, blue, and even pink.

As the trees peel, their colors and patterns are constantly changing too.

French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana

Often classed as the crown jewel of New Orleans, the illustrious French Quarter is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the US. The city was founded in 1718 by French Canadian naval officer Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville and four centuries of development have left its mark on the historic neighborhood, a place where modern bars mix with antique stores and age-old restaurants.

The beating heart of the French Quarter is Bourbon Street (pictured) which stretches across 13 blocks. With its neon lights, crowds of revelers, pulsating music, and colorful beads strewn on balconies, the street is a vibrant symbol of the party town.

Liking this? Click the Like button above. And click the Follow button above for more great stories from loveEXPLORING

Palouse, Washington

This pretty patch of pastoral land is one of "The Seven Wonders of Washington State." Formed over tens of thousands of years, Palouse was created by wind-blown dust and silt from drier regions. 

Covered with wheat fields, the gentle rolling hills change color based on the season, from lush green in spring to dry shades of brown and purple in summer, and are beautiful to see.

The Wave, Arizona

Nestled along the state border with Utah, this striking rock formation is one of Arizona’s most spectacular sights. The Wave is a small ravine formed of swirling red rock made of windblown sand dating back to the Jurassic period.

The intricately patterned rock, which looks like a scene straight out of a sci-fi film, has become a popular hiking destination in recent years and is often hailed as one of the most photogenic natural wonders in the country.

Bluebonnets, Texas Hill Country, Texas

With its peaceful rolling hills and sleepy small towns, Texas Hill Country has long been a destination for wildflowers. Every spring, bluebonnets, which are Texas' state flower, carpet the landscape in a burst of color.

The green canvas is covered in stunning swathes of violet, white, and blue and is a sight to behold.

Bryce Canyon, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Home to the greatest number of hoodoo rock formations on Earth, the beauty of Bryce Canyon is bound to leave you breathless. At least 50 million years of wind and water have carved out the canyon's horseshoe-shaped amphitheater and its sandstone cliffs into the otherworldly characters seen today.

Set against a pale blue sky, the rows and rows of ocher-hued humanoid pillars look truly surreal.

Key West, Florida

The southernmost point in the US, Florida's Key West is a peaceful subtropical paradise. The island city is best known for its water sports, vibrant nightlife, beaches, and pastel-conch-style architecture. Palm-lined streets filled with Queen Anne-style gingerbread mansions and tin-roofed houses give Key West its unique charm.

A place for artists and dreamers, the colorful houses were once home to the likes of Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, and Robert Frost who sought inspiration and solace from the city.

Skagit Valley, Washington

Pretty landscapes, berry farms, incredible wildlife, and historic waterfront communities against the backdrop of the Cascade Mountains make up the stunning Skagit Valley, which lies in the northwest corner of Washington State. Between the towns of La Conner and Mount Vernon, the valley comes alive in spring when millions of tulips burst into bloom during The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival.

Running yearly throughout April, the festival hosts various events and activities alongside the carpet of rainbow flowers.

Rainbow Row, Charleston, South Carolina

South Carolina's port city is filled with incredible sights and beautiful streets, but none are as recognizable as Rainbow Row. Located on Charleston's East Bay Street, Rainbow Row refers to a series of 13 candy-colored houses, which date back to the 1740s.

It wasn't until 1931 that one of the homes was painted pastel pink by new owner Dorothy Porcher Legge, and other residents soon followed, creating the pretty row of houses that have become one of the city's most photographed spots.

Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, Texas

Located on Route 66 in a dusty field in Texas, this unique collection of half-buried cars has been intriguing drivers since 1974. Various myths have circulated about the origins of Cadillac Ranch, but the site is actually an art installation created by the Ant Farm group to represent the Golden Age of American automobiles, a bizarre monument to times gone by. 

Visitors are strongly encouraged to add their own graffiti, building on the ever-mutating layers of paint on the colorful cars.

Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve, California

In the far northeast corner of Los Angeles County, Antelope Valley is a protected area known for being the perfect microclimate for poppies, California’s state flower. The remote area is particularly gorgeous in spring, when it is overrun with a dreamy display of California poppies and endless bright orange petals are scattered across the landscape. 

Morning Glory Pool, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Situated in the Yellowstone National Park’s Upper Geyser Basin, Morning Glory is one of the most famous hot springs in the park. The pool was originally entirely blue, caused by minerals and bacteria thriving in the hot water. However, after years of people throwing various objects into the spring, some of its thermal vents have been blocked, causing the bacteria to dwindle and the temperature to drop.

Invasive yellow bacteria forming has caused the red and yellow tinge around the edges of the spring, resulting in its vivid rainbow shades.

Ocean Drive, Miami, Florida

Located in Miami’s glamorous South Beach neighborhood, the vibrant Ocean Drive is an image that immediately springs to mind when thinking of the popular beach city. Running parallel to the Atlantic Ocean, the legendary strip is at the heart of Miami’s bustling nightlife, filled with bars, restaurants, and boutique beach stores that spill out onto the streets.

Ocean Drive has been popularized for its candy-colored Art Deco architecture, swaying palms, and beautiful beach views, making it a must-visit spot in the city. 

Magic Garden, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A sparkling labyrinth of mirror fragments, glass bottles, tiles, and bike wheels, the Magic Garden certainly lives up to its name. Created by award-winning artist Isaiah Zagar, tires, bottles, and forgotten items have been repurposed into a vibrant public art installation, drawing inspiration from Folk art.

Visitors can wander through the small galleries and garden and explore the shimmering tunnels of multicolored mosaics.

Salvation Mountain, California

Towering 50 feet high and 150 feet wide, this magnificent mountain in the Sonoran Desert is unlike anything else on Earth. Artist Leonard Knight spent roughly three decades building the colorful mound, to show his devotion to peace, love, and God to the world. Knight used hay bales, donated paint, adobe clay, and an assortment of found objects including tires and windows to create his mountain-shaped shrine. 

Crowned by the words "God Is Love," the mountain serves as a unique testament to Knight's faith and attracts visitors from all over the world.

The Saguaro Hotel, Palm Springs, California

A colorful oasis, The Saguaro Hotel in Palm Springs is hard to miss. Characterized by its bright façade of almost every color of the rainbow, the bright hotel is known for its lively pool scene. Home to 244 guest rooms, two restaurants, a spa, gym, and a party pool, the hotel has plenty to keep guests occupied during their stay.

The Saguaro Hotel's lively events calendar matches up to its colorful exterior, with karaoke, poolside DJs, and taco nights all on offer here.

Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas, Nevada

Long before the towering mega-resorts, shiny casinos, and world-class entertainment of the Las Vegas strip, there was Fremont Street, the city's original scene. Spread across five blocks, the pedestrian-only thoroughfare is dotted with colorful open-air bars, restaurants, street performers, and some of the oldest casinos in Las Vegas.

Illuminating it all is the spectacular Viva Vision light canopy. Made of nearly 50 million LED bulbs, the canopy wows passers-by below with the world’s largest light and sound show.

Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm, Oregon

Situated in northwest Oregon, the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm bursts into color from March through May when tulips come into bloom across the 40-acre site, making it reminiscent of the famous flower fields of the Netherlands.

Thousands are drawn to the farm’s tulip festival each year, usually held from March through April, which includes rubber duck races, pony rides, and a cow train for traveling through the fields.

Diablo Lake, North Cascades National Park, Washington

Hidden within the forest-clad North Cascade Mountains, the azure waters of Diablo Lake look almost unreal. Created by the Diablo Dam, the lake is used as a reservoir. Its unique blue waters are caused by the minerals from nearby glaciers feeding into it.

With the green forests and snowy mountain peaks beautifully contrasting with its vivid blue-green waters, Diablo Lake is a dreamy spot for a hike.

Seven Magic Mountains, Nevada

Soaring more than 30 feet high, these rainbow towers can be found within the Ivanpah Valley just outside of Las Vegas. First opened in 2016, the Seven Magic Mountains was produced by the Nevada Museum of Art and Art Production Fund. The exhibition was originally intended to be displayed for two years but due to its critical acclaim, Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone hopes to keep the artwork on view for many years to come.

Surrounded by Nevada's beautiful desert landscape and rugged mountains, the kaleidoscope of colorful stacked boulders are a whimsical sight.

Papakolea Beach, Big Island, Hawaii

One of the only green sand beaches in the world, this unusual destination lies within Mahana Bay near South Point on Hawaii's Big Island. Papakolea Beach, or Green Sands Beach, as it's also unsurprisingly known, gets its extraordinarily colored sand from olivine crystals that have eroded from a collapsed 49,000-year-old cinder cone belonging to the Mauna Loa volcano.

With its crystal green sand and beautiful blue waters, the rare beach is a real jewel of the island.

Hoh Rainforest, Olympic National Park, Washington

Pretty and peaceful, this canopy of trees in Washington’s Olympic National Park is one of the finest and largest temperate rainforests in the US. Thanks to 140 inches of rainfall on average each year, the Hoh Rainforest is one of the lushest in the world.

Unchanged for thousands of years, fog swirls around the ancient trees while green moss blankets the landscape, giving it an enchanting yet eerie feel.

Venice, Los Angeles, California

Artistic, stylish, and vibrant, Venice is Los Angeles’ buzzing beachfront neighborhood and resort. Sandwiched between Santa Monica and Marina del Rey, it was designed by eccentric millionaire Abbot Kinney in 1905. The neighborhood pays homage to its namesake Italian city, with its canals, pedestrian bridges, lagoon, and piazzas.

Today, Venice is known for its bohemian-style beachfront boardwalk that stretches along the sand, filled with performers, hotels, and colorful stores and stalls.

Maroon Bells, Colorado

Lying west of Aspen, the Maroon Bells – which comprise of Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak – truly embody the beauty of the Rocky Mountains. Looming 14,000 feet high above the Maroon Creek Valley, the two giant bell-shaped, wine-colored peaks are perfectly mirrored in the pristine Maroon Lake below, creating a breathtaking scene.

As the seasons change, the mountains change too, from a rainbow of wildflowers carpeting the landscape in spring and summer to reds, yellows, and oranges dominating in the colder months.

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Albuquerque, New Mexico

A world-renowned attraction, the colorful balloons soaring across Albuquerque in New Mexico are a dreamy sight. For nine days in early October, more than 500 balloons float into the city's skies as part of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta which has been running for over 50 years. 

Known as the largest hot air balloon festival in the world, the slow-moving objects with their varying shapes, shades, and sizes paint the sky in a multitude of colors creating a spectacle unlike any other. 

Capitola, California

Sitting on Monterey Bay, this charming town is the oldest beach resort on the West Coast. Capitola started out as a tent camp in the 1870s before it became the idyllic Italian-looking beachside town of today.

With its string of brightly colored seaside stores, bistros, and houses, the romance of the original resort still remains. People flock from all over to enjoy the town's stunning sandy beach, gorgeous gardens, and laidback charm.

Cranberry bogs of the South Shore, Massachusetts

A major travel destination where burnt oranges, reds, and yellows blanket the landscape, it’s not just the foliage that takes over Massachusetts in fall with its bold colors. Cranberry bogs across the South Shore transform into a vibrant crimson, marking the annual harvest season.

The tart berries are native to the New England area and have been harvested for over 200 years. Some farms allow visitors to tour the bogs and see the vast bright red hues for themselves or buy some cranberries to take home.

Beale Street, Memphis, Tennessee

With its neon lights, live music, and bustling nightlife, Beale Street is one of America’s most famous streets. Trailing through downtown Memphis, the popular strip is three blocks of restaurants, nightclubs, and stores in the middle of the city. Rich in heritage, the National Historic Landmark District has a history of hosting legendary musicians including Memphis Minnie and BB King.

When day turns to night, Beale Street explodes with the buzz of blues, jazz, and rock 'n' roll music and its rainbow of bright lights which seem to go on forever.

Yellow Mounds Overlook, Badlands National Park, South Dakota

The most colorful part of the Badlands National Park, this rolling yellow landscape in South Dakota is a joy to look at. The yellow, purple, gray, and reddish bands in the rock layers showcase millions of years of geology.

The sunny shades were caused by an ancient sea draining away and the chemicals from decaying plants turning the soil yellow.

Meow Wolf Santa Fe, Santa Fe, New Mexico

This path of neon trees is just one of the many intriguing installations at the Meow Wolf Santa Fe, an immersive art experience in New Mexico. Established in 2008 by Meow Wolf, an arts and entertainment company, the installation, known as the House of Eternal Return, takes visitors on a mind-bending journey of mystery through more than 70 colorful rooms filled with surprises.

From teleporting refrigerators and luminescent caves to space-age corridors and multicolored trees, the installation is one of the city's most unusual attractions.

Grand Prismatic Spring, Wyoming

With its bold blue center surrounded by yellow, orange, and green, the largest hot spring in the US is arguably the most enchanting too. Stretching roughly 370 feet in diameter and over 121 feet deep, the Grand Prismatic Spring reaches around 160°F in temperature.

Organisms called microbial mats give the spring its unique colors, which can change depending on the season. The spring's vivid hues and spectacular size have made it a star attraction of Yellowstone.

Salt Ponds, San Francisco, California

While it may look like an abstract painting, this colorful image shows a series of salt ponds in San Francisco Bay. Thanks to its clay soils and Mediterranean climate, the bay is ideal for salt making, with thousands and thousands of tonnes of sea salt being produced each year.

The ponds get their distinct bright colors, ranging from blue-green to deep magenta, from microorganisms that thrive at varying salinity levels.

Antelope Canyon, Arizona

Possibly the most famous slot canyon in the world, Antelope Canyon is known for its incredible rock formations and vivid colors. Shaped by millions of years of water and wind erosion, the canyon gets its name from the herds of antelope that used to roam the area. On a private island within the Navajo Nation, the canyon is considered sacred by the Navajo people.

During spring and summer, sunlight shines through its walls, causing the red rocks to change color, from rusty reds to dark purples, making it a photographer’s dream.

Gingerbread Cottages, Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts

Quaint, quirky, and cute as a button, the 318 pastel-hued gingerbread cottages situated in Oak Bluffs, on the chi-chi island of Martha’s Vineyard can trace their origins back to 19th-century Methodist camp meetings. Having originally been housed in tents, families began to extend their visits and decided they needed something a little more substantial to stay in.

Double doors, porches, and second-floor balconies are a regular feature, designed to mimic the tent flaps which were always open back in the day to encourage conversation.

Aspen trees, Gunnison, Colorado

Colorado’s celebrated aspen trees are at their most glorious in the fall. The majority turn a wondrous shade of gold, but you’ll find red and orange shades too. The area around Gunnison is a great spot to take in their natural beauty with September and October being the best time to visit.

Liked this? Click the Like button above. And click the Follow button above for more great stories from loveEXPLORING

Now check out these stunning images of the world's most incredible canyons