The 5 Most Insta-Worthy Travel Destinations Around Sacramento
Where — and how — to take the best photographs both in town and on the road
A big part of traveling today involves taking pictures of your trip to capture memories and post on your social media pages, especially Instagram. Regardless of your Instagram feed’s aesthetic, it’s always helpful to find inspiration for new pictures from other Instagram pages. Finding the most “Insta-worthy” places can be difficult, though, so I talked to Faith Lopez, CEO of FAITHMARI Inc., a social-media management company that helps companies grow their following and make the most of their social media platforms. Lopez offered tips on how to mix travel with social media — including her favorite spots to photograph.
When planning a trip, Lopez asks herself a key question: “What photos have people taken and what photos have people not taken?” Lopez says she makes a plan before visiting new places and does research on previous photos taken to ensure she gets the most out of her trip. This can be done by searching hashtags of the location or the location itself on Instagram’s search page. (For example, #Pointreyes). Not only does Lopez want to get the best photos, but she also wants to enjoy her time at the location by taking in all it has to offer. Lopez finds inspiration by looking through photos other people have taken at the spot she plans to go to. Seeing other photos allows her to see different angles and views that photographers have used previously.
I also spoke to photographer and social media marketer William Thompson (@goodthompson) to find his top spots in the greater Sacramento area to get the most Instagram worthy pictures. Each of these travel Instagramers has roughly between 25 thousand and 120 thousand followers and are based in Sacramento, so it’s safe to say they know the best places to visit and photograph in Northern California.
1. Point Reyes
Point Reyes is located approximately one hundred miles outside of Sacramento in Marin County and has sculptured beaches, camping and hiking. Point Reyes’ vast headlands and spectacular peninsula make it worth the drive. “I love Point Reyes because it has a variety of different landscapes all in one area,” Thompson said. If you’re looking for a place to visit with diverse scenery to give you multiple pictures, Point Reyes is a good choice.
2. Golden Gate Bridge
When people think of things to do in California, it’s likely that seeing the Golden Gate Bridge is on their list. “People really enjoy seeing photos of the Golden Gate Bridge from pretty much any perspective,” said Thompson, adding that pictures from the bridge get the most likes and interactions on his Instagram page. An important part of photographing the Golden Gate Bridge is utilizing as many points of view as possible.
Two of the most popular places to view the bridge are Baker Beach and Crissy Field. These two places offer two different views of the bridge and two different visiting experiences: Crissy Field has a large open grass area perfect for picnics and Bakers Beach has hiking trails and caves along the water.
3. Lake Clementine
Being a busy college student can mean that vacations and trips are limited to day trips. But given the wide range of climates environments we have in California, we don’t need to travel far to see amazing places. For instance, Lopez suggests a short drive east on Interstate 80. “Another favorite place of mine is the Foresthill Bridge and the Clementine Falls which are really popular in Auburn,” she said. Luckily for us, Lake Clementine is located just one hour outside of campus. Clementine Lake is a great choice for hiking and taking advantage of a variety of different landscapes to photograph in just one place. For example, Lake Clementine is not only a lake but it has a dam, hiking trails and the famous Foresthill Bridge — the frequently photographed tallest bridge in California and fourth-highest bridge in the United States.
4. Lake Tahoe
Since there is so much to do in Tahoe, there’s never a shortage of places to get the perfect picture. Lake Tahoe has numerous activities such as hiking, skiing and snowboarding, swimming and beautiful resorts. The best places to get pictures of the outdoors would be by hiking the Flume Trail or going to Emerald Bay to get an overhead view of the lake. “In Tahoe there’s a lot of beautiful beaches and piers,” says Lopez, such as Tahoe Pines, Kings Beach, Pope Beach and Commons Beach. When the weather is warm, it’s best to take advantage of the beaches and piers in order to capture the best pictures.
Lake Tahoe is also a great place to rent a cabin with friends for a few days no matter what season it is. Tahoe is about an hour and forty-five minute drive from campus, which is shorter than most would expect and makes Tahoe a great option for a day trip.
5. California State Capitol Building
“If your looking for somewhere in Sacramento, I’d say definitely the Capitol building,” Lopez says. Located at 1315 10th Street, the Capitol Building is often photographed by locals and tourists. The Capitol is surrounded by an array of bright green trees and a green lawn that stretches the entire building. Since the Capitol is located in downtown Sacramento, there are tons of great places to eat in the area, making it worthy of a mini day trip within Sacramento. Visiting the State Capitol is a must for any local and the best part: the tours are free!
When taking photos for your Instagram keep in mind your own personal style and draw inspiration from others when necessary. “What are the things you like to do?” Lopez says. “Where are the places you like to go? People will follow you because of your story not just because of what your posting.”
