- California’s La Jolla Cove is the most ‘Instagrammable’ beach in America.
- South Beach and Laguna Beach take second and third, respectively.
- The study comes after Westgate Resorts begin Christmas competition wherein submitting a photo of a top memory can win you over $1,000.
New research has revealed the most picturesque beaches in America, with California’s La Jolla Cove coming out on top.
The study by hotel company Westgate Resorts analyzed the number of Instagram hashtags for the most visited beaches across the country. These hashtag numbers were then compared with each beach’s length to see which beaches had the highest number of hashtags per meter.
California’s La Jolla Cove takes the crown as the most Instagrammable beach in America, with a whopping 4,257 hashtags per meter. The beach has had 366,068 hashtagged Instagram posts made about it, and with it having the smallest length in the top ten of just 86 meters, the San Diego beach takes the number one spot in the list. The area is a top destination for beachgoers and a hotspot for divers, snorkelers, and swimmers.
Coming in second place is South Beach, located in Florida. It comes in with a hashtags per meter score of 2,037, thanks to a length of 3,942 and a total of 8,027,955 hashtagged posts on Instagram. South Beach has a world-famous beach scene and has undergone numerous artificial and natural changes over the years.
Third place goes to one of five California beaches on the list – Laguna Beach. The study found the beach to have 1,319 hashtags per meter, thanks to a total of 3,161,606 hashtagged Instagram posts and a length of 2,397 meters. Many festivals are held in the area, such as the Festival of the Arts, Kelpfest, and Pageant of the Masters.
Venice Beach is fourth on the list, with the Los Angeles beach having a hashtags per meter score of 899. There are 4,341,671 hashtagged posts for the beach on Instagram, with a length of 4,828 meters. It’s the most popular tourist attraction in Los Angeles and the second most in Southern California, behind only Disneyland.
Hawaii’s Sandy Beach, located on the south shore of O’ahu, completes the top five. With 764,196 hashtagged posts in total, and its shorter length of 1,020 meters, it comes in with a hashtags per meter score of 749. It’s notorious for its bodyboarding and surfing opportunities due to the large and consistent waves which form on the shoreline.
| Rank | Beach | Hashtags | Length (m) | Hashtags per metre |
| 1 | La Jolla Cove, California | 3,66,068 | 86 | 4,257 |
| 2 | South Beach, Florida | 80,27,955 | 3,942 | 2,037 |
| 3 | Laguna Beach, California | 31,61,606 | 2,397 | 1,319 |
| 4 | Venice Beach, California | 43,41,671 | 4,828 | 899 |
| 5 | Sandy Beach, Hawaii | 7,64,196 | 1,020 | 749 |
| 6 | Manhattan Beach, California | 16,14,293 | 3,379 | 478 |
| 7 | Hermosa Beach, California | 12,68,190 | 2,929 | 433 |
| 8 | Sunset Beach, Hawaii | 23,87,506 | 5,777 | 413 |
| 9 | Delray Beach, Florida | 15,99,923 | 4,988 | 321 |
| 10 | Waikiki Beach, Hawaii | 9,47,708 | 3,218 | 295 |
Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson for Westgate Resorts said: “Spending time at the beach is the foundation for any good memory, with this study highlighting which beaches have made a lasting impact on social media users. With social media become such an integral factor in where we choose to spend our time, this study provides a fascinating insight into the locations around the country that offer the most picturesque backdrop to our photos and treasured memories.”
Continuing to comment on why Westgate Resorts chose to discover the top beaches in America, the spokesperson said: “With the holiday season upon us and the festivities in full swing, we’ve launched a competition where anyone can submit a picture of a memorable holiday moment for a chance to $1,200 – all they need to do is upload the picture to our website. Whether these are pictures of the beach, your favorite amusement park vacation, a camping trip, any happy memory will do to give you a chance to win!”