Midwest, the beautiful.
Several Midwest destinations were included on Conde Nast Traveler's 2025 list of the "50 Most Beautiful Places in America," a collection of destinations the publication says is meant for domestic travelers who "simply want to visit somewhere downright beautiful."
"The most beautiful places in America are as stunning as they are diverse," the publication notes.
Those places reach across the country and include destinations in Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Kansas and North Dakota.
The two Wisconsin locations identified are Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and Door County. The first spot is described by Conde Nast as a 21-mile edge of Lake Superior and year-round destination for outdoor adventurers offering kayaking in warmer months and ice cave exploration in the winter.
The second, well-known to many Chicagoans, is the Wisconsin peninsula of Door County, "one of the Midwest’s most beloved vacation spots, thanks to an abundance of charming towns and beaches." Conde Nast suggests a visit in spring for stunning views of Door County's famous cherry trees as they reach full bloom.
In Indiana, the list spotlights Indiana Dunes National Park, another Midwest favorite, for its swimming and surfing during summer months and 15,000 inland acres for hiking.
Michigan's beauty rests in Lake Superior, which the Conde Nast calls "just as magnificent as any ocean," and the list-featured Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, a "stretch of coastline will turn any visitor into an Upper Peninsula devotee, both with its beauty and long roster of outdoor activities."
Here are the Midwest locations identified as among the 50 most beautiful in the country:
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- Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Wisconsin
- Badlands National Park, South Dakota
- Door County, Wisconsin
- Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana
- Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio
- Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan
- Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Kansas
- Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota
- Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota
