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You may have seen those RV photos on Instagram that really wow you. They have stylish rigs parked in amazing places, with views to die for or great attractions to explore. But many RVers pass great photo opportunities like these all the time without realizing it.
And for many who do spot them, they often don’t make the most of the photographic potential of these incredible places. So let’s take a closer look at some tricks for better pictures and where you should park your rig to get them.
What Makes for a Good RV Instagram Photo?
You need to keep several things in mind to take those types of impressive photos of your RV. First, all Instagrammers looking to up their game need to understand and follow the basic rules of photography. These include composition, framing, and how to adjust your photo or camera settings.
But that’s not all. It’s crucial to have attractions or sights of the proper scale. After all, you’ll likely need to get far from your RV to get it all in the frame. Your setting should be big enough to see and appreciate. Great RV photos also require a suitable area to park and arrange your RV. Crowded parking lots often won’t give you the shot you want.
The Best Places for Instagram Worthy RV Photos
You’ll find so many beautiful and unique things to see and take pictures of all across the country. But some are especially good for grabbing that perfect shot of you and your prized rig. Here are our top picks.
#1. Prada Store in Marfa, Texas
Address: 14880 US-90, Valentine, TX 79854
About: The flat, empty desert surrounding a lonely West Texas highway is probably the last place you’d expect to find a luxury store. But the Prada Marfa isn’t what it seems. Located about 25 miles outside of the small town of Marfa, this Prada store is actually a sculptural installation from artists Elmgreen & Dragset. It has sat alongside Highway 90 for more than 15 years, drawing tens of thousands of curious visitors and a fair share of vandals. Those looking to do some shopping will be disappointed, despite merchandise handpicked by actual Prada exec Miuccia Prada. The bags have had their bottoms cut out, and the shoes are all for right feet. These steps help prevent thieves from trying to break in.
How to Get the Best Shot: Set amid so much nothing, shots of your RV and the Prada Marfa will look striking from any angle. However, to get the best perspective, park your RV next to the store, and back up across the other side of the road. Thanks to the remote location, you won’t have to worry too much about other cars getting in your shot.
#2. Monument Valley, Arizona
Address: Indian Route 42, Oljato-Monument Valley, AZ 84536
About: Even if you don’t know Monument Valley by name, you may have seen this dramatic desert landscape. The area has been used in dozens of iconic films, from the 1939 John Wayne western “Stagecoach” to more modern movies like “Forrest Gump.”
Set along the Arizona-Utah border, the small, two-lane highway dwarfs by the scale of the vast open spaces in between towering rock formations — some up to 1,000 ft tall. The area is part of the larger Navajo Nation reservation that makes up much of the region.
How to Get the Best Shot: With so many iconic views within this area it can be hard to choose which is best. Simply pulling off along the road can produce some incredible pictures with the proper framing and angle.
One of your best opportunities for great photos is in the area near the Monument Valley Visitor Center. Located at the end of the park’s paved roads, you’ll see the unspoiled wilderness of the valley stretching out into the distance behind you and your rig.
#3. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Address: Along US Highway 191, GPS Coordinates: 43.71796590565531, -110.6601608762873.
About: Grand Teton National Park has incredible, striking views of the Teton mountain range rising dramatically over the flat plains. Head about 18 miles north of Jackson to the Teton Point Turnout for some of the finest sights. The viewpoint sits directly in front of Grand Teton, the tallest of the park’s peaks at 13,775 ft. It’s made even more dramatic in contrast to the flat land surrounding the Snake River in front.
How to Get the Best Shot: This is another parking lot tailor-made for dream Instagram shots, dropping away just beyond the edge to add some extra depth to your photos. Arrange your rig just to the left or right of Grand Teton for the best framing.
You can also get nearby mountains like Mount Moran or Buck Mountain in your shots from the right angle. Try backing away from your RV across the road, making your once-massive rig look like a toy next to the wide-open landscape.
#4. Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia
Address: Milepost 297, Blue Ridge Pkwy, Blowing Rock, NC 28605
About: For more than 450 miles, the Blue Ridge Parkway is pretty much nothing other than amazingly Instagrammable views as the road snakes its way from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. But if we had to pick one, the Julian Price Memorial Park comes out on top. An insurance executive donated the land.
It lies about 297 miles down the parkway near the town of Blowing Rock. It includes a lake surrounded by dense forests, a campground, hiking trails, an amphitheater, and canoe rentals.
How to Get the Best Shot: Pull into the small parking lot alongside Price Lake and park along the water, if spaces are available. The lot goes nearly up to the edge of the lake, providing incredibly immersive-looking photos in front of the region’s rolling hills. Try to get the looming Grandfather Mountain in the background for some extra scenic bonus points.
#5. Route 66
Address: Various
About: In its prime, Route 66 was the defining American road trip, stretching nearly 2,500 miles from Chicago to Los Angeles. The “Mother Road” spawned countless roadside attractions over the decades. While Route 66 is mostly a memory, many of these sights remain. And your RV will look great next to them.
You can see the famous Blue Whale of Catoosa, Oklahoma, a giant whale sculpture with a slide into a pond. Or you can stop by Cadillac Ranch, located just outside Amarillo, Texas, with its heavily-decorated cars stuck nose-down in the ground.
You can also get great shots of your RV alongside some of Route 66’s classic motels. Or if you’re lucky, you can spot one of the Route 66 logos painted on the highway. But you’ll find some of the best examples on Albuquerque, New Mexico’s Central Avenue portion of the route.
How to Get the Best Shot: If traffic allows, pull your RV over and snap a shot of it in the desert with the classic Route 66 logo or sign and the open road. You can get some interesting and classic images of your RV while celebrating the road’s golden age.
The same principle goes for Cadillac Ranch, where your RV and the cars stand out against the wide-open spaces surrounding them. Motels will vary depending on their layout, but try to position your rig to capture the classic, retro-style signs.
#6. Pacific Coast Highway, California
Address: Bixby Creek Bridge, California Highway 1, approximately 18 miles south of Monterey
About: This jam-packed route with scenic vistas has amazing photo opportunities. We’ve chosen the Bixby Creek Bridge for its fantastic combination of natural and manmade scenery and easy access. This nearly 80-year-old bridge crosses a more than 250-ft deep canyon created by Bixby Creek, where it meets the ocean.
Set against the rolling hills and steep drop-offs of California’s coastal landscape, it’s truly a sight to behold. It symbolizes the cooperation between man and nature required to build the Pacific Coast Highway.
How to Get the Best Shot: The bridge has its own dedicated viewpoint, located just past the north end of the span. You can position your RV within this small parking lot to capture the road, the bridge, and your rig all at once. This spot can create stunning shots at sunrise or sunset.
#7. Cabazon Dinosaurs, California
Address: 50770 Seminole Dr, Cabazon, CA 92230
About: Just off Interstate 10, about 90 miles from Los Angeles, dinosaurs still roam the earth. Well, sort of. Originally created to draw travelers to a roadside inn, the Cabazon Dinosaurs have now loomed over the freeway for nearly five decades. The attraction consists of Dinny, a 150-ft tall apatosaurus, and Mr. Rex, a 65-ft tall tyrannosaurus rex.
The two took decades to build and appeared in the movies “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” and “The Wizard.” Several times a year, the two get painted in seasonal outfits, including “Hallo-saurus” costumes around Halloween. You get free parking and photos.
How to Get the Best Shot: Both dinos sit adjacent to the attraction’s parking lots, making photos easy. Park your rig on whichever side has room, arranged either in front of a particular dinosaur or in between to capture both.
Make sure to frame your shot to capture some of the desert or mountain landscape surrounding the Cabazon area. It’ll lend some extra prehistoric vibes to your photo.
Instagram Your RV while You Explore
No matter where you are across the United States, chances are you’re not too far from one of these amazingly Instagrammable sights. Snap some photos of your beautiful RV while you explore. Soon enough, you’ll rake in those likes and comments like never before.
