Anzhe Zhang

North Carolina has served as a muse for songwriters across the generations, from “Carolina In My Mind” by James Taylor to “Chapel Hill” by Sonic Youth to simply “Carolina” by Harry Styles. Perhaps Ryan Adams, a son of North Carolina, said it best with his song “Oh My Sweet Carolina.”

But if you didn’t believe any of those songwriters’ proclamations, you’d do well to at least place your trust in this recent study which ranks North Carolina as the 9th most naturally beautiful state.

Airport Parking Reservations, a travel blog, created this study with the criteria of accounting for all the natural wonders of any state, be it waterfalls, lakes, beaches, or national parks. Airport Parking Reservation gave each state a score out of 10 for their “natural beauty,” one in which North Carolina came out close to the top.

Sandwiched between New York (above) and Colorado (below), North Carolina had a “State Beauty Score” of 6.26.

North Carolina is considered a hub for tourists traveling in the south, and known especially for its beautiful 300-mile coastline.

While Washington state took the top spot, with a “State Beauty Score” of 9.29, one could say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, especially if you don’t like rain.