We鈥檝e all seen those artfully framed shots of the same places that show up on our feeds time and time again: bright blue听Lake Louise surrounded by high peaks or听the Colorado River听winding around Horseshoe Bend at sunset. But let鈥檚 be honest, that doesn鈥檛 stop most of us from taking the exact same photo when we visit these iconic destinations ourselves. 鈥淕otta get the 鈥檊ram,鈥澨齳ou say, as you snap the 79,305th photo ever taken of that one cypress tree outside Monterey, California.听
Of course you鈥檙e joking. Travel is about the experience, not the social-media affirmation. But what if even a tiny part of you was serious鈥攈ow steep听is听the price tag on that banger shot anyway?
Between flights, hotel stays, and guiding services, we broke down the expenses of听getting听to the most听Instagram-famous locations in the world. Here鈥檚 how much it costs to capture these iconic pics鈥攁nd, OK, maybe the memories they represent, too.
Lake Louise, Alberta听
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The best time to visit Lake Louise is June to August, when the waters turn a luminescent turquoise from glacial runoff. The reflection of light off rock-flour particles听gives the lake its famous coloring, presenting prime photo-snapping opportunities.
Plane Tickets
Fly into Calgary International Airport, which is an easy 90-minute drive to Lake Louise.听 offers competitive rates to Calgary out of most major airports. Prices are highest in the summer months鈥攂etween $375 and听$590 round-trip from Los Angeles, $500 and听$700 from New York City, and $370 and听$460 from Chicago. For a more affordable backdrop that鈥檚 just as striking, visit in September and October, when fall foliage peaks and prices drop to between $280 and听$400 from the same major cities.听听
Ground Transportation
There are many听, including the Banff Airporter shuttle, which runs $101 round-trip from Calgary to Banff. You can also rent a car from the airport, starting at $19 a day.
Entrance Fees
Admission is free on July 1听(Canada Day), when you鈥檒l likely be fighting for that prime听spot;听otherwise, it鈥檚 $9.80 per day.
Lodging
There are a number of places to stay around Lake Louise, including luxury hotels, family-friendly chalets, condo rentals, and RV sites. The听 is probably the most recognizable鈥 is from the rocky shoreline right in front of the hotel, but rates top $675 in the summer. You don鈥檛 have to stay at the hotel to access the vantage, though, so it鈥檚 possible to consider lower-budget options, like , which has over 200 campsites that run $36.50 per night and include firewood.
Food
The lakeside is littered with high-end options, where you鈥檙e paying more for the view than the food鈥攃apturing a plate of steak frites against a spectacular panorama听from Lakeview Lounge at the Fairmont will cost you $36. If you鈥檙e set with your shorefront听snap, however, there are a few 听restaurants, like Chateau Deli at the Fairmont and Bill Peyto鈥檚 Caf茅, and a couple of supermarkets in the area that will help you keep this expense to an average of $24 to $30 per day.
Activities
One of the best ways to get your shot is the easy 1.2-mile hike on the , where you can shoot听photos of the lake from multiple vantage points. If you prefer to bike, the Lake Louise is a fantastic three-mile gravel path with plenty of pulloffs at picturesque spots. Bike rentals cost about听. For a bit of a different angle, rent a canoe for $125 an hour and paddle out onto the turquoise waters.听
Total Price: From $592 for a three-day, two-night stay
Horseshoe Bend, Arizona
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Horseshoe Bend in Page, Arizona, just north of Flagstaff and a few minutes south of Lake Powell, is a time-honored social-media hit. The most famous photo site听on Instagram is on the rim, where the Colorado River wraps itself around sandstone canyon walls. Be sure to secure听a spot听during sunset when the light bathes the Colorado River in soft pinks, yellows, and reds.
Plane Tickets
听offers roundtrip听fares starting at $29 directly into Page from Las Vegas and Phoenix. Alternately, round-trip flights into Las Vegas or Phoenix (the closest larger听airports) in the late fall and early winter run from $57 to $87 out of Los Angeles, $120 to $180 out of Chicago, and $170 to $340 from New York. From听mid听to late spring, prices spike to around $100 from Los Angeles up to $500 from New York.听
Ground Transportation
Horseshoe Bend is only 6.5 miles from Page Municipal Airport.听Renting a car is easy, since you have only one choice:听, which averages $48 a day. Or听pick up a car in Las Vegas or Phoenix for around $30 per day, and enjoy the scenic four-and-a-half-hour drive southeast.听听
Entrance Fees
Entrance is free if you鈥檙e on foot, but parking costs $10 a day.
Lodging
Your best option is to stay in Las Vegas, Phoenix, Flagstaff, or Page. In Page, hotels like Hampton and the Holiday Inn听range from $100 to $300 a night. There are also a few campgrounds located around Lake Powell, like the Wahweap Campground, which has nearly 300 sites and costs about听.
Food
Pack a picnic, as there aren鈥檛 many great dining choices nearby.听For meals out, Page is听your best bet, with options from casual, like Birdhouse, where a fried-chicken lunch will cost you about $8 to $10 on average, to upscale spots, like Rainbow Room. Cheaper choices will round out to about $35 for three meals.听
Activities
If you want your photos to听, book the听 ($90), which includes an hourlong hike and a six-mile truck ride through the hills over Navajo sandstone to a slot canyon with a guide. Another popular option is the听, where you can explore the area on horseback for one to two hours (from $60).
Total price: From $312 for a three-day, two-night stay
Taft Point, Yosemite National Park, California
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Yosemite is one of the most visited national parks in the U.S., welcoming more than four million visitors each year. It鈥檚 especially popular from May to September, when the weather is predictable and the roads are open. One of the most photogenic spots, Taft Point, overlooks Yosemite Valley, with broad views of Yosemite Falls and El Capitan.听
Plane Tickets
The closest airport is the small, local Mammoth Yosemite Airport, 42 miles from the park鈥檚 eastern Tioga Pass entrance. Prices are usually steep: round-trip听flights start at $183 year-round from Los Angeles, and $400 from Chicago and New York in January, which spikes to听almost $800 in the summer. Better options include Oakland International and San Francisco International, 150 and 169 miles, respectively,听from the western Big Oak entrance. From Los Angeles to either, average prices range from $70 in winter to $290 in summer, from New York they run between $360 and听$493, and from Chicago they cost between $200 and听$350.听
Ground Transportation
Yosemite is three and a half hours from Oakland and four and a half hours from San Francisco, with rentals starting at about $30 with the standard companies. There are also ways to reach Yosemite via听; the least expensive option is taking听Amtrak from Oakland鈥檚 airport to Fresno (from $35) and then a Greyhound bus to Yosemite (from $5).听
Entrance Fees
are $30 per car or $15 per person. If you plan to visit at least three national parks or monuments in a year, it鈥檚 well worth it to buy a $80听annual pass.听
Lodging
The is the park鈥檚 grandest hotel, with rates starting at $376 a night in the low season. Also inside Yosemite, you鈥檒l find more affordable听hotels, cabins, and vacation homes, plus听 Lodging fills up fast, so make sure you book at least three to six months in advance, especially if your visit falls in peak season.
Food
Yosemite has a听 to meet almost any budget, from a $44 rack of lamb at the Ahwahnee to an $8 pizza at Curry听Village. There are also a half dozen grocery stores in the park, selling everything from dried backpacking meals听to fresh fruits and vegetables. Lower-cost options can keep your food budget down to about .
Activities
The best way to get an Instagram-worthy听shot of Taft Point is to set out on a roughly from the trailhead off Glacier Point Road, on the southern side of the park. Remember to bring plenty of water, warm layers, good hiking shoes, and a headlamp if you start out late in the day. There are also a handful听of听 of Yosemite, starting at $50.
Total Price: From $248 for a three-day, two-night stay
Blue Lagoon, Iceland
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The Blue Lagoon has been a longtime Instagram stalwart, thanks to its otherworldly landscape and easy access鈥攊t sits just 45 minutes from Iceland鈥檚 capital city, Reykjavik, and only 20 minutes from the airport.
Plane Tickets
You can catch a flight听from most major cities to Reykjavik. Especially after听the folding of WOW Air (which is supposedly poised for a ), getting to Iceland is notoriously expensive听but worth at least a long layover if you鈥檙e听headed to other parts of Europe. Companies like听听allow for one-to-seven-day听stopovers. Otherwise听flights stay in about the same price range year-round (except on holidays), with tickets听averaging about $700 from Los Angeles, $450 from New York, and $620 from Chicago.听
Ground Transportation
Your best option is to hop a ride on a听 to the Blue Lagoon from either downtown Reykjavik or the airport for around $92 round-trip, which includes the entrance fee to the lagoon.
Entrance Fees
The best bang for your buck is to purchase a standard day-use pass for $55. That includes a towel, locker, and all-day access to the lagoon, saunas, showers, and even a free drink.
Lodging
For an听uncrowded shot鈥攕omething听that鈥檚 been nearly impossible to get since the lagoon blew up on Instagram a decade ago鈥攜ou can shell out for one of 62 suites at the (from $2,100), which听feature private pools. If that鈥檚 a bit out of your budget, there are plenty of lower-cost options, such as , 15 minutes by car from the lagoon, as well as (from $143), which has sites for tents and RVs.听听
Food
Plan to spend anywhere from $10 to $70 a day for food in Iceland, if not more. To save money (and the environment),听bring a refillable water bottle,听as the drinking water is exceptionally clean. The Blue Lagoon has听 for affordable dining on-site, but you can also grab supplies at the airport or around Reykjavik to take with you.
Activities
No special gear or guides are required to explore the Blue Lagoon. Just bring a bathing suit.听
Total Price: From $850 for a three day, two-night stay听听