6 “insta-worthy” Spots

Expedia once voted Tyler as one of the most beautiful towns in America, and it’s true! Between the roses and the azaleas, the pine trees and the lakes, all you have to do is look out your window to see the beauty of the East Texas area.

With a quick search of popular area hashtags on Instagram, there are more than 500,000 photos. That’s a lot of photos shared from this area! From restaurants and attractions to landmarks and nature, there is no end to great places around town to take photos.

If your Instagram feed is in a rut, we’ve put together a list of some of the best places in Tyler to get those “Insta-worthy” photos.

Tyler Municipal Rose Garden

Any list of photogenic places in Tyler has to start with Tyler’s most famous attraction, the Tyler Municipal Rose Garden. The Rose Garden is the largest in the United States featuring 14 acres including thousands of roses bushes and more than 200 varieties. Here you’ll find red, yellow, pink, and even purple, multi-colored, and spotted roses. No two roses are alike. The roses peak twice a year: in the fall and mid-late May. However, the Rose Garden offers a picturesque background year-round.

Other places of interest in the garden include The Wagon Wheel Fountain, the Meditation Garden, The IDEA Garden, and the favorite camellia and day lily collections. Don’t miss getting your photo taken under the arched yellow wall. This iconic location is the original entrance to the Rose Garden and is thought to have been constructed during the WPA era. Be sure to find the life-size TYLER sign, where you can stand in as the Y to complete the photo!

Caldwell Zoo

I know what you’re thinking; you’ve been to the Caldwell Zoo, what’s new? If you haven’t been to the zoo in the past few years, you’re missing out. As one of the most popular small zoos in America, this attraction offers several opportunities to get the perfect Instagram shot. However, new experiences that have recently opened at the zoo are guaranteed to make your followers green with envy. Some of those experiences include feeding the giraffes at the newly renovated African overlook and Family Night Hikes and Overnights where you, your family, and friends will get an exclusive educational experience at the zoo after hours. But if you’re really looking to spice up your newsfeed, try one of the new Animal Encounters. Caldwell Zoo offers two Animal Encounters: Reptile Encounter and Penguin Encounter. These exclusive experiences will take you behind the scenes and allow you to get up close and personal with some of the locals. So waddle (or slither) on over to the zoo, take selfies with a penguin or reptile, and see those likes on your social media soar.

Downtown Tyler

When it comes to one location that offers a variety of Insta-worthy photo spots, Downtown Tyler is the place. Pick one of the many murals in downtown to provide you a picture perfect background sure to generate likes on your social media photos. Check out Art Alley or the Wings of Tyler wall for a collection of murals displayed together. You can even find murals on the walls of several Downtown businesses including The Discovery Science Place, ETX Brewing, and True Vine Brewing (their life-size Texas and American flags are a bonus!) There is also a rose mural wall located inside the Downtown Visitor Center on the first floor of the Plaza Tower.

Azalea District

The designated National Historic District, the Azalea District, on the brick streets of Tyler is a must for any Tyler Instagram feed. The Azalea District is Tyler’s largest residential concentration of early- to mid-20th century dwellings and represents the incredible growth and development Tyler experienced as a result of the discovery of the East Texas Oil Field. The area showcases diverse architectural patterns including Queen Anne, Craftsman, Classical Revival, Ranch, and International style. If you’re visiting this area for the ‘gram, make sure to go during the Azalea & Spring Flower Trail, late March-early April, to get the District in full bloom. Featuring mile after mile of blooming spring flowers, this annual event has been described as a floral wonderland and a photographer’s paradise.

Tyler State Park

Tyler is a natural beauty, and wildlife is all around. One of the best places to get those nature shots is in the Tyler State Park. The beauty of East Texas awaits you at this 985-acre state park. Here you can explore the Pineywoods on more than 13 miles of hiking trails that are suitable for the beginner as well as the experienced hikers. There’s plenty to see, and photograph, along the way. It’s the perfect place for bird watching with more than 200 species of birds and is home to a number of East Texas animals including white-tailed deer, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, reptiles, armadillos, opossums, and more. This is also one of the best places in the area to capture those fall colors. From panoramic views to fun-filled action shots, Tyler State Park is a perfect Instagram spot.

Lake Tyler

You may have spotted this postcard mural floating around Instagram and now you know where to find it! The Boulders at Lake Tyler is located on a 128 acre lot in Whitehouse, TX. Their retro car wash and gasoline signage also make striking backdrops for photos. The Boulders offers paddle boarding, fishing, boating, concessions, RV park, and tent camping with a lake front view. These sound like the perfect adventurous activities to capture a lake life selfie.