Treasure Coast town makes Top 20 ‘most Instagrammable’ cities in Florida. Guess which one

Jennifer Sangalang and Samantha Neely, Treasure Coast Newspapers
Updated ·3 min read

#StuartFlorida rules. Literally.

In a list of the “most Instagrammable” cities in Florida, the city named after Homer Hine Stuart Jr. ranked No. 14.

A 2018 TCPalm story credits historian Sandra Henderson Thurlow in "Stuart on the St. Lucie: A Pictorial History" for providing the story of how Stuart got its name: "Born in 1855 in Willow Tree, New York, Stuart came to Florida and eventually settled near the St. Lucie River in 1883. Why he came here, however, is unclear. Stuart eventually built a bungalow on the north side of the St. Lucie River and started growing pineapples."

But back to that Instagram-worthy title for the Florida city called Stuart.

A study from vacation rental marketplace Florida Rentals found the most "Instagrammable" cities here, with the top city seeing more than 5 million hashtags (see below). Experts analyzed the number of Instagram hashtags for 400 of Florida’s municipalities. They combined hashtags for "[place]FL" and "[place]Florida" that were used for each Florida destination to determine and rank the most Instagrammed destinations in Florida.

Together, #StuartFL and #StuartFlorida totaled 436,630 hashtags, the study found.

“Florida is generally a visually appealing and photogenic state, making its destinations the perfect backdrop for Instagram photos and other social media posts," a spokesperson for Florida Rentals said in a study press release.

Find examples of Instagram-worthy pics of Stuart below and see how it fares against the other "most Instagrammable" cities in Florida.

What is the most 'Instagrammable' city in Florida?

Vero Beach is less than two hours from Orlando attractions.
Vero Beach is less than two hours from Orlando attractions.

Orlando took home the crown as the most Instagrammed destination across the state, with an average total of 5,423,004 hashtags.

"Orlando is home to some iconic, and Instagram-worthy attractions, including Mills 50, adjacent to downtown Orlando, which has the most murals of any neighborhood across the city," organizers of the study wrote.

Orlando also is the home to several world famous theme parks, including Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, and sits a day trip from many beautiful beaches including Daytona Beach and Clearwater Beach.

What do the Top 5 ‘most Instagrammable’ cities in Florida look like?

A subadult loggerhead turtle named Sweet Potato is released back into the ocean in Juno Beach after being treated at the Loggerhead Marinelife Center June 29, 2023. Sweet Potato was found in Stuart, Florida, and arrived at Loggerhead Marinelife Center on May 2 with a flipper injury. The turtleÕs right rear flipper had to be amputated, but Sweet Potato has made a full recovery under the care of the CenterÕs hospital team.

The study highlighted the top five cities and their statistics. Outside of Orlando's top spot:

  • In second place is Miami with an average total of 2,469,850 Instagram hashtags.

  • Naples takes the third spot, resulting in an average 2,436,656 hashtags across Instagram.

  • Tampa takes fourth spot in the rankings, scoring an average 2,108,975 hashtags across Instagram.

  • Scraping the top five is Jacksonville, with an average total of 1,180,139 Instagram hashtags.

What are the Top 20 most 'Instagrammable' cities in Florida?

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The most posted about cities in Florida are:

  1. Orlando

  2. Miami

  3. Naples

  4. Tampa

  5. Jacksonville

  6. Destin

  7. Jupiter

  8. Hollywood

  9. St. Petersburg

  10. Sarasota

  11. Winter Park

  12. Melbourne

  13. Gainesville

  14. Stuart

  15. Clearwater

  16. Key West

  17. Lakeland

  18. Kissimmee

  19. Ocala

  20. Boca Raton

What is the least 'Instagrammable' city in Florida?

The data reveals the least posted about destination in the state is Belleair Shore, located south of Tampa in Pinellas County. The study found it only has 4 hashtags.

The quiet, laidback beach community has a population of roughly 109 people on it. It has about 55 private homes on it, making it one of the smallest communities in the state.

Why are Florida cities the perfect background for selfies and candid photography?

In a press release, a spokesperson with Florida Rentals explained why everyone, from tourists to locals, are eager to post their Florida pride: The Sunshine State’s vast coastline along the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, boasting some of the most beautiful, scenic beaches in the country.

Locally, the Treasure Coast − made up of Indian River County, Martin County and St. Lucie County, has 70 miles of ocean coast, not counting some of the beautiful views along its rivers.

"Florida's tropical and subtropical climate means people can enjoy warm and pleasant weather throughout majority of the year — and, of course, sunny weather is great for Instagram photos," the release states. “Whether it's due to its stunning natural scenery, vibrant beaches, beautiful architecture, or quirky food and drink hubs, Florida’s strong aesthetic appeal makes it one of the best spots for capturing that Insta-worthy snap.”

Contributing: Maureen Kenyon, TCPalm

Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Stuart, Florida, ranks in Top 20 most popular, Instagram-worthy lists