2016 was another year of awesome, photo-worthy moments in Raleigh, N.C., from beautiful sunsets, to gorgeous sunflower blooms, to breathtaking fall foliage and beyond. To celebrate, we rounded up this year's 16 most loved @visitRaleigh Instagrams (including photos we shot, plus #visitRaleigh photos you took and that we reposted)!

A huge thanks to all of our locals and visitors who helped make (and continue to make) the Raleigh area look amazing on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and also for tagging your photos with #visitRaleigh so we can see and share!
 

 

Regarding the rumors that Raleigh, N.C., is stunningly beautiful: they're true. Tag a friend to prove it to them! #visitRaleigh

A photo posted by visitRaleigh (@visitraleigh) on Apr 11, 2016 at 6:07pm PDT

 

Outdoor concert season. Raleigh was made for this! #visitRaleigh

A photo posted by visitRaleigh (@visitraleigh) on Jun 9, 2016 at 6:02pm PDT

 

Pop-up tourist spots! The Neuse River Trail sunflower fields are in full bloom! Near mile marker 23 of the Neuse River Trail in southeast Raleigh. Approximate address: 2441 Brown Field Drive Rd. #visitRaleigh #neusesunflowerwatch

A photo posted by visitRaleigh (@visitraleigh) on Jun 30, 2016 at 4:41am PDT

 

Happy #4thofjuly! Have fireworks photos? Tag #visitRaleigh so we can see!

A photo posted by visitRaleigh (@visitraleigh) on Jul 4, 2016 at 7:03pm PDT

 

Show of hands: who loves this place? ???? #worldemojiday #visitRaleigh

A photo posted by visitRaleigh (@visitraleigh) on Jul 17, 2016 at 5:47pm PDT

 

What makes Raleigh, N.C., a special place? The people. Artists, athletes, creative-class innovators, business and tech workers, students and educators. People from all walks of life, with different backgrounds and futures, have made Raleigh an incredible place to visit, coming together to create and share enriching experiences. This mural from artist @lukebuch rings true. All are welcome. #allarewelcomehere #visitRaleigh

A photo posted by visitRaleigh (@visitraleigh) on Jul 21, 2016 at 5:50pm PDT

 

Things we love: skylines, wild sunsets, aerial photos...and all of those things combined into one. #visitRaleigh

A photo posted by visitRaleigh (@visitraleigh) on Aug 14, 2016 at 6:00pm PDT

 

CHALLENGE! Like this photo? Know some other people that might like it too? Well tag them and help spread the love! #visitRaleigh

A photo posted by visitRaleigh (@visitraleigh) on Aug 28, 2016 at 5:52pm PDT

 

Who's ready for fall adventures? ?? ????? #visitRaleigh

A photo posted by visitRaleigh (@visitraleigh) on Sep 22, 2016 at 4:48pm PDT

 

Smart. Modern. Historic. Raleigh. Don't forget to tag your photos with #visitRaleigh to help us spread the good word!

A photo posted by visitRaleigh (@visitraleigh) on Oct 3, 2016 at 5:41pm PDT

 

The 149th N.C. State Fair. Way to capture it all, @vitulvrshny! Thanks for sharing your #visitRaleigh photo.

A photo posted by visitRaleigh (@visitraleigh) on Oct 17, 2016 at 5:26pm PDT

 

Raise your hand if you love cotton candy skies, cotton candy from the @ncstatefair, or even if you just love the City of Oaks! ??

A photo posted by visitRaleigh (@visitraleigh) on Oct 20, 2016 at 5:16pm PDT

 

Same gorgeous #visitRaleigh sunsets...they just come a bit earlier now. Way to capture it, @santiago2274!

A photo posted by visitRaleigh (@visitraleigh) on Nov 10, 2016 at 3:23pm PST

 

Everybody's favorite #visitRaleigh view ???

A photo posted by visitRaleigh (@visitraleigh) on Nov 13, 2016 at 5:10pm PST

 

It's back! The N.C. Chinese Lantern Festival opens at @booth_amp this Friday. Hundreds of holiday-themed lanterns, lit by more than 15,000 LED lights, make for an incredible, colorful adventure in Cary. The festival will be open Tues.-Sat. through January 15. Don't miss out! #visitRaleigh #ncchineselanternfestival

A photo posted by visitRaleigh (@visitraleigh) on Nov 21, 2016 at 5:35pm PST

 

Ready for the holidays? We see tree lightings, ice skating dates, sleigh rides, The Nutcracker, light displays and more in our future! #visitRaleigh

A photo posted by visitRaleigh (@visitraleigh) on Nov 27, 2016 at 4:58pm PST