San Diego's Most Beautiful Photos of 2016

It’s no secret that San Diego is drop-dead gorgeous. We’ve got beaches, mountains, deserts, hiking trails, museums, and some really good beer. Because of this -- and a little something called cellphones -- we’ve managed to produce some really great Insta-photographers that take their jobs of capturing SD beauty seriously. While difficult to narrow down, we managed to select 20 photos that dazzled our eyeballs last year. From gorgeous sunsets, to scrumptious-looking bites that make you wish your phone had a taste feature, here are the best San Diego Instagrams of 2016.

Take us back to summer.

A day at the racetrack is a day well spent.

There are lots of photos of Balboa Park out there, but none are quite as stunning as the park at night.

Take 'em to Friendship Park early.

An iconic shot of the Sunset Cliffs sinkhole.

Yet another beautiful sunset at La Jolla Cove.

Honestly, we want to play in the fountain too...

Another reason to take the trolley? The stations are quite handsome.

Even our solemn cemeteries honoring fallen soldiers are a thing of beauty.

The finest welcome home we could imagine.

One drink with a view, please.

Our sweet treats game really stepped up in 2016.

Have you made your pilgrimage to Valle de Guadalupe yet?

Just when we thought our tacos couldn't get any better, Galaxy Taco gave us this choco taco...

We'll take our trail walks with a side of beach.

Would pinch those cheeks!

Our beer is good. Very good.

A year isn't complete without a night under the desert stars.

Can't complain about that downtown view...

Muscle cars and mural art.

Sign up here for our daily San Diego email and be the first to get all the food/drink/fun in town.

Originally from Chino, California, Michelle moved to San Diego in 2000 to attend San Diego State University, and never left. The daughter of immigrant parents from Quito, Ecuador, she’s a fluent Spanish speaker, a lover of travel, a foodie, a wannabe yogi, and an accomplished freelance writer. Follow her life adventures on her website and on Twitter @MichellePoveda.