Big cities and small historic towns top the list of most popular places to visit in the United States, according to the travel site, TripAdvisor.
Millions of TripAdvisor users voted New York, Chicago and Charleston, South Carolina as the top three travel cities in the United States.
Here’s a look at TripAdvisor's Top 25 most popular travel destinations in America!
1. New York City
More than 50 million people visit New York City every year. The five boroughs -- or regions -- of New York have some of the most easily recognized attractions in the world. Visitors on a budget can take a free boat from Manhattan to Staten Island for a great view of the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline.
2. Chicago, Illinois
America’s third-largest city offers world-class museums, great food, sporting events, comedy shows, and iconic architecture -- including Willis Tower, America’s tallest building. The Midwest city is also known for comedy. The Second City theater is where many famous comedians get their start, including Mike Meyers and Tina Fey.
Check out our own Chicago travel story here!
3. Charleston, South Carolina
Some say Charleston is one of the most beautiful and historic places in the United States. The coastal city has a very rich history. The Civil War began at its waterfront, at Fort Sumter, which visitors can explore. But present-day Charleston has a lot to offer, too. Conde Nast Traveler voted it the number one U.S. city, for its beautiful architecture, food, and friendly people.
Check out VOA Learning English’s Charleston travel story here!
4. Las Vegas, Nevada
The desert city of Las Vegas is known around the world for its casinos and bright lights. Visitors stay at world-class hotels, eat at top chefs’ restaurants, and usually see a spectacular show or concert.
5. Seattle, Washington
Visitors to the West Coast city of Seattle will find the iconic Space Needle, the world’s first Starbucks, and Pike Place Market, one of the oldest and most famous farmers markets in the country. The Space Needle was built in 1962 for the World’s Fair. Riding up to the top provides views of the nearby mountains.
6. San Francisco
The most famous San Francisco site is the Golden Gate Bridge. Opened in 1937, it still ranks among the top 10 longest bridge spans in the world. Beyond the bridge, San Francisco has beautiful ocean views and one of the largest Chinatowns in the world. Just a ferry ride away is Alcatraz Island, the former federal prison.
We have written about Alcatraz here.
7. Washington, D.C.
No city in America packs as many monuments and museums into one area as Washington, D.C. From the Thomas Jefferson Memorial to the World War II memorial, Washington has enough (free!) attractions to keep you busy for several weeks. In the spring, the cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin draw millions of visitors from aroudn the world.
8. New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is home to the annual Mardi Gras celebration, the always busy Bourbon street, the elegant French Quarter, jazz and beignets -- fried, sugar pieces of dough, and the signature dessert of the city. After a fun night in the city, you can head to Cafe Du Monde for a cup of coffee and a trio of beignets.
9. Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs is a resort city in the Coachella Valley desert. Beginning in the 1920s, the city was a popular place for movie stars to escape Hollywood and relax. With an average of 354 days of sunshine per year, visitors can enjoy golfing, hiking, horseback riding, swimming, and tennis.
10. San Diego, California
Few places in America have better weather than San Diego. It’s a good thing, too, since there’s a lot to explore outdoors in this southern California city. Try your hand at surfing in the Pacific Ocean on some of America’s best beaches, or enjoy the ocean from a distance at Sunset Cliffs Natural Park.
11. St. Louis, Missouri
One of this Midwest city’s nicknames is “The Gateway to the West.” Indeed, St. Louis’ Gateway Arch is a monument for westward expansion in the United States. It is the tallest freestanding monument in the nation. Visitors can take an elevator to the top.
12. Sedona, Arizona
Sedona is a relaxed desert community in the US Southwest. Some of the oldest rocks on Earth surround the area, called Red Rock Country. Each morning and night, the rock formations change colors. Sedona is also famous for its growing arts community and Native American history.
13. Honolulu, Hawaii
The capital city of Hawaii, Honolulu is surrounded by beautiful scenery, including Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head mountain. Honolulu is also home to the Pearl Harbor Historic Site, the Navy base bombed by Japan during World War II, leading America to enter the war.
14. Miami Beach
Miami Beach offers beautiful white sands, gourmet restaurants and a very active nightlife. Beyond the beach and bright lights, visitors should check out the surrounding ethnic neighborhoods, such as Little Havana and Little Haiti.
15. Branson, Missouri
Branson is the place to go for country music concerts, comedy shows, and magic shows. Most days, up to 90 performances are taking place at nearly 40 theaters in the city. Set near the Ozark Mountains, the surrounding nature offers great fishing, biking, and hiking.
16. Boston, Massachusetts
For first-time visitors to this historic East Coast city, walk the four-kilometer Freedom Trail. The trail leads visitors to 16 major sites, including the Paul Revere House. Built in the 1680s, it is the oldest structure in downtown Boston. The city is also home to world-class universities like Harvard and MIT.
17. Savannah, Georgia
Savannah’s beautiful and tree-filled historic district is the largest National Historic Landmark in the United States. But the city is not only a feast for the eyes. Eat at one of Savannah’s family-style restaurants to experience the best of U.S. southern hospitality.
18. Orlando, Florida
Orlando is the “amusement parks capital” in the United States. The most famous amusement park in Orlando, of course, is Walt Disney World. After the roller coaster rides, visit the park’s EPCOT Center. EPCOT (the Experimental Community of Tomorrow) includes places that represent the cultures of countries around the world.
19. Portland, Oregon
The friendly city of Portland, in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, offers excellent dining and beautiful nature. Be sure to visit the city’s Japanese Garden, one of the biggest of its kind outside of Japan. Portland also claims to have more breweries than any other city on earth.
20. Lahaina, Hawaii
Lahaina is the former capital of Hawaii. In the 1800s, it was an important whaling village. The great writer Herman Melville wrote about this era in his classic novel Moby Dick. Today, visitors have a chance to see humpback whales in the waters here from December to May.
21. Saint Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine is the oldest European settlement in the United States. The Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon claimed the area in the name of Spain in 1513. Be sure to visit the Castillo de San Marcos monument, a fort built by the Spanish in the late 1600s.
22. Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville calls itself the “Music City.” Visitors can learn about the music scene at the Country Music Hall of Fame, and then enjoy some times at the famous Grand Ole Opry, the world’s longest running live radio program. Some of the most famous musicians recorded their hit songs here, including Elvis Presley and Jon Bon Jovi.
23. Los Angeles, California
From the palm-lined ocean avenues to Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles impresses visitors. Get a look at how films are made at one of the movie studios, or high-five a famous person’s prints at the TCL Chinese Theater. If you are in LA in late February or early March, you might even get to see all the movie stars in one place on Oscar night.
24. San Antonio, Texas
During San Antonio’s Fiesta Week in April, more than 3 million visit the city. But the city’s attractions can be enjoyed year-round. Don’t miss the tree-lined River Walk or the Alamo -- a former Roman Catholic mission and the location of the famous Battle of the Alamo in 1836.
25. Austin, Texas.
Many visitors come to this fun, bike-friendly city in the Texas Hill Country for great music. The outdoor music festivals Austin City Limits and South by Southwest always feature some of the most popular bands of the year.
What cities would you most like to visit in the United States? If you have already visited the U.S., what was your favorite place? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the comments section!
Words in This Story
destination - n. a place to which a person is going
world-class - adj. of or among the best in the world
iconic - adj. relating to a widely known symbol
spectacular - adj.
attraction - n. something interesting or enjoyable that people want to visit, see, or do.
surrounding - adj. all around a particular place or thing
