Top 10 Tourist Spots in the USA

[NW-Bound]

I just happened to run across a list of the top 10 tourist spots in the USA, and wanted to share.

1. Times Square, New York City
2. The Las Vegas Strip, Nev.
3. National Mall and Memorial Parks, Washington, D.C.
4. Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston
5. Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
6. Disneyland Park, Anaheim, Calif.
7. Fisherman’s Wharf/Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco
8. Niagara Falls, N.Y.
9. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tenn./N.C.
10. Navy Pier, Chicago

Looking at that, it occurred to me that I have been to all these places, except for #9 above. Guess what is on my list of destinations for RV'ing?

And of the 9 places that I have been to, I have visited more than once, except for #8. Disneyland & Disneyworld, we had to make multiple trips for our children, but I doubt if we will ever return. Oops, too early to discount the possibility of future grandchildren. So, I am obviously your typical tourist.

Do you agree with this list? Note that I am surprised that Smoky Mountains was on the list but not the Grand Canyon.

The two following links are my references.

Top 10 tourist attractions in the USA « The Travel Blog by TravelPod

Top 10 Most-Visited U.S. Tourist Sites - Bing Videos

 

[GregLee]

I don't doubt that those 10 are most visited, but "top"? Like you, I would have expected to see the Grand Canyon there, and I think perhaps Volcanoes National Park might also deserve a spot in the top 10.

 

[Nords]

I just happened to run across a list of the top 10 tourist spots in the USA, and wanted to share.

... and I think perhaps Volcanoes National Park might also deserve a spot in the top 10.

Yeah, that looks like a list of the top 10 Mainland tourist spots...

 

[73ss454]

Hey, I was surprised that I did 7 out of 10.

 

[Moemg]

I only missed 5 & 10 and the rest I did a few times .

 

[WhoDaresWins]

I have been to all except #9 too. I will have to make a point to rectify the omission.

I loved Volcano National Park. We used to go to the Hawaiian Islands annually when we lived in CA ('88-'93). I should go back as I have a very hospitable cousin in Kailua. He moved there in '74, right after grad school. His criteria for employment was to live in a place where he did not have to wear socks.

 

[clifp]

Been to all ten, but they aren't my top spots.

 

[freebird5825]

I've not yet been to #7, 9, and 10. Hmmmmm....

 

[clifp]

The Great Smokey park is actually quite a pretty place, although to a Western like me the mountains look more like foothills.

 

[Khan]

Have actually been to all but 4 5 and 10, but none for a long time.

 

[TomG]

I've been to five of the 10. Nothing about any of them that can't be equaled by countless other places in any other state. To me, the only thing that makes anything worth visiting as a tourist is the people you're with

Had a great time in New York and Boston simply because I was visiting family and friends who live there. Could have been just as good anywhere in the country

Only time I ever care to travel as a tourist is if I have an opportunity for a work gig that will more than pay for the trip (does happen a few times per year) or to visit someone I know. Otherwise the local movie theater or library may as well be the best place to travel to

 

[saluki9]

Maybe top 10 "touristy" spots

Navy pier is quite possibly the last place I would suggest somebody visits when coming to Chicago

 

[bbbamI]

I've done #2 at least 20 times.

Hmmmm....somehow that doesn't sound right.

 

[fisherman]

If anyone needs Rving info or other info on the Smokies just let me know. Being a Tennessee native I have been to the foothills of East TN many many times. They really do not look like mountains after going out West. It is a very nice park however and it does get an incredible about of traffic. So much so we only go in the winter if it involves a weekend now.

 

[mb]

Do you agree with this list? Note that I am surprised that Smoky Mountains was on the list but not the Grand Canyon.
http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/vi...el=msn&from=en-us_msnhp&form=msnhed&gt1=42007

There's more people in the eastern half of the country.

I've visited 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 and 10.

I understand why Vegas is high on the list but it's not really my kind of place. For me it's just a stop between the beaches of SoCal and the Nat'l Parks of Arizona and southern Utah. The others seem about right.

Per Nord's comment, I think that California and Hawaii could both have a pretty impressive top 10 list.

 

[zinger1457]

This seems to be a list of the most visited spots then actual tourist destinations. Being from the Boston area I'm sure most of the visitors to Faneuil Hall Marketplace are locals that live within driving distance, it's just a place to go for entertainment and dinner. Never met a 'tourist' that flew into Boston just to visit Faneuil Hall Marketplace. Same could probably be said for some of the other spots on the list.

 

[aaronc879]

I've been to 1,2,3 and 10. Only one i've been to more than once is #10
(3 times, I think). Never even heard of #4

 

[RonBoyd]

A much more interesting "Top Tourist Spots" list can be found here:

Life on the Open Road: Strange and Unusual Things I Have Seen

I'm currently in Mesa, AZ, taking care of yearly medical appointments. Since I don't think anyone wants to hear about that, I thought I'd do a post on things I've seen since I started RVing that are strange, unusual, or difficult (but not impossible) to see.

and, to round it off to ten, her earlier list:

Life on the Open Road: My Top Five

Several bloggers have recently done posts on five places they are glad they haven't missed in their travels, and five places they still have on their "bucket list." I thought I'd give it a shot...

 

[ronocnikral]

A much more interesting "Top Tourist Spots" list can be found here:

Life on the Open Road: Strange and Unusual Things I Have Seen



and, to round it off to ten, her earlier list:

Life on the Open Road: My Top Five

Thanks for that. A lot more down to earth list if you ask me (i hail from a lot of places west of the Mississippi). I've been to 1 and 5 in the lady's posts. I could spend the rest of my life in Southern Utah and never get bored. Sometimes, I think a gummit BLM j*b down there would serve me well...

As to the OP's list, i've done 6 of the 10 (Smoky's are the only one I've been to twice). I have little desire to ever step foot in NYC, LV or Disney World. I may make it to Niagara one of these days...

 

[donheff]

The only one I haven't visited id Disneyland, although I have been to Disneyworld several times. I went to Great Smokey Mountains when I was about 10 but I am planning to drive down the Blue Ridge Parkway in a couple of weeks and will stop there.

 

[Automatika]

Maybe top 10 "touristy" spots

Navy pier is quite possibly the last place I would suggest somebody visits when coming to Chicago

+1, same is true for Fisherman's Wharf

I've been to all 10 also and the only one I'd put in my top 10 is Niagara Falls, and then only if you ride the Maid of the Mist into the Horseshoe Falls. Or ride the barrel...

 

[clifp]

+1, same is true for Fisherman's Wharf

I've been to all 10 also and the only one I'd put in my top 10 is Niagara Falls, and then only if you ride the Maid of the Mist into the Horseshoe Falls. Or ride the barrel...

I'd drop The Wharf, Navy Yard, and Marketplace. However, I'd argue that the top 3 and one of the Disneylands are all uniquely American experiences and well worth visiting. Sure they lack of the beauty of most of our National Parks or Hawaii, but most countries have some really beautiful locations. There is only one Times Square, one Vegas Strip, and certainly only one DC Mall.

 

[Nords]

There is only one Times Square, one Vegas Strip, and certainly only one DC Mall.

I'm surprised that Vegas hasn't replicated Times Square or the DC Mall yet...

 

[harley]

The Great Smokey park is actually quite a pretty place, although to a Western like me the mountains look more like foothills.

Whenever anyone insults the size of the Appalachians or Smokies by comparing them to the Rockies, I always say "come back in 100 million years or so". The Appalachians were higher early on than the Alps are now. Even the Smokies were as big as the Rockies. Recent studies show that some of the rocks in Nevada are runoff from the Appalachians. It's amazing what a little wind and rain erosion will accomplish.

 

[Htown Harry]

I've been to all but the Navy Pier.

The strange part of looking over the list? I think it may be in the exact order of the number of times I've visited each site.

Kind of disheartening to hear I'm a typical crowd-following American tourist.

Well, maybe not - I've seen the Paisano Pete 10-ft. tall roadrunner monument in Fort Stockton at least three times.