From the Golden Gate Bridge in California to the Empire State Building in New York, every US state is home to famous attractions. But which attractions do visitors love the most? And which are the most popular across the country?
To find out, we looked at more than 1,000 attractions across the US. We compared annual Google search volumes, Tripadvisor ratings, and TikTok views to uncover the most popular and highest-rated attractions in each state and across the nation.
The Most Popular Tourist Attractions in the USA
| Rank | Attraction | State | Google Search Volume p/y | Tripadvisor Score (/5) | TikTok Views | US Popularity Rating (/10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Disney World | Florida | 15,540,000 | 4.4 | 22B | 9 |
| 2 | Times Square | New York | 17,533,000 | 4.3 | 1.7B | 8.5 |
| 3 | Niagara Falls | New York | 6,347,000 | 4.8 | 1.1B | 8.1 |
| 4 | Grand Canyon | Arizona | 6,569,000 | 4.8 | 610.2M | 8 |
| 5 | Universal Studios Hollywood | California | 12,376,000 | 4.4 | 5.6B | 7.7 |
| 6 | Yellowstone National Park | Idaho | 8,253,000 | 4.8 | 1.1B | 7.4 |
| 7 | Glacier National Park | Montana | 5,666,000 | 4.8 | 394.8M | 6.7 |
| 8 | Statue of Liberty | New York | 8,607,000 | 4.5 | 504.2M | 7.2 |
| 9 | Myrtle Beach | South Carolina | 6,781,000 | 4.4 | 1.8B | 7 |
| 10 | Lake Tahoe | California | 6,018,000 | 4.7 | 588.9M | 6.8 |
Dive straight into the Top 5 most popular US tourist attractions…
Why not find your next holiday destination by considering the USA’s most popular attractions. Whether you’re flying and parking at New York LaGuardia Airport, Chicago O’Hare, or even from abroad, consider adding some of these attractions to your bucket list.
Top 5 Most Popular US Attractions
1. Disney World: US Popularity rating – 9/10
- Yearly Google Searches: 15,540,000
- TripAdvisor Score: 4.4
- TikTok Views: 22B
Disney World comfortably tops the table this year, with over 20 billion TikTok views. It also boasts more than 15 million annual Google searches in the US, helping it secure the highest popularity rating on the list.
Located in Orlando, Florida, Disney World is the most visited holiday resort in the world and covers more than 25,000 acres. The resort features four theme parks, two water parks, numerous hotels, and a vast selection of restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues that attract millions of visitors every year.
Since opening in 1971, Disney World has become one of the most recognisable tourist destinations on the planet. Famous attractions, spectacular live shows, themed lands, and beloved Disney characters have helped make the resort a favourite among families and visitors.
2. Times Square: US Popularity rating – 8.5/10
Times Square at night, New York City :: Joshua Earle – Unsplash
- Yearly Google Searches: 17,533,000
- TripAdvisor Score: 4.3
- TikTok Views: 1.7B
New York’s Grand Times Square earns the runner-up spot on this list with over 17 million annual Google searches, and a whopping 1.7 billion views on TikTok. Times Square earns an overall popularity rating of 8.5/10.
Also known as “the Crossroads of the World”, Manhattan’s Times Square is a major commercial intersection. Around 330,000 people, many of whom are tourists, pass through Times Square every day. On its busiest days, over 460,000 pedestrians can walk through the Square.
3. Niagara Falls: US Popularity rating – 8.1/10
- Yearly Google Searches: 6,347,000
- TripAdvisor Score: 4.8
- TikTok Views: 1.1B
The third most popular attraction in the US is Niagara Falls, New York, which saw over 6 million Google searches over the last year alongside over a billion TikTok views. Niagara Falls earns an 8.1/10 popularity rating.
A staple of America’s natural beauty, Niagara Falls is a combination of three waterfalls which line the border between New York State and Canada. The falls have an impressive vertical drop of more than 50m and Horseshoe Falls, the largest of the three falls, is the most powerful waterfall in North America measured by flow rate.
4. Grand Canyon: US Popularity rating – 8/10
- Yearly Google Searches: 6,569,000
- TripAdvisor Score: 4.8
- TikTok Views: 610.2M
The Grand Canyon, located in the state of Arizona, earns the fourth spot in America’s most popular tourist attractions. The geological phenomenon has received well over 6 million searches in the last year, as well as a near-perfect 4.8 Tripadvisor rating. The Grand Canyon earns an impressive 8/10 US popularity score, making it a must-see attraction for tourists visiting the US.
Carved by the Colorado River around 5 to 6 million years ago, the Grand Canyon is 277 miles long and 18 miles wide. The steep-sided canyon is over a mile deep, exposing nearly two billion years of Earth’s geological history.
5. Universal Studios: US Popularity rating – 7.7/10
- Yearly Google Searches: 12,376,000
- TripAdvisor Score: 4.4
- TikTok Views: 5.6B
Universal Studios rounds out the top five most popular attractions in the US, generating more than 12 million Google searches over the past year and an impressive 5.6 billion views on TikTok. The California attraction earns a strong overall popularity rating of 7.7/10. While it’s not as popular as Disney World, it’s one of America’s best-loved theme parks.
Located in Los Angeles, California, Universal Studios Hollywood combines a working film and television studio with a world-famous theme park. The attraction is known for immersive experiences based on major film franchises, thrilling rides, and a unique connection to Hollywood’s entertainment industry.
One of the park’s best-known attractions is the Studio Tour. This gives visitors a behind-the-scenes look at famous sets and production areas. Alongside blockbuster-themed rides and live entertainment, Universal Studios Hollywood remains one of California’s leading tourist destinations, and a major attraction for film fans visiting the US.
Methodology
In total, this study analyzed 1,133 attractions across each of the 50 US states. The initial list of attractions in each state was taken from Attractions of America. Each attraction was then analyzed with reference to the number of Google searches it received in the last year using Google Keywords Planner.
The Tripadvisor rating for each of the top three attractions in each state was then taken. From this, a combined score was calculated for 150 of the biggest attractions in the US, and the top attraction for each state was identified and recorded.
To further analyse the most popular attractions in the US overall, Instagram hashtags and the volume of TikTok views were recorded for the 50 most loved US attractions.
Main image: Omer Nezih Gerek – Unsplash
