This is a list of the most popular individual

tourist attractions A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or an exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. Types Places of natural b ...

in the United States, lists of tourist attractions organized by subject region, and a selection of other notable tourist attractions and destinations.

Times Square Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. Together with adjacent ...

is the most visited public (not privately owned) tourist site in the United States, with about 50 million visitors annually.

Top tourist attractions

In 2021, the most visited

tourist attraction A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or an exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. Types Places of natural b ...

s in the U.S. were:

Landmarks

As of 2007, there are 2,462 registered

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...

s (NHL) recognized by the

United States government The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a fede ...

. Each major US city has thousands of landmarks. For example, New York City has 23,000 landmarks designated by the

Landmarks Preservation Commission The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is the New York City agency charged with administering the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. The LPC is responsible for protecting New York City's architecturally, historically, and cu ...

. These landmarks include various individual buildings, interiors, historic districts, and scenic sites which help define the culture and character of New York City.

Natural monuments

There are many natural monuments in the United States and they are a large tourist venue.

Sports

Sporting events and their associated venues make up a significant percentage of tourist dollars in the US. Estimates of the US sports industry's size vary from $213 billion to $410 billion. In 1997, 25% of tourism receipts in the United States were related to sports tourism; this would have valued the market at approximately $350 billion annually. Many US sporting events routinely attract international visitors. The 1997 New York City Marathon attracted 12,000 participants from outside the US, out of 28,000 participants.

Hotels

Hotels can be both housing for tourists visiting a particular region or city, and destinations themselves, with many hotels having historic and cultural status.

Lists of tourist attractions in the United States

Lists by type of attraction

Art museums An art museum or art gallery is a building or space for the display of art, usually from the museum's own collection. It might be in public or private ownership and may be accessible to all or have restrictions in place. Although primarily con ...

List of botanical gardens and arboretums in the United States This list is intended to include all significant botanical gardens and arboretums in the United States.Amusement parks An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central ...

List of aquaria in the United States This is a list of existing public aquariums in the United States, some of which are unaccredited. For zoos, see List of zoos in the United States. Aquariums are facilities where animals are confined within tanks and displayed to the public, and i ...

List of beaches in the United States The following is list of beaches in the U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories. Linked sub-articles have more detailed lists; not all beaches are shown on this list. States, federal district, and territories Alaba ...

List of casinos in the United States This is a list of casinos in the United States. Lists by locale City *List of Atlantic City casinos that never opened *List of Las Vegas casinos that never opened State Territory * List of casinos in Puerto Rico * List of casinos in the Unit ...

List of castles in the United States This is a list of castles in the United States. Most cannot properly be described as true castles. They are primarily country houses, folly, follies, or other types of buildings built to give the appearance of a castle. They are usually designe ...

List of festivals in the United States This is an incomplete list of festivals in the United States with articles on Wikipedia, as well as lists of other festival lists, by geographic location. This list includes festivals of diverse types, among them regional festivals, commerce fest ...

* Mexican fiestas in the United States *

List of heritage railroads in the United States This is a list of heritage railroads in the United States. There are currently no such railroads in the states of Mississippi or North Dakota. Heritage railroads by state Alabama * Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum, Shelby & Southern Railroad a ...

List of museums in the United States A list of museums in the United States by state. According to a government statement, there are more than 35,000 museums in the US. Alabama :''See List of museums in Alabama.'' :''See also :Museums in Alabama.'' Alaska :''See List of museu ...

* List of areas in the National Park System: ** National Battlefield Parks ** National Historic Parks ** National Lakeshores ** National Military Parks ** National Monuments **

National Parks A national park is a natural park in use for conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individua ...

National Recreation Areas A national recreation area (NRA) is a protected area in the United States established by an Act of Congress to preserve enhanced recreational opportunities in places with significant natural and scenic resources. There are 40 NRAs, which emphas ...

** National Seashores *

List of National Wildlife Refuges of the United States As of 2022, there are 588 National Wildlife Refuges in the United States, with the addition of the Green River National Wildlife Refuge. Refuges that have boundaries in multiple states are listed only in the state where the main visitor entrance i ...

* List of nature centers in the United States *

List of open-air and living history museums in the United States This is a list of open-air and living history museums in the United States. Ecological and environmental living museums Farm museums Alabama *Landmark Park, Dothan Alaska *Alaska Native Heritage Center, Anchorage California * Antique Gas ...

List of Renaissance fairs This is a list of Renaissance faires and other Medieval-themed faires worldwide. North America United States Included below are the permanent-site fairs in the United States which are either notably long running, which regularly have had at lea ...

List of shopping malls in the United States This is a list of current and former notable shopping malls and shopping centers in the United States of America. Alabama * Auburn Mall – Auburn (1973–present) * Bridge Street Town Centre – Huntsville (2007–present) * Brookwood ...

List of ski areas and resorts in the United States This is a list of ski areas and resorts in the United States that are currently operational. It is restricted to lift-served alpine ski areas, both public and private. According to the National Ski Areas Association, 37 U.S. states have operat ...

List of auto racing tracks in the United States This is a list of all auto racing tracks in the United States. The track length stands for the standard, full courses for each track. The major series listed are only series that currently hold a race at the track. Dragstrip Dirt ovals ...

List of indoor arenas in the United States This is a list of indoor arenas in the United States. List of largest municipal and privately-owned arenas in the United States by seating capacity This is a list of seating capacities for sports and entertainment arenas in the United States with ...

List of NASCAR tracks This is a list of tracks which have hosted a NASCAR race from 1948 to present. Various forms of race track have been used throughout the history of NASCAR, including purpose-built race tracks such as Daytona. NASCAR National series race tracks ...

Seaside resorts A seaside resort is a town, village, or hotel that serves as a vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requirements, such as in the German ' ...

List of U.S. stadiums by capacity __TOC__ The following is a list of stadiums in the United States. They are ranked by capacity, which is the maximum number of spectators the stadium can normally accommodate. All U.S. stadiums with a current capacity of 10,000 or more are included ...

* Tennis venues * Reenactment sites *

List of U.S. National Forests The United States has 154 protected areas known as national forests, covering . National forests are managed by the U.S. Forest Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The first national forest was established as the Yellowst ...

List of U.S. state parks The list of state parks in the United States are listed by individual state. List *Alabama *Alaska *Arizona *Arkansas *California *Colorado *Connecticut *Delaware *Florida *Georgia *Hawaii *Idaho *Illinois *Indiana *Iowa *Kansas *Kentucky *Louisi ...

List of zoos in the United States This is an incomplete list of existing, reputable zoos in the United States. For a list of aquaria, see List of aquaria in the United States, and for a list of nature centers, see List of nature centers in the United States. Zoos are primarily ter ...

Wine festivals Annual wine festivals celebrate viticulture and usually occur after the harvest of the grapes which, in the northern hemisphere, generally falls at the end of September and runs until well into October or later. They are common in most wine regio ...

Lists by city or region

List of attractions and events in Indianapolis The following is a list of important sites of interest and annual events in and around the city of Indianapolis. __NOTOC__ A * Athenæum (Das Deutsche Haus) B * Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre * Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site * Benton House ...

List of attractions and events in the Louisville metropolitan area This is a list of visitor attractions and annual events in the Louisville metropolitan area. Annual festivals and other events Spring * Abbey Road on the River, a salute to The Beatles with many bands, held Memorial Day weekend in Louisvil ...

* List of Orlando, Florida attractions * Attractions in Silicon Valley, California *

List of Wilderness Areas in the Adirondack Park The Adirondack Park is a part of New York's Forest Preserve in northeastern New York, United States. The park was established in 1892 for “the free use of all the people for their health and pleasure”, and for watershed protection. The park' ...

* List of lands at Disney theme parks *

List of attractions and events in Jacksonville, Florida The city of Jacksonville, Florida and the Jacksonville metropolitan area host numerous events year-round. This listing includes the most notable of those events. Annual events Most events are coordinated through the City of Jacksonville, departm ...

Other tourist attractions and destinations

* Myrtle Beach, South Carolina *

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, the county seat of Charleston County, and the principal city in the Charleston–North Charleston metropolitan area. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint o ...

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina Hilton Head Island, sometimes referred to as simply Hilton Head, is a Lowcountry resort town and barrier island in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. It is northeast of Savannah, Georgia, and southwest of Charleston. The island is n ...

Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.

, and the Boardwalk * California's Wine Country * Richmond Strip, Houston, Texas *

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

, Louisiana with the

French Quarter The French Quarter, also known as the , is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans. After New Orleans (french: La Nouvelle-Orléans) was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city developed around the ("Old Sq ...

* Hollywood, California *

Outer Banks of North Carolina The Outer Banks (frequently abbreviated OBX) are a string of barrier islands and spits off the coast of North Carolina and southeastern Virginia, on the east coast of the United States. They line most of the North Carolina coastline, separating ...

Carolina Beach, North Carolina Carolina Beach is a beach town in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States, situated about south of Wilmington International Airport in southeastern coastal North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 6,564. It is pa ...

Pennsylvania Dutch Country The Pennsylvania Dutch Country ( Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Deitscherei'' Dutchery', also called Pennsylvania Dutchland ( Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Pennsylvania Deitschland'', german: Pennsylvania Deutschland), or simply the Dutch Country or Dutchland ( ...

Pocono Mountains The Pocono Mountains, commonly referred to as the Poconos , are a geographical, geological, and cultural region in Northeastern Pennsylvania. They overlook the Delaware River and Delaware Water Gap to the east, Lake Wallenpaupack to the north, ...

, Pennsylvania *

Salem, Massachusetts Salem ( ) is a historic coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, located on the North Shore of Greater Boston. Continuous settlement by Europeans began in 1626 with English colonists. Salem would become one of the most significant seaports tr ...

Branson, Missouri Branson is a city in the U.S. state of Missouri. Most of the city is situated in Taney County, with a small portion in the west extending into Stone County. Branson is in the Ozark Mountains. The community was named after Reuben Branson, postma ...

Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin Wisconsin Dells is a city in Wisconsin, straddling four counties: Adams, Columbia, Juneau, and Sauk. A popular Midwestern tourist destination, the city forms an area known as "The Dells" with the nearby village of Lake Delton. The Dells is home ...

* Door County, Wisconsin § Attractions *

Alamo Mission in San Antonio The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna reclaimed the Alamo Mission near San Anton ...

, Texas *

Hanauma Bay Hanauma (; ) is a marine embayment formed within a tuff ring and located along the southeast coast of the Island of Oahu in the Hawaii Kai neighborhood of East Honolulu, in the Hawaiian Islands. Hanauma is one of the most popular tourist destin ...

, Hawaii *

Miami, Florida Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...

Key West, Florida Key West ( es, Cayo Hueso) is an island in the Straits of Florida, within the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Sigsbee Park, Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Isla ...

Aspen, Colorado Aspen is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 7,004 at the 2020 United States Census. Aspen is in a remote area of the Rocky Mounta ...

* Soo Locks, Michigan *

Martha's Vineyard Martha's Vineyard, often simply called the Vineyard, is an island in the Northeastern United States, located south of Cape Cod in Dukes County, Massachusetts, known for being a popular, affluent summer colony. Martha's Vineyard includes the s ...

Cedar Point Cedar Point is a amusement park located on a Lake Erie peninsula in Sandusky, Ohio, United States. Opened in 1870, it is considered the second-oldest operating amusement park in the U.S. behind Lake Compounce. Cedar Point is owned and op ...

Former tourist attractions

Borscht Belt The Borscht Belt, or Jewish Alps, is a colloquial term for the mostly defunct summer resorts of the Catskill Mountains in parts of Sullivan, Orange, and Ulster counties in the U.S. state of New York, straddling both Upstate New York and the nort ...

, New York *

Salton Sea The Salton Sea is a shallow, landlocked, highly saline body of water in Riverside and Imperial counties at the southern end of the U.S. state of California. It lies on the San Andreas Fault within the Salton Trough that stretches to the Gulf o ...

, California *

World Trade Center World Trade Centers are sites recognized by the World Trade Centers Association. World Trade Center may refer to: Buildings * List of World Trade Centers * World Trade Center (2001–present), a building complex that includes five skyscrapers, a ...

, New York

Notes

References

* {{Tourism Tourism in the United States