25 U.S. Tourist Attractions Americans Are Most Captivated by, State-by-State Breakdown

No matter where you live in the U.S., there’s a chance you’ve wanted to visit the other 49 states. But is the attraction you want to go to the one residents in other states want to see the most, too? 

You could go to America’s many national parks, amusement parks, or even to the beach. Or you could want to visit unique and important cultural or historical sites outside of your state’s border. One of the best things about the U.S. is how much there is to see and do. 

Anna Spanish ran a study to determine which tourist attraction is the most popular among residents in each state. Spoiler alert: Residents in many states are more captivated by tourist sites in other states. See if the attraction you want to visit the most makes the list. 

Measuring Searches Per State

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Anna Spanish compiled their results from data taken from Google searches. They calculated specific keywords and search phrases around traveling to over 100 U.S. tourist attractions to present a total number of searches for each attraction. 

It’s worth noting that Anna Spanish’s results vary from data that counts popularity in different ways. For example, Times Square in New York City was reportedly the most visited tour spot in the U.S. In contrast, Anna Spanish’s rankings lean towards which attractions Americans have an interest in or plan to visit one day, not necessarily if they’ve already been there.

Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee.

Alabama

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Great Smoky Mountains

Alaska

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Universal Studios Hollywood

Arizona canyon.

Arizona

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Antelope Canyon

Arkansas

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Niagara Falls

California

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Alcatraz Island

Colorado

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Lake Tahoe

Connecticut

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Myrtle Beach

Delaware

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Niagara Falls

Las Vegas skyline.

Florida

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Las Vegas Strip

Georgia

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Myrtle Beach

Mickey Mouse.

Hawaii

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Disneyland

Idaho

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Grand Canyon

Illinois

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Myrtle Beach

Indiana

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Grand Canyon

Glacier National Park, Montana

Iowa

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Glacier National Park

Lake Tahoe, California.

Kansas

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Lake Tahoe

Bass Head Light in Acadia National Park, Maine.

Kentucky

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Acadia National Park

Louisiana

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Niagara Falls

Maine

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Great Smoky Mountains

Maryland

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Rehoboth Beach

Massachusetts

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Silver Dollar City

Statue of Liberty in New York City.

Michigan

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Statue of Liberty

Minnesota

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Niagara Falls

Mississippi

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Great Smoky Mountains

Missouri

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Glacier National Park

Montana

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Lake Tahoe

Nebraska

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Hoover Dam

Nevada

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Mount Washington

New Hampshire

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White Sands National Park

New Jersey

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Niagara Falls

New Mexico

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Death Valley National Park

New York

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Museum of Modern Art

North Carolina

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Myrtle Beach

Overlook at sunrise in North Dakota national park.

North Dakota

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Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Ohio

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Myrtle Beach

Oklahoma

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Grand Canyon

Oregon

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Universal Orlando Studios

Pennsylvania

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Cumberland Fall

Rhode Island

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Grand Canyon

South Carolina

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Myrtle Beach

South Dakota

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Grand Canyon

Tennessee

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Myrtle Beach

Texas

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Universal Orlando Studios

Utah

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Great Smoky Mountains

Vermont

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Universal Orlando Studios

Virginia

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Myrtle Beach

Washington

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Niagara Falls

West Virginia

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Mount Rushmore

Wisconsin

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Niagara Falls

Wyoming

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Grand Teton National Park

Most Popular U.S. Attraction

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Beaches are some of the most popular attractions in Anna Spanish’s ranking, with Myrtle Beach taking the top spot as the most popular tourist attraction overall. South Carolina’s 60 miles of beach is known as the Grand Strand, which gets its name from the old definition of “strand,” which means land bordering the water. 

Myrtle Beach is also beloved among golf fans. It’s known as the mini golf capital of the world, featuring more courses per square mile than any other area; you can try your hand at over 100 full golf courses when you want a break from the beach. 

National Parks Rank High

Grand Canyon, Arizona.
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National parks appear 16 times in Anna Spanish’s ranking. The approximately 70 million-year-old Grand Canyon in Arizona is the most popular national park attraction, rising to number one in three states. 

The Grand Canyon is the sixth-deepest canyon in the world, trailing the number one Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon in Tibet by 2 miles. The Grand Canyon is still incredible to see, with a depth of 18 miles and a length of 277 miles. 

Americans Love Natural Wonders

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Based on Anna Spanish’s study, Niagara Falls is one of the most popular attractions in America, featured as number one in seven states. The waterfalls may not be the biggest in the world, but they’re reportedly the fastest moving. Many Americans are eager to witness the falls in person to fully experience the 3,000 tons of water that pass through every second. 

Niagara Falls is split between New York and Canada. Visitors across the world have noticed a distinct green color of the water, which is attributed to the massive amounts of salt and minerals running through the falls.

21 Bucket List Destinations for Retirees

Couple walking through a city.
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Do you want to explore the world during retirement? Here are some excellent destinations to add to your bucket list, including options for active and low-impact travel.

21 Bucket List Destinations for Retirees

Most and Least Visited States

Man holding sunglasses.
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Data company YouGov compiled the states Americans have visited the most and least. How many of the states on their list have you been to?

Most and Least Visited States by Americans

 

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