This Park Was Just Named the No. 1 Tourist Attraction in the U.S.

Travelers come from all over the world to see the New York City skyline, peer into the Grand Canyon, and explore the Everglades, but there are certain sites that visitors have deemed a “must-see.” To determine which site is the top tourist attraction in the U.S., the retreat booking site BookRetreats.com analyzed 77 of the most popular points of interest across the nation, evaluating each on factors like place popularity, overall experience (according to over 7,500 visitor reviews), and hotel costs.

At the top of the list was a site that’s both natural and urban: Central Park in New York City.

The 843-acre park received a score of 4.075 out of a possible 5 points in the rating, making it the top tourist attraction in the U.S. The New York City park stood out for its popularity, maintaining a 4.8 rating on Google and garnering over 270,000 reviews. In addition, 91 percent of recent visitors raved about its beauty and abundance of free activities. (We’re guessing it doesn’t hurt that the park has its own castle and zoo.)

In addition to housing the top tourist attraction in the U.S., six other New York City sites made it onto the list, making the city an easy choice for travelers who only have time to go to one place. Interestingly, iconic spots like the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty were surpassed by natural sites like The High Line and Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Following Central Park in the ranking were two more urban parks: Washington, D.C.’s long, grassy National Mall came in at No. 2, while Balboa Park in San Diego was ranked No. 3. 

The trend toward nature-driven tourist attractions continues throughout the ranking, with natural sites making up 50 percent of the study’s best places to go.

Here’s the full list:

1. Central Park — New York City
2. National Mall — Washington, D.C. 
3. Balboa Park — San Diego
4. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Washington, D.C. 
5. Times Square — New York City 
6. Rockefeller Center — New York City
7. Niagara Falls — Buffalo, New York
8. Golden Gate Park — San Francisco
9. Magic Kingdom Park — Orlando
10. Brooklyn Bridge Park — New York City
11. Hoover Dam — Boulder City, Nevada
12. The High Line — New York City
13. Fountains of Bellagio — Las Vegas 
14. Garden of the Gods — Colorado Springs, Colorado
15. The Metropolitan Museum of Art — New York City
16. Zion National Park — Utah 
17. San Antonio River Walk — San Antonio, Texas
18. ICON Park — Orlando
19. Golden Gate Bridge — San Francisco
20. Brooklyn Bridge — New York City