What do you think are the top 5 tourist attractions in the U.S? Or where can I go to find that info. I've tried everywhere and can't find a thing-Please help! Thanks

Amanda-Did you try Encarta? Or call your public library, I bet they would know.

My guess would be: Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Washington DC.

Believe it or not, Las Vegas is the number 1 US attraction, then comes Orlando/Disney.

I always love these polls and the way they are determined. I agree that a great many people visit Las Vegas every day. But who decides how many are "tourists" and how many are business oriented on their way to a convention? It will be hard to convince me that there are more outsiders entering Las Vegas everyday than there are entering New York City. Who is to say based on the total amount of "outsider" traffic that New York isn't #1. Or will this be the result of some poll where people submit their favorite destination? I remember years ago when Conde Nast travel magazine did a big article on Coer d'Alene, Idaho (is that spelled right?). The following year, their readers' poll named the Coer d'Alene resort as the #1 resort in the country. That was absurd, but based on a poll of their own readers who had apparently read their review and traveled immediately to check it out. I don't believe in any following years it even appeared on their list.

I though the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco were in the top 5.
I guess I'm confusing it with favorite
U.S. City.

About 2-3 years ago, it was written that Disney World was the #1 attraction, and the LAKE ERIE ISLANDS, between Cleveland and Toledo were #2. As a fan of these lovely examples of Paradise, I just thought I'd remind you. They've been compared in their summer/in-season months to be similar to Monterey/Carmel.

Fan-While I agree that the Lake Erie Islands are wonderful, I seriously doubt they are #2. Outside of Ohio, and the surrounding states they are little known.Where did you see that? I think the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone are wayyy ahead of them.

Dear Twocents:

Oh well, maybe you're right -- NOT! The list was in USA Today, you know, the most widely read newspaper in America - about 2-3 years ago. I STILL have the article - somewhere. In the meantime, maybe it can be found in their archive?!

I'm with TwoCents on this one. I don't know how the USA Today did the ranking systems but #2 in what? Number of visitors? I think it extremely unlikely that the Lake Erie Islands, which only one of my coworkers here had ever even HEARD of (who is from Ohio; one from southern Ohio had never even heard of them) is the #1 most visited destination. #2 in terms of money spent? I highly doubt it would outrank NYC, Disney World or Las Vegas to name three. The Islands I believe you are lovely and may be the #2 "favorite destination" of USA Today staffers or possibly #2 according to other criteria, but it's definitely not the 2nd most visited destination in the USA. Do let us know the web site of the USA Today archived survey if you find it and how the survey was carried out...I'm curious to know how it IS rated #2.

I'm with TwoCents on this one. I don't know how the USA Today did the ranking systems but #2 in what? Number of visitors? I think it extremely unlikely that the Lake Erie Islands, which only one of my coworkers here had ever even HEARD of (who is from Ohio; one from southern Ohio had never even heard of them) is the #1 most visited destination. #2 in terms of money spent? I highly doubt it would outrank NYC, Disney World or Las Vegas to name three. The Islands I believe you are lovely and may be the #2 "favorite destination" of USA Today staffers or possibly #2 according to other criteria, but it's definitely not the 2nd most visited destination in the USA. Do let us know the web site of the USA Today archived survey if you find it and how the survey was carried out...I'm curious to know how it IS rated #2.

Based entirely on my own opinion, and to provide attractions that show different views of the US, my list would be (from East to West):

1. New York City
2. Disney World
3. Branson, Mo (maybe a few years ago I'd have picked Nashville and Graceland)
4. The Grand Canyon
5. Golden Gate Bridge/Alcatraz - SF

It's tough to limit it to five. Las Vegas is one of a kind, Yellowstone Park is another that is hard to leave off, as is Washington DC, the Liberty Bell in Philly, Old North Church in Boston, the Indiana and Michigan Dunes, and even the view of a clear horizon across miles of wheat fields in Nebraska is a sight not easily forgotten.

This was hard for me to believe, but a tour guide told me that Williamburg, VA was the #2 tourist attraction in the US, behind Disney World.

Maybe that's based on the number of people they count coming through the gate -- That's hard (if not impossible) to do for places like the various Smithsonian Museums in DC, The Grand Canyon, The Mall of America in Minneapolis. Who is to say whether a "paid attraction" gets more visitors than a free one? (You may have to pay a parks admission to see the Grand Canyon, but those are usually per-vehicle, not per-person like Disney or Williamsburg.)

Why do you people CARE??!! Some of our best travel experiences are little known, out of the way places that would NEVER even be called an attraction!

Regardless of how some folks feel about it, Las Vegas has to be in the top 5 if not at the top. They have over 30 million vistors a year that arrive by plane. This doesn't count the ones driving in. The vast majority of visitors are going there for fun and enjoyment and not business. Even though Las Vegas is also one of the leading convention centers of the world, most folks are not there on business.

Hey fan of the Great Lakes Islands - I've read that, too! I'm not sure if it was in USA Today, but I KNOW I saw it in print - that the islands were the Number Two top destination in America...in attendance, maybe not...in beauty and serenity....quite possibly!

I find that hard to believe the Lake Erie Islands are #2. We went to South Bass this summer and it was nothing but a great big drunk tank and expensive. All there is to do there is drink and the gift shops are so expensive no one can afford anything.

Just your humble opinion, right Sue?

Er, was Great Lakes Island recommended by the same media outlet that always publishes a list of best places to live? You know, the kind of list that concludes that there is no better place to live other than El Paso? The criteria for this selection process are highly subjective and sometimes downright fanciful.

Obviously, WDW and Las Vegas are right up there in terms of numbers of visitors and $$$ spent. After that, there is plenty of room for debate.

Yea just my humble opinion! I might add the restaurants are overpriced too and the food is mediocre at best! Save your money and go somewhere else.