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  1. Lifestyle
  2. Places to Travel

This Is the Most Popular Tourist Attraction in Every State

Published: Mar 16, 2018 17 min read
(clockwise from top left) Chihuly Garden and Glass, Seattle, Washington; City Brew Tour, Burlington, Vermont; Falconry beginner's lesson, The Greenbreier, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia; The High Roller at The LINQ, Las Vegas, Nevada; Snorkeling in the Molokini Crater, Maui, Hawaii; Old South Carriage Historic Tour, Charleston, South Carolina.
(clockwise from top left) Chihuly Garden and Glass, Seattle, Washington; City Brew Tour, Burlington, Vermont; Falconry beginner's lesson, The Greenbreier, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia; The High Roller at The LINQ, Las Vegas, Nevada; Snorkeling in the Molokini Crater, Maui, Hawaii; Old South Carriage Historic Tour, Charleston, South Carolina.
(clockwise from top left) courtesy of Chihuly Garden and Glass; courtesy of City Brew Tour; courtesy of The Greenbreier; courtesy of Caesars Las Vegas; Ed Robinson—Getty Images; Clarence Holmes Photography—Alamy

Whether you've planned a trip or you're making a pit stop on a long drive, a new city has a lot to offer. Between museums, city landmarks and national parks, each U.S. state has its own culture and history tourists can learn from.

That's why Money worked with TripAdvisor to identify the most popular tourist activity in every state. Their data revealed that while landmarks and museums remains most popular attraction for newcomers, tours and trips that reveal something about a particular region's culture—whether it be a living history museum or a brewery bus tour—often outdraw the cultural landmarks.

To come up with the data, TripAdvisor looked at on-site bookings for attractions, tours and activities for all of 2017, and picked the most popular. For the seven states that did not have enough data for TripAdvisor to analyze—Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Oklahoma—Money subbed in TripAdvisor's highest-rated thing to do.

Here are the most popular tourist activities in each state:

Alabama

Tour of Mobile

Gulf Coast Ducks Triple-Splash Duck Boat tour
courtesy of Gulf Coast Ducks

Cost per adult ticket: $29

The port in Alabama’s historic city, Mobile, played a key role in trading between France and Spain. The most popular way to experience the port is through an tour run by Gulf Coast Ducks, which cost $26 for adults, $16 for kids and $10 for infants.

Alaska

Kenai Fjords Wildlife Cruise

Steller sea lion preparing to dive, Kenai Fjords
Getty Images

Cost per adult ticket: $98

See Alaskan wildlife—including whales, sea lions and puffins—up close on the most popular cruise in Alaska. The five-hour trip starts at noon and covers 55 miles of sea around Kenai Fjords National Park.

Arizona

Sedona-Grand Canyon Day Trip

View from the field in Red Rock State Park at sunset.
Ron Pettitt—Getty Images

Cost per adult ticket: $179.29

The Grand Canyon is easily Arizona’s most visited site, but guided tours from Sedona are the most popular way travelers elect to explore the park. The trip promises tourists in-depth knowledge on the area’s history, and includes stops at the Painted Desert and Little Colorado River Gorge.

Arkansas

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

View from gallery bridge to north lawn with Lowell’s Ocean, steel sculpture by Mark di Suvero, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas.
Timothy Hursley—Courtesy of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas

Cost per adult ticket: General admission is free, although some special exhibitions require a ticket purchase.

The Bentonville, Arkansas, museum features American art from the colonial era until the contemporary period, with iconic American artists like Norman Rockwell, George Bellows, and Jackson Pollock.

California

USS Midway Museum

USS Midway Museum in San Diego
Mitch Ridder—© Mitch Ridder Photography - All Rights Reserved 2014

Cost per adult ticket: $21

California’s hottest ticket is to the longest-serving U.S. aircraft carrier of the 20th century, now docked in San Diego. The museum includes extensive galleries, holds 30 restored military aircrafts, and spans 10 acres of exhibits and displays.

Colorado

Denver Mountain Parks

Visitors head to Red Rocks to get in a workout and to visit the rocks, Creation, Ship Rock and Stage Rock August 4, 2015.
John Leyba—Denver Post via Getty Images

Cost per adult ticket: $90

This trip gets you an in-depth view of both the city of Denver and the surrounding Rocky Mountains in just one day. It includes stops at Red Rocks Park, Bear Creek Canyon and City Park.

Connecticut

Mystic Seaport

Mystic Seaport waterfront
courtesy of Mystic Seaport

Cost per adult ticket: $28.95

Connecticut boasts the country’s largest maritime museum. Mystic Seaport's exhibits include four National Historic Landmark Vessels and hundreds of other historic watercrafts over 19 acres on the Mystic River.

Delaware

Cape Water Tours and Taxi

Delaware Breakwater Lighthouse, Lewes, Delaware
John Greim—Getty Images

Cost per adult ticket: $27

Catch a glimpse of the East End Lighthouse along the Delaware Bay on this family-friendly water taxi.

District of Columbia

Washington, D.C., Hop-on Hop-Off Tour

Cyclist and tour buses cruising in the circle in front of the US Capitol Building in Washington
Alamy

Cost per adult ticket: $49

The Big Bus tour of Washington, D.C., lets tourists to visit 40 different iconic landmarks, including the Capitol Hill, the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Buses come to each attraction every 20-30 minutes, so visitors can spend as much time as they want.

Florida

Speedboat Sightseeing of Miami

Luxury waterfront villas on Star Island in Miami, Florida,
Getty Images/iStockphoto

Cost per adult ticket: $38

The tour operators promise a "Miami Vice-style" experience, as well as views of the multimillionaire and celebrity homes on Miami Beach, Fisher Island and Star Island, on this 45-minute speedboat cruise.

Georgia

Savannah Trolley Tour

People inside of church St. John the Baptist in Savannah. The Church is an African-American church that was organized by Andrew Bryan in 1788.
Meinzahn—Getty Images

Cost per adult ticket: $33

Get a glimpse of Savannah’s Victorian-style mansions, the American Prohibition Museum, Chippewa Square and more on this day-long trip around the city.

Hawaii

Snorkeling in Molokini

A woman snorkels with tropical fish and a coral reef urchin at Molokini Crater in Maui, Hawaii, Maui.
Ed Robinson—Getty Images/Perspectives

Cost per adult ticket: $129.95

Snorkel around the ancient volcanic Molokini Crater, on Maui, with sea turtles, manta rays, eels, and 200 species of fish. The price includes snorkel gear, freshwater showers, and Hawaiian breakfast and lunch.

Idaho

Historic Downtown Boise Food and Cultural Tour

1906 Adelmann Building, Old Boise Historic District, Idaho
Alamy

Cost per adult ticket: $64

Walk around the Old Boise Historic District and Central Downtown while getting a taste of the city’s best restaurants and markets. Among the stops: the aptly named Bacon restaurant.

Illinois

Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise

Chicago First Lady cruise
courtesy of Chicago First Lady Cruises

Cost per adult ticket: $47 for daytime cruises, $52 for twilight cruises

TripAdvisor rated this Chicago River cruise, which passes by many of the city’s famed buildings, one of the top 10 attractions in the country. The Chicago Architecture Foundation offers both daytime and evening options; either way, you get a full-service bar and snack bar inside the boat.

Indiana

Massachusetts Avenue Food Tour

Massachusetts Avenue, known locally as "Mass. Ave," is famous for its arts, food and theaters, Indianapolis, January 2017.
Jonathan Weiss—Shutterstock

Cost per adult ticket: $39

Travel along Massachusetts Avenue in Indianapolis to sample authentic German cuisine, as well as local brews, Indianapolis's "official sandwich" (a breaded pork tenderloin) and some handmade meatballs. If you're feeling full, note that the trip may also include a few nonfood destinations, such as the world’s oldest shoe store.

Iowa

Iowa 80 Trucking Museum

Iowa 80 Trucking Museum
courtesy of Iowa 80 Trucking Museum

Cost per adult ticket: Free, but donations suggested

The museum exhibit features classic trucks from as far back as 1910, plus vintage gas pump and oil drum displays.

Kansas

Siberian tiger
Yasa—Getty Images

Safari Zoological Park

Cost per adult ticket: $14.95

At Safari Zoological Park, you can visit the two white tigers that made headlines after they were adopted and raised by a golden retriever as cubs.

Kentucky

Thoroughbred Heritage Horse Farm

Morning workouts, Keeneland Race Course, Lexington, Kentucky
Blaine Harrington III—Getty Images

Cost per adult ticket: $36

This three-hour tour around horse farms in Lexington includes a look at the grounds where Seabiscuit was filmed.

Louisiana

French Quarter Ghost + Vampire Tour

The Saint Louis Cathedral lit up at night on Mardi Gras with a shadow cast on the church.
Julie Dermansky—Corbis via Getty Images

Cost per adult ticket: $20

Experience New Orleans legends of voodoo and vampires while walking around the city’s French Quarter at night. The tour lasts about one hour and forty-five minutes, with a walking distance of just under one mile

Maine

Portland City Tour

courtesy of the Portland Fire Engine Co.

Cost per adult ticket: $24

Get a narrated tour of Portland's entire peninsula on a vintage Fire Engine. You'll get views of the area’s many lighthouses, forts and historic neighborhoods. The fully narrated trip lasts 50 minutes and takes groups of up to 12 people.

Maryland

Annapolis City Tour

State House and St. Mary's Church viewed over Annapolis Harbor.
Sean Pavone Photo—Getty Images/iStockphoto

Cost per adult ticket: $29

This 90-minute trip includes an explanation of the Chesapeake Bay’s historic role in American commerce, plus stories from the brief era when Annapolis served as the country’s capital.

Massachusetts

Boston Old Town Trolley Tour

Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
Michael Blanchard—Michael Blanchard Photography

Cost per adult ticket: $93.90

This two-day trolley pass lets you explore the Theater District, the Boston Tea Party Museum, Cambridge, Copley Square, and other historic landmarks, all at your own pace.

Michigan

Detroit City Tour

Tensioned fabric structures are increasingly being used in creating "green" and sustainable building designs, Rosa Parks Transit Center.
David Sailors—Getty Images

Cost per adult ticket: $27

This informational tour narrates Motor City’s storied history. Stops include Campus Martius Park, General Motors headquarters and the new Rosa Parks Transit Center.

Minnesota

Historic Northeast Minneapolis Food Tour

Kramarczuk's Polish sausage and bratwurst are found at two stands on the main concourse level of Target Field in Minneapolis.
Jeff Wheeler/Minneapolis Star Tribune— ZUMA Wire/Alamy

Cost per adult ticket: $45 on Thursdays and Fridays, $48 on Saturdays

This tour lets you try six acclaimed local eateries and specialty stores—including a Polish deli, Neapolitan pizza joint and authentic Tibetan cuisine—while exploring the historic neighborhoods of Northeast Minneapolis.

Mississippi

Tupelo Automobile Museum

Tucker 1948, Tupelo Automobile Museum
Courtesy of the Tupelo Automobile Museum

Cost per adult ticket: $10

Gearheads will enjoy perusing one of North America’s largest collection of cars, with luxury and sport vehicles dating back to 1886.

Missouri

The Haygoods Show

The Haygoods show, Branson, Missouri
Beckie Fairchild 2016—TGC Photography

Cost per adult ticket: $42

The most popular show in Branson, Missouri, is run by a six-member team of siblings who perform country, rock, and pop music covers. The venue is in the 1880s-themed amusement park, Silver Dollar City, which sits in one of Missouri’s deepest caves.

Montana

Yellowstone River Whitewater Rafting

Montana Whitewater half-day whitewater rafting trip on the Yellowstone River
Jonathan Long—Montana Whitewater

Cost per adult: $43

This half-day, 8-mile rafting trip along Yellowstone River passes by the Devil’s Slide formation on Cinnabar Mountain, and includes both exciting rapids and stops in the flat stretches for swimming and relaxing. Boats accommodate eight to 12 people, and the price includes wet suit, river shoes and splash gear.

Nebraska

Museum of American Speed

3rd Floor Pedal Cars, Museum of American Speed
courtesy of the Museum of American Speed

Cost per adult ticket: $15

Race car fans will get a kick out of the Museum of American Speed’s collection of vintage Indy Cars, NASCAR championship vehicles, and even luxury rides.

Nevada

The High Roller

The High Roller wheel, Las Vegas, Nevada
courtesy of Caesars Las Vegas

Cost per adult ticket: $25 during the day, $37 at night

At the world’s tallest observation wheel, you can get 360-degree views of the Las Vegas Strip and nearby mountains. There’s even a bar cabin with daily happy hours.

New Hampshire

White Mountain Tour on an Aerial Tram

The Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway or Cable Car, Franconia Notch State Park, White Mountains New Hampshire.
Alamy

Cost per adult ticket: $149

See the White Mountains from an aerial tram on 4,100-foot-high Cannon Mountain. This summertime minivan tour stops along streams and valleys on the Kencamagus Highway before visiting the tram.

New Jersey

Whale & Dolphin Watching on the Delaware Bay

Laughing Gulls, Reeds Beach, New Jersey.
John Greim—LightRocket via Getty Images

Cost per adult ticket: $50

See dolphins and whales within just 10 miles of land on this Delaware Bay cruise. The estuary is home to species like humpback whales, manta rays, hammerheads, seals and bottlenose dolphins. The trip, which leaves from Cape May, includes a narrated history of the area from the captain, plus access to local food and beverages at the snack bar.

New Mexico

Albuquerque Sunrise Balloon Rides

Hot air balloons flying at sunrise (with the Sandia Mountains in the background), Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Alamy

Cost per adult ticket: $159

Hot air balloon is the most popular way to see New Mexico’s Rio Grande Valley and Sandia Mountains. The one-hour flight starts before sunrise and gets visitors in the air just in time to see daylight illuminate the mountain range below. A continental breakfast and sparkling wine toast are included after the hot air balloon ride.

New York

Empire State Building

A family enjoys the view of New York City from the Empire State Building
Travnikov Studio—Shutterstock

Cost per adult ticket: Standard pass starts at $37

The main deck on the iconic building's 86th floor is the highest open-air observatory in the city, offering views of the New York skyline, the Hudson River, the Statue of Liberty and more.

North Carolina

Comedy Tour of Charlotte

Funny Bus, Charlotte, North Carolina
courtesy of Funny Bus

Price per adult ticket: $25

Charlotte’s Funny Bus combines an informational city bus tour with a BYOB comedy show. Jokes are similar to what you’d see in an actual comedy club, so the trip is an adult-only way to learn about North Carolina’s biggest city.

North Dakota

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Theodore Roosevelt National Park comprises three geographically separated areas of badlands in western North Dakota, covering 70,446 acres of land in three sections the North Unit, the South Unit, and the Elkhorn Ranch Unit.
Danita Delimont—Getty Images/Gallo Images

Cost per adult ticket: $25 per car

Hiking, horseback riding, camping and fishing are among the ways you can explore the 70,000-plus acres of park in the badlands of North Dakota. Entrance to the park costs $25 per private vehicle, although you can walk or bike in for just $12 per person.

Ohio

The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden

Fiona, a Nile hippopotamus, center, plays with her mother Bibi, right, in their enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, in Cincinnati.
AP—AP/REX/Shutterstock

Cost per adult ticket: $19

Home to Internet-famous animals like Fiona the Hippo and Harambe, the Cincinnati Zoo is a favorite among travelers. The second-oldest zoo in the country also features rhinoceroses, gorillas, and a giant salamander.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum

Oklahoma City National Memorial East Gate
Chris Hohne—Shutterstock

Cost per adult ticket: $15

This memorial site for those killed during the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995 tops the state’s list of most popular attractions. The memorial features the Field of Empty Chairs—168 empty bronze seats, each with the name of a person who died during the attack.

Oregon

Multnomah Falls and Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls

Multnomah Falls, Oregon
Mark C Stevens—Getty Images

Cost per adult ticket: $60

This trip allows tourists to experience the waterfalls of Oregon's Columbia River Gorge—including the 611-foot-tall Multnomah Falls. Departing from Portland, the trip also includes bottled water and commentary on the waterfalls’ history.

Pennsylvania

Philadelphia Bus Tour

One of the City of Brotherly Love's best-known landmarks is the Love sculpture by artist Robert Indiana.
M. Fischetti for Visit Philly

Cost per adult ticket: $28

Stops on the bus tour include landmarks like the Liberty Bell, the LOVE sculpture, and the "Rocky steps" outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Rhode Island

Newport Gilded Age Mansions

The Breakers Music Room
Gavin Ashworth—courtesy of The Preservation Society of Newport County

Cost per adult ticket: $39

Get a look at extravagant mansions that occupy Newport’s Bellevue Avenue Historic District. The tour includes admission to The Breakers, the 70-room, 125,000-square-foot mansion that once belonged to Cornelius Vanderbilt II.

South Carolina

Charleston History Tour

A couple takes a horse-drawn carriage tour in historic Charleston, South Carolina.
Alamy

Cost per adult ticket: $26

Get a one-hour crash course in Southern history, while surrounded by Charleston’s antebellum mansions, churches and gardens. The carriage tour covers 2.5 miles and 30 blocks of historic Charleston.

South Dakota

Mount Rushmore & More tour

Crazy Horse Memorial. The worlds largest mountain monument under construction in the Black Hills, in Custer County, South Dakota, June 23, 2017.
Steve Cukrov—Shutterstock

Cost per adult ticket: $80

Experience South Dakota’s Black Hills region: In addition to the iconic presidential sculpture at Mount Rushmore, this tour also takes in the Crazy Horse Memorial and Custer State Park, and includes a bison chili lunch.

Tennessee

Nashville Walking Tour

A flower is shown placed in the hand of a bronze sculpture of guitar legend Chet Atkins, on the corner of 5th and Union Streets in Nashville, Tenn.
John Russell—AP/Rex/Shutterstock

Cost per adult ticket: $20

This tour allows visitors to explore Nashville while learning about its rich history, its Civil Rights-era protests, and its role as Music City.

Texas

Best of Austin Tour

Austin Graffiti Park, Castle Hill, Austin, Texas
Alamy

Cost per adult ticket: $37.90

This two-hour crash course highlights Austin’s best sites, including Graffiti Park, the State Capitol, and a food truck that sells “cake on a stick.”

Utah

Monument Valley Safari

Big Chief Monument, Utah
Jeffrey M. Frank—Shutterstock

Cost per adult ticket: $75

A Navajo guide takes visitors through the culturally significant Native American land, with stops at some of the valley’s oldest ruins and the Big Chief Monument.

Vermont

Burlington Brewery Tour

City Brew Tours Burlington
courtesy of City Brew Tours Burlington

Cost per adult ticket: $90

Experience Burlington’s growing craft brewery scene on this tour of four local craft breweries. You'll get to try up to 16 different styles of beer, but the breweries you visit vary on weekends and weekdays, so do your research before you book.

Virginia

Colonial Williamsburg

Williamsburg, Virginia
Darnell Vennie—Go Williamsburg

Cost per adult ticket: $40.99

The living history museum features employees dressed and working as people in the colonial era. Attractions include places to eat Colonial-era meals, textile production demonstrations, carriage rides, and a collection of 18th-century British military firearms.

Washington

Chihuly Garden and Glass + Space Needle

Spring Bloom by Dale Chihuly, Chihuly Garden and Glass, Seattle
Terry Rishel—Dale Chihuly, 2013

Cost per adult ticket: $38

Seattle’s Chihuly Garden and Glass features colorful glass sculptures from the museum's namesake artist, a Washington native. The popular $38 ticket twofer also includes access to the neighboring Space Needle, where you can see the city from a 520-foot-high observation deck.

West Virginia

Greenbrier Beginner Falconry Experience

Falconry beginner's lesson at The Greenbrier
courtesy of The Greenbrier

Cost per adult ticket: $125

West Virginia’s most popular attraction, held at the Greenbrier resort, lets tourists interact with trained hawks and falcons.

Wisconsin

Milwaukee City Tour

Milwaukee Art Museum and Downtown Skyline at Dusk, February 12, 2016.
Mark Herreid—Shutterstock

Cost per adult ticket: $30

This all-day attraction takes visitors to all of the city’s most popular food, drink, and culture destinations, including the Harley-Davidson Museum, Lakefront Brewery, and the Milwaukee Public Market in the Historic Third Ward.

Wyoming

Grand Teton Wildlife Safari

Moose wake up from their long day's rest to feed among the sage brush as the sun sets and lights up the skies above the Teton range.
Chase Dekker Wild-Life Images—Getty Images

Cost per adult ticket: $125 for a public tour

This attraction lets tourists view the elk, moose, bison, grizzly bears, and wolves that frequent Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park. The park hosts a variety of tours, including summer- and winter-only tours, but the most affordable, year-round package is the four-hour dawn or dusk tour for $125.