From Mild to Wild, Empire State Building Towers above All Others as World's Top Attraction While Portuguese Walking Tour Strolls Away with the Honor of World's Best Experience
NEEDHAM, Mass., June 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Tripadvisor®, the world's largest travel guidance platform, announced the winners of its annual 2024 Travelers' Choice® Awards Best of the Best Things to Do, highlighting the highest rated experiences and attractions around the world and in the US based on Tripadvisor reviews. For the first time ever, the Empire State Building in New York City climbed to the top as the No. 1 attraction globally. Making its debut and earning the top spot as the best experience in the world is the Unvanquished Tour in Porto City, Portugal, where visitors can explore 2,000 years of history in just a few hours.
Boasting 60,000 5-star reviews, the Empire State Building reinforces its claim as the "World's Most Famous Building" by rising to the No. 1 attraction in the US and in the world. Reviewers are wowed by the 360-degree view of New York, where they can point out all of their favorite landmarks and see up to six states on a clear day. Over 300 reviews deem it a "once in a lifetime" experience. With more than 8,000 5-star reviews, the Unvanquished Tour is praised for being budget and time friendly, with entertaining and knowledgeable tour guides.
"With more than 1.4 million activities and experiences, Tripadvisor is a go-to resource for travelers to discover and book their next adventure, no matter what 'adventure' means to them," says Kristen Dalton, President, Tripadvisor. "Experiences make a trip, and our Best of the Best Things to Do Awards offer some of the highest-rated activities from across the world, highlighted by our community of travelers. Whether you're a thrill seeker or a leisurely explorer, the 'Best of the Best' badge has the seal of approval from global travelers as a source of inspiration for an unforgettable vacation."
Top Attractions
Architecture and art lead the world's most desirable attractions, while historic American icons rise to the top of the US list.
Top Attractions in the World
- Empire State Building, New York City, United States
- Eiffel Tower, Paris, France
- Anne Frank House, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Basílica de la Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain
- Cayman Crystal Caves, Grand Cayman, Caribbean
- Colosseum, Rome, Italy
- Louvre Museum, Paris, France
- Gardens by the Bay, Singapore, Singapore
- Duomo di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
See the top 25 Best of the Best Attractions in the world here
Top Attractions in the US
- Empire State Building, New York City, New York
- Iolani Palace, Honolulu, Hawaii
- Central Park, New York City, New York
- John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Key Largo, Florida
- Stetson Mansion, DeLand, Florida
- Alcatraz Island, San Francisco, California
- Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee
- Brooklyn Bridge, New York City, New York
- Chihuly Garden and Glass, Seattle, Washington
- Diamond Head State Monument, Honolulu, Hawaii
See the top 25 Best of the Best Attractions in the US here
Top Experiences
From experiencing Hawaii's sights from the comfort of a climate-controlled vehicle to exploring ancient ruins in Machu Picchu to snorkeling between tectonic plates in Iceland, there is an unforgettable adventure for every type of explorer.
Top Experiences in the World
- The Unvanquished Tour in Porto City Center, Porto, Portugal
- All-Inclusive Ubud Tour, Ubud, Indonesia
- All-Inclusive Amsterdam Canal Cruise by Captain Jack, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Small-Group Explore Angkor Wat Sunrise Tour with Guide from Siem Reap, Siem Reap, Cambodia
- Chichen Itza, Cenote and Valladolid All-Inclusive Tour, Cancun, Mexico
- The Best tour in Florence: Renaissance & Medici Tales - guided by a STORYTELLER, Florence, Italy
- Classic Inca Trail Trek 4D/3N to Machu Picchu (Group Service), Cusco, Peru
- Budapest Danube Cruise with Buffet Dinner, Performances and Music, Budapest, Hungary
- Full-Day Ninh Binh Highlights Tour from Hanoi, Hanoi, Vietnam
- Silfra: Snorkeling Between Tectonic Plates - meet on location, Reykjavik, Iceland
See the top 25 Best of the Best Experiences in the world here
Top Experiences in the US
- Oahu Circle Island Tours, Oahu, Hawaii
- Honolulu Xtreme Parasail, Honolulu, Hawaii
- History and Hauntings of Salem Guided Walking Tour, Salem, Massachusetts
- Juneau Wildlife Whale Watching, Juneau, Alaska
- Pearl Harbor Remembered Tour, Honolulu, Hawaii
- Koloa Zipline in Kauai, Kauai, Hawaii
- Niagara Falls in 1 Day: Tour of American and Canadian Sides, Niagara Falls, New York
- ATV Riding: First-Time Rider Course and Guided Tour, Las Vegas, Nevada
- Clear Kayak Tour of Shell Key Preserve and Tampa Bay Area, Tierra Verde, Florida
- Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Tour: All Options, New York City, New York
See the top 25 Best of the Best Experiences in the US here
Unforgettable Vacation Moments
Vacation memories are best fueled by adrenaline, laughs, history and Dolly Parton.
Bucket List Experiences: Once-in-a-lifetime experiences that get adrenaline pumping and leave every visitor wanting more.
- No. 1 in the world: Beginner Scuba Diving Adventure with Videos in Honolulu - Oahu, Hawaii
See the top 25 Best of the Best Bucket List Experiences in the world here
Cultural & Historical Tours: Destinations ripped from the pages of history books and brought to life by knowledgeable guides, interactive walking tours, and more.
- No. 1 in the world: Amsterdam Canal Cruise in Open Boat with Local Skipper-Guide - Amsterdam, Netherlands
- No. 1 in the US: History and Hauntings of Salem Guided Walking Tour - Salem, Massachusetts
See the top 25 Best of the Best Cultural & Historical Tours in the world and US here
Amusement Parks & Water Parks: Theme parks are a crowd pleaser, offering activities the entire family can enjoy.
- No. 1 in the world: Disneyland Paris - Paris, France
- No. 1 in the US: Dollywood - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
See the top 25 Best of the Best Amusement Parks & Water Parks in the world and US here
More to See and Do
In addition to the above categories, Tripadvisor's annual Best of the Best Things to do Awards also highlight the top food & drink, family-friendly, nature, sailing and day cruises, and water sports around the world. For a full list of this year's winners visit tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-ThingsToDo.
Methodology
The 2024 Travelers' Choice Best of the Best Things to Do Awards are determined based on the quality and quantity of traveler reviews and ratings posted on Tripadvisor over the 12-month period between April 1 2023 through March 31, 2024, as well as an additional editorial process.
Tripadvisor is proud to serve a broad and diverse community of travelers from all over the world. As such, Tripadvisor reserves the right to determine the eligibility of any property, business, destination or point of interest listed on Tripadvisor for an award based on additional factors that reflect Tripadvisor corporate policies and values. For more details on Tripadvisor's awards policy, see here.
Experiences are classified as bookable tours and activities on Tripadvisor. Non-bookable experiences, or attractions, are activities on Tripadvisor that travelers can visit without booking any ticket. Nine of the Best of the Best Things to Do subcategories are limited to experiences, except Top Attractions and Amusement & Water Parks, where attractions are included, for a bigger picture of travelers' favorite things to do.
About Tripadvisor, Inc.
The Tripadvisor Group operates as a family of brands that connects people to experiences worth sharing, and aims to be the world's most trusted source for travel and experiences. We leverage our brands, technology, and capabilities to connect our global audience with partners through rich content, travel guidance, and two-sided marketplaces for experiences, accommodations, restaurants, and other travel categories. The subsidiaries of Tripadvisor, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRIP), own and operate a portfolio of travel media brands and businesses, including Tripadvisor, Viator, and TheFork.
SOURCE Tripadvisor
