Saturday, June 22, 2013
Thursday, June 20, 2013
World's Most-Visited Tourist Attractions
No. 1 Times Square, New York City
Annual Visitors: 39,200,000
Tourists flock to New York’s neon heart for the flashing lights, Broadway shows, megastores, and sheer spectacle. Pedestrian-only areas with café tables introduced in 2009 have only made it easier and more appealing to hang out here. Times Square can even be a convenient, if chaotic, base, thanks to hotels at every price point and easy access to public transportation: subways, rails, buses, and more yellow taxis than you can count. —Joshua Pramis
Annual Visitors: 37,000,000
Opened in 1907, this busy station shuttles some 12,500 passengers daily in and out of the city. But it also handles serious tourist traffic: 37 million who pass through to take in the impeccably mixed architectural styles throughout the colossal building: from Classical to Beaux-Arts to Baroque. More than 70 retail outlets make Union Station a shopping destination, and it’s also a jumping-off point for many D.C. tours. —Joshua Pramis
Source: Union Station
No.3 Las Vegas Strip
Annual Visitors: 29,467,000
Sin City was hit hard by the recession, but don’t bet against this legendary destination, which got a boost from the summer 2009 blockbuster The Hangover. Last year, 79 percent of tourists (29,467,000 people) chose to stay at hotels right on the Strip like Caesar’s Palace—the choice of the movie’s zany four-pack. And why not? Roll out of bed and onto the Strip to catch the Bellagio fountains in action, shop, gamble, and, of course, people-watch (which can get especially fun later at night). —Joshua Pramis
Source: Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
No. 4 Niagara Falls, New Yorkand Ontario
Annual Visitors: 22,500,000
Straddling the borders of the U.S. and Canada, this massive waterfall spills about six million cubic feet of water—from a height ranging from 70 to 188 feet—every single minute. While there are about 500 taller waterfalls in the world, Niagara Falls is spectacular for its sheer power. It’s also more accessible than many major falls, a short flight or drive for millions of regional tourists. —Joshua Pramis
Source: Niagara Tourism & Convention Corp./Canadian Tourism Commission
No. 5 Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston
Annual Visitors: 18,000,000
Dating back to 1742, Faneuil Hall (“the Cradle of Liberty”) once hosted speeches by such greats as Samuel Adams and George Washington. Today, the downtown marketplace has more than 100 specialty shops and eateries and occupies a pedestrian-only, cobblestone area that swarms with tourists and street performers. —Joshua Pramis
Source: Faneuil Hall Marketplace
No. 6 Disney World’s Magic Kingdom,Orlando
Annual Visitors: 16,972,000
The Most Magical Place on Earth is high on virtually every family’s to-do list and remains the most-visited theme park on the earth. The Kingdom’s most notable feature, naturally, is Cinderella’s castle—complete with a moat and built at special angles to appear even grander than its actual height of 189 feet. Paths branch out to classic rides (Dumbo, the Mad Tea Party) and newer additions like the Monsters, Inc. Laugh FloorComedy Club . —Joshua Pramis
Source: TEA/AECOM Global Attractions Attendance Report
Credit - Travel N Leisure.
Labels:
Africa.,
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Boston,
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Washington DC.
Saturday, June 15, 2013
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