TripAdvisor’s top 10 U.S. travel experiences
This tour allows wine lovers to take day trips from San Francisco to Sonoma and Napa Valley wineries. Admire some of California’s iconic scenery, like the Golden Gate Bridge, and enjoy wine tastings, vineyard tours and shopping.
(George Rose / Getty Images) By Lauren Hill
Chicago Tribune
Some travelers swear by guided tours; others prefer exploring solo on their own schedule.
TripAdvisor’s 2017 list of the most popular U.S. travel experiences has a little something for everyone. The attractions, tours and activities were ranked by both international and American travelers.
From our hometown river cruise to history in the Big Apple and wine tasting out West, click through for some stateside travel inspiration.
The exhibits and educational programs of the 9/11 Memorial Museum reflect on the terrorist attack of Sept. 11, 2001. It honors those who were lost in the tragedy and those who helped in the aftermath.
(Spencer Platt / Getty Images)
The iconic red double-decker tour bus allows visitors to see many parts of New York City on their own schedule, hopping on and off throughout the day.
(Waring Abbott / Getty Images)
A trip to the Willis Tower Skydeck is the perfect way to see Chicago from above. Admission also includes access to The Ledge, glass balconies on the 103rd floor that jut 4.3 feet into the air from the side of the tower. Selfies are highly recommended.
(Alexandra Wimley / Chicago Tribune)Advertisement
Travel back in time and learn about our country’s history of immigrants, including what people saw upon entering the U.S., such as the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
(Spencer Platt / Getty Images)
The City Pass allows visitors to skip lines at some of NYC’s most popular sights — think the Empire State Building, One World Trade Center and Rockefeller Center. Visitors can also take a sightseeing cruise or bike tour through Central Park.
(Spencer Platt / Getty Images)
The USS Midway was America’s longest-serving aircraft carrier in the 20th century. It has since been transformed into San Diego’s most popular interactive museum.
(Sandy Huffaker/AFP/Getty Images)
Capture a bird’s eye view of the Big Apple at the observation deck of One World Trade Center. The experience offers a 360-degree view of the city.
(Mark Lennihan / AP)Advertisement
Visitors and locals alike love the vistas offered up by New York’s iconic Empire State Building. It boasts unobstructed panoramic views of the city and is open until 2 a.m. daily. The 102nd floor observation deck is the highest vantage point in all of New York City.
(Andrew Burton / Getty Images)
Cruise down the Chicago River, and learn about the historic architecture that surrounds it during the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s River Cruise. A tour guide explains the significance and history of the Windy City’s most memorable buildings.
(John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)Lauren Hill has worked for the Chicago Tribune since 2014. She currently works as a digital editor for Entertainment, Travel and Books. She also writes about movies and other Entertainment topics. She graduated from the University of Missouri with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in film studies.