Top Travel
Destinations
What are top 10 USA and international travel
destinations?
There are different criterias by which top travel destinations can be chosen. They can be
ranked by popularity, uniqueness, and other factors depending on one's purpose for creating such a list. One such
criteria is based on the number of bookings for each travel destination.
Top USA
Destinations
This list has been created by the USA's AAA - The American Automobile
Association. They have compiled the list of top 10 travel destinations in the US based on the booking numbers for each
location.
Florida
I guess there's no surprises
here. Orlando is the top destination for fairly obvious reasons
but Ft. Lauderdale is also in the top ten. Florida offers a wealth
of activities and options for families, singles, and all types of traveler. Perennial favorite Disney World
will attract hundreds of thousands of visitors between Christmas and New Year's Eve, while other Florida
attractions like Gatorland, Kennedy Space Center, and the Everglades will also be popular. It is also common
for the beaches of Ft. Lauderdale to be filled with vacationers during the holiday season, which is second
only to spring break in terms of number of tourists.
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As one of the top destinations in the US, Fort
Lauderdale is a popular vacation spot
for a wide range of visitors. (Image by
Freeimages.com) |
California
Yet another favourite. California has three cities in the top 10
travel destinations this holiday season -- Los
Angeles, San
Francisco and San Diego. All three offer a wide range of
activities for tourists of all ages, and the generally pleasant December weather in California makes it a favorite
place for vacationers from colder climates in need of sunshine.
The Los Angeles area is the gateway to Disneyland and Knott's Berry
Farm, two extremely popular amusement parks. Just a short drive to the south and east is San Diego, a relaxing area
that is home to a laid-back lifestyle of beaches, surfing, and shopping.
If an urban experience is more to your liking, opt for San Francisco,
where you can enjoy international culture, a ride on the famous cable cars, a visit to the Golden Gate Bridge, and
a winding trip down Lombard Street, touted as the "crookedest street" in the world.
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Operating since 1873, San Francisco's cable cars
belong to the last manually
operated cable car system in the world, also a popular tourist
attraction. (Pixabay) |
Other USA travel
destinations
Some of the other most popular holiday escapes in the United States
also include New York
City, Chicago, Boston, Nashville and of
course Las
Vegas.
The holidays are legendary in New York City, with ice-skating in
Central Park and the elegant decorations around Rockefeller Center. In Chicago, visitors flock to the Navy Pier
Winter Wonderfest as well as the famous holiday window display at Marshall Field's department store. You can't beat
Boston, though, for a traditional New England holiday vacation. Check out the Prudential Center Christmas Tree,
walk the Freedom Trail of historic Revolutionary War era sites, or do something entirely different and take Boston
Duck Tour on a World War II era amphibious vehicle.
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The capital of Massachusetts and the largest city,
Boston is one of the oldest cities
in the US, which played the key role in the American Revolution. |
Looking for something a bit different? Consider Las Vegas for the holidays, where the abundance
of holiday lights dwarfs even the normal profusion of neon and color. Every casino along the strip works to outdo
the others with lights and decorations, with some of the most amazing displays located at Caesars Palace, the
Bellagio and the Monte Carlo.
One of the most relaxed holiday destinations in the U.S. is
Nashville, home to the "down home country Christmas" festivities at the Opryland Resort and Grand Ole Opry as well
as special holiday programs at the Country Music Hall Of Fame. Nashville's historic homes are also dressed up for
the holidays, so think about taking a bus tour of the city to enjoy the spectacular lights and
decorations.
International Travel Destinations
International travel is always popular around the holidays,
especially for travelers from well-to-do countries, such as the US, European countries, Australia, Japan and
others. But travelers from around the globe tend to flock all over the world to different travel destinations, be it a holiday season or not.
Australia
When it's icy and cold across much of the northern United States and Europe, it's sweltering summer in Australia! For cultural
attractions and urban festivities, tourists stop in Melbourne and enjoy some Christmas Carols at
the Myer Music Bowl, or visit the famed Opera House in Sydney. Stay in Sydney over the New Year's and
visit the fantastic Harbour Bridge fireworks!
 |
Surfers Paradise is at the center of Queensland's Gold
Coast reagion,
one of Australia's premier tourist and holiday
destinations. (Image by Pixabay.com) |
Since Christmas falls at the beginning of summer in Australia, many holiday visitors spend their vacation at
a spectacular beach location such as Shark Bay, where diving enthusiasts can swim with dolphins and sharks. Or
visit the Queensland's Gold
Coast, an area with over 30 kilometers of beautiful sandy
beaches plus great restaurants, shopping, and an ever-present nightlife.
If you want a truly amazing holiday experience, go
to Australia's Christmas Island, a pristine island that is largely a National Park and home to amazing plants and animals. You
can scuba dive with whale sharks, enjoy the peace and quiet of a bird watching excursion, or seek adventure with a
sport fishing trip in search of sailfish, tuna and wahoo.
Corsica
This French island is one of the jewels of the Mediterranean,
offering an amazing array of food, activities, and traditional holiday celebrations. Corsica is famous for its
hospitality and beautiful lands, so it definitely belongs on your "short list" of exotic holiday
getaways.
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Situated in the Mediterranean Sea, the island of
Corsica belongs to France
and enjoys larger autonomy than the other regions of
France. (Image: Freeimages) |
Corsica island is home to varied landscapes, ranging from sparkling
beaches and Mediterranean ocean reserves to towering mountains and nature parks. Traditional holiday festivals
include the renowned Fiera di a Castagna, or Chestnut Fair. This annual event attracts tens of thousands of
visitors each year, who are treated to arts, crafts, food and entertainment related to one of the islands main
products, the chestnut. It is a holiday tradition for tourists from across the European continent, and well worth exploring on your holiday
vacation.
United
Kingdom
For a unique holiday experience, check out the United Kingdom this
year. It is a perennially popular spot due to the many places of historical significance as well as culture and the
arts. In London itself, you can see Parliament, visit the Tower of London, hear the sounds of Big Ben
chiming the time, or ride a famed double Decker bus all around the city.
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The famous Victorian bridge in London, Tower Bridge
was built in the 2nd half
of the 19th century and it's become an iconic symbol of London on River Thames. |
Visit Windsor Castle, the largest inhabited castle in the world and
home to the British Sovereign for 900 years. You can tour this magnificent structure, getting a taste of the
history and tradition of the British monarchy. When the Queen is in residence, you will see her standard flag
flying high atop the round tower, visible from all directions as you enter the town.
In 2012 the British celebrated the Queen's Diamond Jubilee - marking
60 years of the Queen Elizabeth II reign. The celebrations lasted 5 months -
from early February until June, 2012.
If something sweeter is more to your liking, venture
to Birmingham's own Cadbury World, known as the chocolate paradise. There you can learn all about the
famous Cadbury Chocolates, enjoy samples, and watch how the chocolates are made, wrapped and packed. Father
Christmas is on site throughout the holidays, greeting children of all ages with a present of their very
own.
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