Florida is home to the country’s top attraction, and it’s not Disney World. The NASA Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Merritt Island has been awarded the title of the best attraction in the United States according to Tripadvisor’s “2025 Travelers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best Things To Do.”
This annual list, released by the travel platform last week, ranks attractions and experiences based on user reviews collected between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025. The ranking includes a variety of notable landmarks and historical sites from across the nation.
Tripadvisor’s president, Kristen Dalton, commented, “With such a huge selection of travel activities and excursions available on the platform, Tripadvisor helps travelers find the experiences that turn a trip into a lifelong memory.” She added, “Whether you crave adrenaline or prefer to take things slow, ‘The Best of the Best Things to Do’ showcases the world’s top-rated experiences.”
The NASA Kennedy Space Center, which features a range of exhibits, tours, and artifacts focused on space exploration, also secured its spot as the third-best attraction in the world. Following the Kennedy Space Center, the Empire State Building in New York took second place in the United States.
Earlier this year, Tripadvisor recognized Siesta Key in Florida as the best beach in the nation and the fourth best in the world. Now, the Sunshine State boasts the top attraction in the country as well.
Here are the top 10 attractions in the U.S., with brief descriptions provided by Tripadvisor:
10. Alcatraz Island — San Francisco, California. This island was once the most secure federal prison in the U.S. and housed infamous inmates like Al Capone.
9. The Metropolitan Museum of Art — New York, New York. Visitors can explore over 5,000 years of global art at New York City’s most visited museum.
8. National Museum of World War II Aviation — Colorado Springs, Colorado. The museum, occupying a 40,000 square foot hangar, is unique in its exclusive focus on aviation’s role during World War II.
7. Brooklyn Bridge — New York, New York. Opened in 1883, this iconic bridge connects Brooklyn and Manhattan, welcoming motorists, trains, bicycles, and pedestrians alike.
6. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park — Key Largo, Florida. This park showcases the living coral reefs around Molasses Reef, marking it as the nation’s first undersea park.
5. Stetson Mansion — DeLand, Florida. Built in 1886 for hat manufacturer and philanthropist John B Stetson, this spectacular Victorian mansion is a must-see.
4. Central Park — New York, New York. For over 150 years, Central Park has attracted countless visitors to its 843 green acres in the heart of Manhattan.
3. Sun Studio — Memphis, Tennessee. Known as “The Birthplace of Rock ‘N’ Roll,” this recording studio is where a young Elvis Presley recorded his first song.
2. Empire State Building — New York, New York. Renowned as the World’s Most Famous Building, it towers at 1,454 feet from base to antenna and features an exclusive 360-degree open-air view of Midtown.
1. NASA Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex — Merritt Island, Florida. This venue offers visitors a comprehensive look into the history of space exploration, providing an up-close, hands-on experience that fuels inspiration.
For those considering international travel, Tripadvisor named the Basílica de la Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain as the top global attraction for 2025. This was followed by the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France and the NASA Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Merritt Island, U.S. The Louvre Museum in Paris and Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia rounded out the top five.
In addition to attractions, Tripadvisor also ranked the top experiences available in the U.S. for 2025. The highest-rated bookable experience was a Hawaiian tour and snorkeling excursion in Honolulu, which edged out a guided walking tour in Salem, Massachusetts, a Chicago river cruise aboard the First Lady, a 9/11 memorial tour in New York, and a food tour of Chinatown and Little Italy in New York.
Globally, the top-rated experience was a private walking tour of Florence, Italy.
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