Every year, the good folks at TripAdvisor take it upon themselves to conduct an exhaustive poll of their users in order to generate their annual list of the most popular landmarks throughout the world, the Traveler’s Choice Awards for Landmarks. Every year, travelers the world over log on to render a decision about the best big name places to visit throughout the coming year.
This year, the number one spot has been taken by the reflecting pool opposite the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. Of course, it may seem like a safe choice, but there are few places in the world that possess the kind of raw power of the one-two punch of the Lincoln Memorial and the reflecting pool. It’s a tribute to one of the nation’s most beloved leaders and its imposing, yet hallowed presence is a truly inspiring destination. That’s before you even get to the WWII memorial and the Washington Monument on the other end.
Rounding out the top 5, number’s two and three were San Francisco’s tourist locales, the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz (respectively). The USS Arizona came in at number 4 (which surely has nothing to do with the fact it’s in Honolulu). New York’s Grand Central Terminal clocked in at number 5.
For those with more international trips in mind, Peru’s Machu Picchu ranked number one on the world list. The next four spots were claimed by the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre in Abu Dhabi, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City and the Taj Mahal in Agra, India.
Did your favorites make the list?
