Tripadvisor Just Ranked the Top 20 Travel Experiences in the U.S. — Here’s the Countdown
The 2026 Travelers’ Choice list includes canyon tours, city walks, food tours, whale watching, and one Chicago experience I can personally vouch for.
Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice “Best of the Best” list is basically a popularity contest with receipts: it’s based on a year’s worth of standout traveler reviews, and only a tiny slice of experiences make the cut.
This time, the focus is on the U.S. The 2026 Best of the Best Things to Do list ranks the top travel experiences across the country, from canyon day trips and city food tours to whale watching, ziplining, historic walks, and one Chicago river cruise I will happily defend.
Here are the top 20 travel experiences in the U.S., according to Tripadvisor.
20. Boston: Freedom Trail History Small Group Walking Tour — Boston, Massachusetts
Boston is one of those cities where a walking tour really makes sense. The history is everywhere, but a good guide helps connect the sites so you’re not just wandering around reading plaques and pretending you retained every Revolutionary War fact from middle school.
This small-group Freedom Trail tour runs about 2 hours and covers Revolutionary Boston with storytelling, historical context, and a comfortable pace. I’ve also included a Boston walking tour as my No. 1 thing to do in Boston, because this is one of those cities where having someone explain what you’re looking at makes the whole trip sharper.
19. Desert Off-Road UTV Tour — Scottsdale, Arizona
If your ideal Arizona day involves desert views and a little adrenaline, this Scottsdale UTV tour is an easy sell. The 2-hour ride takes travelers across a mix of easy and rugged terrain, with guides sharing local insight along the way.
Snacks, water, and photo stops are included, which is helpful. And it’s adventurous without being the kind of experience where you need to be a motorsports person to enjoy it.
18. Little Havana Food and Walking Tour — Miami, Florida
Miami’s Little Havana is one of those neighborhoods where a food tour is a must. This 2.5-hour walking tour combines Cuban dishes, Cuban coffee culture, cigar rolling, local history, music, and art.
Stops include the Bay of Pigs memorial and Celia Cruz mural, along with tastings that give travelers a better sense of the neighborhood than a quick walk down Calle Ocho would. Food tours can be hit or miss, but this one has the right ingredients: a strong cultural angle, with specific local stops.
17. Full-Day LA Tour: Santa Monica, Hollywood and Beverly Hills — Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles is not always the easiest city to tackle as a visitor, mostly because everything is spread out and traffic is, ah, quite interesting. This 7-hour tour tries to simplify that by covering Santa Monica Pier, the Farmers Market, Griffith Observatory, and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Each major stop gets about an hour, so this is more of a highlights tour than a deep dive. But for first-time visitors who want the “I saw LA” version without renting a car, I get the appeal.
16. Revolution and the Founders: History Tour of Philadelphia — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia’s history is dense, but in a good way. This 2-hour walking tour focuses on Revolutionary-era Philadelphia and the city’s role in the founding of the United States.
Travelers walk past historic sites while learning about the people and events tied to them. One thing to note: building entry is not included, so this is best for travelers who want a guided overview rather than a museum-heavy itinerary.
15. NYC: Chinatown & Little Italy Food Tour with 6 Flavorful Dishes — New York City, New York
A food tour through Chinatown and Little Italy is a smart way to experience two of New York City’s most famous food neighborhoods without getting overwhelmed by choices. This 3-hour tour includes six dishes, local history, and stories from a guide familiar with the area.
The pacing seems to be part of the appeal. It works for solo travelers or small groups, and it gives you a little more structure than just showing up hungry and hoping you picked the right spot.
14. Koloa Zipline in Kauai — Kauai, Hawaii
Koloa Zipline in Kauai is the kind of activity that makes sense if you want Hawaii scenery with a side of adrenaline. The 3-hour experience takes travelers over varied terrain with multiple ziplines and a safety-focused guide team.
It’s family-friendly for ages 7 and up, which helps explain why it landed in the top 20. You get the tropical views, the adventure element, and enough structure that you’re not just being clipped into a harness and sent into the trees with a prayer.
13. Juneau Wildlife Whale Watching — Juneau, Alaska
Whale watching in Alaska already has a strong head start, but this Juneau tour seems to win travelers over with its crew, boat comfort, and multiple viewing areas. The tour runs about 3.5 hours and focuses on wildlife viewing with environmental facts and local expertise built in.
This is one of the more classic “worth booking” experiences on the list. If you’re going to Alaska, seeing whales in the wild is probably not the place to wing it with a random last-minute option.
12. Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Tour with Reserved Ferry Entry — New York City, New York
The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island are two of the most visited landmarks in the country, which also means the logistics can be annoying if you do not plan ahead. This tour includes reserved ferry entry, guide commentary, and options that allow travelers to spend time at both sites.
The Ellis Island stop is the part that gives this tour more weight. It’s one thing to see the Statue of Liberty from the ferry; it’s another to walk through the exhibits and think about how many families passed through that building hoping for a completely different life. A good guide can help connect those pieces without making it feel like a history lecture.
11. Parasailing Experience in Waikiki — Oahu, Hawaii
This Waikiki parasailing experience is clearly built for travelers who want a thrill without committing to a full-day adventure. It runs about an hour and gives riders aerial views over Honolulu’s coastline.
The crew gets strong marks for being attentive and efficient, which is important with activities like this. Parasailing is supposed to feel exciting, not chaotic, and travelers seem to appreciate the clear instructions and smooth check-in.
10. Niagara Falls in 1 Day: Tour of American and Canadian Sides — Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls is one of those places where the views are obviously the point, but the logistics can still be a lot. This 6-hour tour covers both the American and Canadian sides, with transportation, expedited border crossings, major viewpoints, and a boat ride.
That mix is probably why it cracked the top 10. You’re getting the big waterfall moments without trying to piece together border timing, parking, attraction tickets, and where exactly to stand for the best view.
9. Salute to Pearl Harbor Including USS Arizona — Honolulu, Hawaii
This 5-hour Pearl Harbor tour includes pickup, transportation, the visitor center, harbor views, and time at the USS Arizona Memorial. Travelers describe it as organized without feeling rushed, which is important for a place that deserves space and reflection.
Pearl Harbor is not just another sightseeing stop in Honolulu. A guided tour can help travelers understand the history and significance of the site while still keeping the day manageable.
8. Oahu Majestic Circle Island Tour with Waimea Falls and Byodo-In — Honolulu, Hawaii
Oahu’s Majestic Circle Island Tour is a 9-hour day that covers a wide range of scenery and cultural stops. Travelers visit lookout points, temples, remote locations, Waimea Falls, and the Byodo-In Temple, with stories about Hawaiian history and Polynesian legends along the way.
There’s also a shrimp truck lunch and a waterfall swim! For visitors based in Waikiki who want to see more of Oahu without renting a car, this is a great tour option.
7. 9/11 Memorial, Ground Zero Tour with Optional 9/11 Museum Ticket — New York City, New York
This New York City walking tour focuses on the 9/11 Memorial, Ground Zero, St. Paul’s Chapel, and the stories tied to September 11, 2001. Guides with a personal connection to that day help give the experience more depth than travelers might get walking through alone.
The tour runs for 2 to 4 hours, depending on the option selected, including the optional museum ticket (which I personally recommend). It is reflective, structured, and built around a site that still carries real emotional weight.
6. Central Park Pedicab Guided Tours — New York City, New York
Central Park is massive, and seeing it by pedicab is not a bad idea. This guided tour lets someone else do the pedaling while travelers pass famous sights, quieter corners, and photo stops along the way.
The tour can run from 1 to 3 hours, depending on the option booked. It is especially practical for families, couples, or anyone who wants to see a lot of the park without turning the day into an accidental endurance event.
5. History and Hauntings of Salem Guided Walking Tour — Salem, Massachusetts
Salem knows exactly what people are coming for, and this walking tour leans into the city’s eerie history without losing the actual history part. The 2-hour to 2-hour-15-minute tour takes travelers to a variety of sites with guides who mix detailed information, humor, and storytelling.
This is one of those experiences where the guide matters a lot. Salem can easily tip into gimmicky territory, but travelers seem to like that this tour keeps the walk engaging while still giving them the history they came for.
4. Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise aboard First Lady — Chicago, Illinois
This is the one on the list I can personally back up. An architecture river cruise is one of the best things to do in Chicago, and it gives you a completely different view of the city than you get from walking around downtown.
The Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise aboard First Lady runs about 90 minutes and focuses on the city’s architecture, history, and skyline from the river. I include an architecture river cruise in my own Chicago guide for a reason: it’s touristy in the best possible way, and I mean that as a compliment.
3. Clear Kayak Tour of Shell Key Preserve and Tampa Bay Area — St. Pete Beach, Florida
This clear kayak tour takes travelers through Shell Key Preserve and the Tampa Bay area, with mangrove tunnels, gulf-side shelling, and sunset photo opportunities. The kayaks are part of the appeal because you’re not just paddling over the water; you can see through it.
At 2 hours, it’s also very vacation-friendly. It sounds relaxed enough for families and couples, but still specific enough to feel like you did something more memorable than just sit on the beach all day.
2. Grand Canyon + Hoover Dam View + WiFi — Las Vegas, Nevada
This Las Vegas-based tour combines the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam View into a 10.5-hour day trip, with Skywalk and lunch options available. It’s designed to keep the day smooth, with transportation, guide commentary, photo time, and enough comfort to make a long tour feel manageable.
The Grand Canyon is one of those places where the scale is the whole point, and a guided day trip can be a practical option if you’re starting in Las Vegas. The Hoover Dam addition gives the itinerary another major stop without requiring travelers to plan a separate day.
1. Lower Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend Day Tour with Lunch — Las Vegas, Nevada
Tripadvisor’s No. 1 experience in the U.S. is the Lower Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend Day Tour with Lunch, a 14- to 15-hour day trip from Las Vegas.
The tour includes dramatic Southwest scenery, a scenic bus ride, lunch, and guidance through Lower Antelope Canyon, where local guides explain the canyon’s geologic and cultural history. Horseshoe Bend adds another one of the region’s most photographed views, making this a long day, but an extremely high-impact one.
It is easy to understand why this landed at the top. Travelers are not just getting a pretty viewpoint; they’re getting two major Southwest experiences handled in one organized trip.
If you’re using Tripadvisor’s rankings to help plan your next trip, this list pairs well with its worldwide destination-focused awards, too. I also broke down Tripadvisor’s top 20 places in the world to visit in 2026, which is a better starting point if you’re still deciding where to go before choosing what to book.
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These look interesting and you could knock out quite a few in 3 locations so it would be easy to complete most of these.
Antelope Canyon at #1 feels like the right choice. Most of these are still on my bucket list, but hopefully I’ll get to experience them one day.
Some amazing sites to visit, would love to do the hauntings at Salem!
We have definitely traveled more in the US than outside it. I have been to a few of these, and agree they are quite amazing. We hope to RV out to California and back to visit family in the LA area. I love the idea of the full day tour, however, my mom probably won’t be able to last that long.