Two Nevada attractions made the list of top 20 tourist attractions in the United States in a recent survey by the website BookRetreats.
Here’s how Nevada’s most famous tourist spots fared on the survey.
Best Nevada places to visit
- 11. Hoover Dam: Built in the 1930s, this groundbreaking engineering feat created the United States’ largest reservoir, Lake Mead. Tours are available inside the dam, which houses a hydroelectric power plant.
- 13. Fountains of Bellagio: The dancing waters have become one of Las Vegas’ most recognizable attractions. Jets of water shoot hundreds of feet into the air, sway gracefully and race around in patterns on the surface of Lake Bellagio. The show uses more than 1,000 fountains, some shooting water over 400 feet into the air.
Are these West Coast attractions tourist traps?
While no Nevada sites made the worst list, several West Coast attractions were rated in the bottom 10 of the survey:
- The Hollywood Walk of Fame is one of the worst tourist attractions in the United States. From BookRetreats: “More than 20% of reviews described the attraction as ‘dirty’ or ‘run down.’ Other complaints mentioned the strong ‘smell of urine’ and the increasing number of ‘homeless people’ and ‘addicts’ wandering the streets which left several visitors feeling unsafe.”
- SeaWorld San Diego was second to worst on the survey, with respondents knocking the park for value and cleanliness. The issue of animal welfare is also an underlying concern for visitors, according to the study.
- Six Flags Magic Mountain in Santa Clarita finished fourth worst on the survey, with respondents knocking the park for value, having long wait times, crowds and poor park management.
- Disneyland Park in Anaheim finished sixth worst on the survey, getting knocked for affordability and wait times.
Top 10 attractions to visit in United States
Here are the top 10 places to visit in the United States, according to BookRetreats.
- Central Park, New York City
- National Mall, Washington, D.C.
- Balboa Park, San Diego, California
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C.
- Times Square, New York City
- Rockefeller Center, New York City
- Niagara Falls, Buffalo, New York
- Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
- Magic Kingdom Park, Orlando, Florida
- Brooklyn Bridge Park, New York City
Methodology of the study
To rank these spots, BookRetreats evaluated key factors for tourists, such as place popularity, overall experience, average hotel costs nearby, price complaints and state safety. The dataset covered over 7,500 visitor reviews, 380+ hotel price points, and the latest state-level safety rankings. These criteria were combined into a 5-point rating system, with higher scores indicating more worthwhile attractions.