Trip Ideas Attractions Landmarks + Monuments The World's Most-visited Tourist Attractions By Travel + Leisure Editors Travel + Leisure Editors Since 1971, Travel + Leisure editors have followed one mission: to inform, inspire, and guide travelers to have deeper, more meaningful experiences. T+L's editors have traveled to countries all over the world, having flown, sailed, road tripped, and taken the train countless miles. They've visited small towns and big cities, hidden gems and popular destinations, beaches and mountains, and everything in between. With a breadth of knowledge about destinations around the globe, air travel, cruises, hotels, food and drinks, outdoor adventure, and more, they are able to take their real-world experience and provide readers with tried-and-tested trip ideas, in-depth intel, and inspiration at every point of a journey. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Published on November 10, 2014 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Courtesy of Getty Images For nearly 500 years, the emperors living within Beijing's opulent Forbidden City dictated who could enter and leave. Well, the gates have opened, and tourists are pouring in to see it all for themselves. Attendance is up by 2.5 million since 2010. The Forbidden City is a dream destination for some Americans, but most have never researched a trip to Everland or Lotte World. Yet these South Korean theme parks also rank among the world's 50 most-visited tourist attractions—beating out the Eiffel Tower (nearly 7 million), the Great Pyramids (4 million), and Stonehenge (1 million). And there are more surprises. Where we choose to spend our vacation time says a lot about what we value. Despite—or perhaps because of—what the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) calls "global economic challenges," more travelers are hitting the road than ever. International tourist arrivals increased by five percent in 2013, according to the UNWTO. That translates to a record of more than one billion trips. With its population of 1.36 billion, China has become the second-largest exporter of tourists. Russia, now the fifth-largest outbound market, increased travel spending by 26 percent. Like it or not, theme parks clearly have worldwide appeal. France's Disneyland Park draws about the same number of visitors (10.5 million) as Sacré Coeur, and four of the world's 20 most-visited tourist attractions are Disney parks. Many inspiring and iconic places can't quite keep up. The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum narrowly missed the top 50, as did the British Museum in London (6.7 million), the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (6.3 million), and the Roman Colosseum and Forum (5.1 million each). The Berlin Wall Memorial Site logged only 500,000 visitors in 2013, though extra crowds arrived in November 2014 for the 25th anniversary of its fall. Accessibility can be a factor. It takes extra effort to reach Yellowstone National Park (3.2 million) or the Terracotta Army in Xi'an, China (4.8 million). And Peru's Machu Picchu has restricted tourism to help maintain the site's integrity; only 2,500 can enter per day, or 912,500 per year. So what is the most-visited tourist attraction in the world? And can 91 million people be wrong? Read on to see the results—and an explanation of our methods for calculating it all. Julie Bang/Travel + Leisure The Methodology: To tally up the world's most-visited attractions, we gathered the most recent data supplied by the attractions themselves or from government agencies, industry reports, and reputable media outlets. In most cases, it was 2013 data. Attractions that don't sell tickets gave us estimates as best they could. We defined "tourist attractions" as cultural and historical sites, natural landmarks, and officially designated spaces. So Boston's shop-filled Faneuil Hall Marketplace (est. 1742) made the cut, but not Minnesota's Mall of America, which, with 40 million annual visitors, would otherwise have tied for No. 4. Short walkways and plazas also fit our definition of tourist attractions; that disqualified the Blue Ridge Parkway. We also omitted beaches, bridges, and sites that draw almost exclusively religious pilgrims. Reported by Kate Appleton, Rich Beattie, Adrien Glover, Lyndsey Matthews, April Orcutt, Joshua Pramis, and Ann Shields 01 of 50 No. 1 Grand Bazaar, Istanbul Michael James O'Brien Annual Visitors: 91,250,000 Hand-painted ceramics, lanterns, intricately patterned carpets, copperware, gold Byzantine-style jewelry, and more eye-catching products vie for your attention within this 15th-century bazaar's vaulted walkways. It has since expanded and become increasingly touristy, but locals, too, are among the millions of bargain hunters. To haggle like a pro, lowball your starting offer and don't be afraid to walk away. And if it all gets overwhelming, break for a succulent doner kebab or strong cup of Turkish coffee. Source: Grand Bazaar management 02 of 50 No. 2 The Zócalo, Mexico City Jorge Castro/Travel + Leisure Annual Visitors: 85,000,000 Formally known as the Plaza de la Constitución, the enormous Zócalo thrums with activity. It hosts military parades, cultural and political events, concerts, exhibitions, fairs, and public art installations. Metropolitan Cathedral and the National Palace flank this historic public square, and an imposing Mexican flag, raised and lowered daily, waves over the scene. Source: Mexico Tourism Board 03 of 50 No. 3 Times Square, New York City © Russell Kord / Alamy Annual Visitors: 50,000,000 Tourists flock to New York's neon heart for the flashing lights, Broadway shows, megastores, and sheer spectacle—including costumed characters eager to pose for photo ops. Pedestrian-only areas with café tables introduced a few years ago have made it easier and more appealing to hang out here. Times Square can even be a convenient, if chaotic, base, thanks to hotels at every price point and easy access to public transportation: subways, rails, buses, and more yellow taxis than you can count. Source: The Times Square Alliance The 50 Most Beautiful Places in the U.S. 04 of 50 No. 4 (tie) Central Park, New York City © Edd Westmacott / Alamy Annual Visitors: 40,000,000 New York has larger green spaces, but none is more famous than Central Park, which stretches across nearly 850 acres of prime Manhattan real estate—an oasis for both tourists and locals. You can ride in one of the horse-drawn carriages, check out the modest-size zoo, climb to the top of 19th-century Belvedere Castle, or take a break from pounding the pavement to sprawl on the Great Lawn, gazing at the skyscrapers above. Source: Central Park Conservancy 05 of 50 No. 4 (tie) Union Station, Washington, D.C. Alex Segre / Alamy Annual Visitors: 40,000,000 Opened in 1907, this busy station shuttles some 12,500 passengers daily in and out of Washington, D.C. But it also handles millions of tourists who pass through to take in the impeccably mixed architectural styles throughout the colossal building: from Classical to Beaux-Arts to Baroque. More than 70 retail outlets make Union Station a shopping destination, and it's also a jumping-off point for many D.C. tours. Source: Union Station Washington, D.C. Travel Guide 06 of 50 No. 6 Las Vegas Strip Evangelina Annual Visitors: 30,500,000 In 2013, 77 percent of Vegas tourists—30.5 million—chose to stay at hotels right on the four-mile-long Strip. And why not? Roll out of bed and onto the Strip to catch the Bellagio fountains in action, shop, gamble, and, of course, people-watch (which can get especially fun later at night). For a cool new vantage point, hop aboard the High Roller, a 550-foot-tall Ferris wheel that debuted in March 2014. It's part of Linq, a flashy 300,000-square-foot shopping and entertainment complex by Caesars. Source: Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority 07 of 50 No. 7 (tie) Meiji Jingu Shrine, Tokyo © Paul Brown / Alamy Annual Visitors: 30,000,000 Built more than 100 years ago to honor the divine souls of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, this Shinto shrine in bustling Tokyo is a peaceful haven surrounded by a holy forest of more than 100,000 trees. Seasonal gardens feature spring azaleas, summer irises, brilliant autumn leaves on Japanese maples and ginkgos, and black pines dusted with winter snow. Source: Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) 08 of 50 No. 7 (tie) Senso-ji Temple, Tokyo © Vincent St. Thomas / Alamy Annual Visitors: 30,000,000 Tokyo's oldest temple was dedicated to the Bodhisattva Kannon, the most compassionate Buddha, in 628. Dramatic nighttime illumination highlights vermilion and crimson detailing in the Five-Storied Pagoda. Continuing centuries-long tradition, stalls along the temple's Nakamise Street sell food and goods to pilgrims, whose numbers swell around New Year's. Source: Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) 09 of 50 No. 9 Niagara Falls, New York and Ontario © Rosemarie Stennull / Alamy Annual Visitors: 22,000,000 Straddling the border of the U.S. and Canada, three massive waterfalls, together called Niagara Falls, spill about 6 million cubic feet of water—from a maximum vertical drop of 165 feet—every minute. While there are about 500 taller waterfalls in the world, Niagara Falls is spectacular for its sheer power. It's also more accessible than many major falls, a short flight or drive for millions of regional tourists. Source: Niagara Tourism & Convention Corp./Canadian Tourism Commission 10 of 50 No. 10 Grand Central Terminal, New York City © Alex Segre / Alamy Annual Visitors: 21,600,00 Unlike harried commuters, visitors take their time in the main concourse of this Beaux-Arts landmark, pausing to view its glittering ceiling painted with a map of the constellations from the night sky. Shops, an annual holiday market, special events, and restaurants also attract attention. Two of the grandest venues are the Campbell Apartment, serving craft cocktails, and the historic Oyster Bar—featured on AMC's Mad Men—which shucks 2 million fresh bivalves a year. Source: Grand Central Terminal 11 of 50 No. 11 Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico City © wendy connett / Alamy Annual Visitors: 20,000,000 The Old Basilica, begun in the 16th century and completed in 1709, stands in stark contrast to the massive new basilica, designed by the Mexican architect Pedro Ramírez Vázquez, which was built in the mid-1970s and looks like a sports arena. It is, in fact, intended to hold 50,000 people, who come for mass—celebrated several times a day—and to see an image of the Virgin Mary that is said to have appeared on an apron in 1531. Source: Mexico Tourism Board 12 of 50 No. 12 Disney World's Magic Kingdom, Orlando, FL © The Walt Disney Company Annual Visitors: 18,588,000 The Most Magical Place on Earth is high on virtually every family's to-do list and remains the most-visited theme park on the earth. Expanded Fantasyland now includes the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train family-style roller coaster and a chance to meet Anna and Elsa from the smash-hit Frozen in the Princess Fairytale Hall near Cinderella Castle. Time-tested attractions include the Jungle Cruise and Space Mountain, the daily Disney character parade down Main Street, USA, and a fireworks spectacular that lights up the sky many nights. Source: TEA/AECOM Global Attractions Attendance Report Everything You Need to Know About Going to Disney World 13 of 50 No. 13 Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston Julian Russell / Alamy Annual Visitors: 18,000,000 Dating back to 1742, Faneuil Hall ("the Cradle of Liberty") once hosted speeches by such greats as Samuel Adams and George Washington. Today, the downtown marketplace has more than 100 specialty shops and eateries and occupies a pedestrian-only, cobblestoned area that swarms with tourists and street performers. Each winter, Faneuil Hall also hosts Boston's tallest Christmas tree, along with festive light displays and choirs. Source: Faneuil Hall Marketplace 14 of 50 No. 14 Tokyo Disneyland 2011 Disney Enterprises, Inc. Annual Visitors: 17,214,000 Disney's Tokyo outpost has become the second most-visited theme park in the world (beating out Anaheim, CA's Disneyland, which held that title in 2010). It shares the sweetness of the original parks' Fantasyland with Peter Pan's Flight and Dumbo the Flying Elephant as well as Tomorrowland's Space Mountain and Star Tours—The Adventures Continue. A musical soundtrack and other renovations have improved the Adventureland classic: Jungle Cruise Wildlife Expedition, while a new after-dark night cruise promises more surprises. Source: TEA/AECOM Global Attractions Attendance Report 15 of 50 No. 15 Disneyland Park, Anaheim, CA © The Walt Disney Company Annual Visitors: 16,202,000 Though not as massive as its Orlando counterpart, the original Disney park, which occupies about 85 acres of land, has retro charm and some better features. Here the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction lasts almost twice as long and ends in a humid southern bayou with fireflies (instead of a gift shop). The Indiana Jones Adventure ride careens over lava, past swarms of beetles, and under that 16-foot rolling boulder. Thrill-seekers will also appreciate that the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has reopened. Source: TEA/AECOM Global Attractions Attendance Report 42 Disney World and Disneyland Tips for a Magical Vacation 16 of 50 No. 16 Forbidden City, Beijing © Zoonar GmbH / Alamy Annual Visitors: 15,340,000 It doesn't have a street address—which is only fitting for a place that was once considered the center of the universe. Nowadays, tourists swarm this 178-acre walled compound of opulent halls, gardens, and winged pavilions. Attendance is up by 2.5 million since 2010. It can easily take half a day to explore the grounds, and history buffs will appreciate the self-guided audio tour—or a hired guide. Source: Forbidden City Palace Museum and China Odyssey Tours 17 of 50 No. 17 Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco © Niels van Kampenhout / Alamy Annual Visitors: 14,289,121 Beaches, cliffs, hills, forts, and towering redwood trees make up the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, easily accessible from San Francisco. Many visitors come to embrace the outdoors, whether hiking, biking, swimming, birding, riding horses, or whale-watching. But this scenic area is also rich in history and includes landmarks like Alcatraz prison and the Presidio, an 18th-century military post. You can even base yourself within the recreation area; Cavallo Point's rooms and suites occupy restored turn-of-the-20th-century Colonial Revival buildings that overlook San Francisco Bay. Source: National Park Service 18 of 50 No. 18 Tokyo DisneySea 2011 Disney Enterprises, Inc. Annual Visitors: 14,084,000 DisneySea, the companion park to Tokyo Disneyland overlooking Tokyo Bay, took inspiration from aquatic myths, legends and the lore of the sea. Divided into seven "ports of call," the park emphasizes water attractions with Venetian gondolas, a Mermaid Lagoon, a journey to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and an Aquatopia with quirky boats in a sea of rocks, whirlpools and water spouts. But it's not all fountains and bubbles—the park also has scary rides like the Tower of Terror, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull. Source: TEA/AECOM Global Attractions Attendance Report 19 of 50 No. 19 Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris © Hemis / Alamy Annual Visitors: 14,000,000 A masterpiece of Gothic architecture—all soaring buttresses, crouching gargoyles, and magnificent rose windows—Notre Dame has survived attacks of Huguenots, sansculottes, occupying armies, and questionable renovations since its completion in 1345. In spite of its often violent past, visitors flock to the cathedral for the hushed peace and reflection it provides, even in the midst of Paris. Source: Atout France, the France Tourism Development Agency 20 of 50 No. 20 Golden Gate Park, San Francisco © Bob Kreisel / Alamy Annual Visitors: 13,000,000 Cascading three miles from the Panhandle down to the Pacific, Golden Gate Park serves as playground and haven for this diverse city. The park's offerings include museums (the de Young Museum and the Academy of Sciences), botanical wonders (the Conservatory of Flowers, the Japanese Tea Garden, a rhododendron forest, and more than 75,000 trees, among others), sporting fields and courts, playgrounds, and even a small herd of buffalo. Source: San Francisco Recreation & Park Department 21 of 50 No. 21 Balboa Park, San Diego Chelsea Loren/Travel + Leisure Annual Visitors: 12,000,000 to 14,000,000 Balboa Park's 1,200 acres form a mini-city with 15 accredited museums, 19 gardens, nine performing arts groups, a miniature railroad, a golf course, tennis courts, lawn bowling, a gymnasium, a historic carousel, and a Super Sonic Samba School. Not to mention the world-famous San Diego Zoo, with three crowd-pleasing giant pandas. Balboa Park also features the Spreckels Organ, whose 4,518 pipes range from the size of a pencil to 32 feet tall. Source: Balboa Park 22 of 50 No. 22 South Street Seaport, New York City © Ian Dagnall / Alamy Annual Visitors: 12,000,000 This 12-block historic East River site in Lower Manhattan dates back to the 1600s, and its cobblestoned streets are packed with shops and restaurants. Pier 17 will reopen in 2016 after undergoing extensive renovation. Commercialism aside, the history runs deep here and is perhaps best experienced on one of the two 1800s tall-masted schooners the South Street Seaport Museum maintains. Go for a sunset sail with Gotham as a backdrop. Source: The Howard Hughes Corporation 23 of 50 No. 23 San Antonio River Walk, San Antonio, TX © Patrik Urban / Alamy Annual Visitors: 11,500,000 Cypress-lined cobble-and-flagstone paths meander for four miles along both sides of the narrow San Antonio River. Locals and visitors come to the River Walk's horseshoe-shaped loop downtown to browse shops and hang out at restaurants like Boudro's for a prickly-pear margarita and guacamole prepared tableside. The Museum Reach river walk section stretches an additional 1.7 miles north, past art installations under every bridge and the San Antonio Museum of Art. Source: San Antonio River Walk (Paseo del Rio) 24 of 50 No. 24 Epcot, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL Michela Sieman/Travel + Leisure Annual Visitors: 11,229,000 Built to honor the late Walt Disney's utopian ideal of the innovative future (the name is an acronym for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow), Epcot attracts guests who skew a little older than those of its neighbor, the Magic Kingdom. Restaurants are aimed at more sophisticated palates, and annual celebrations include a flower and garden show and an international food and wine festival. Perennial favorite rides like Soarin', Mission: SPACE, and The Seas with Nemo & Friends keep the kids and kids-at-heart happy. Expect visits to the Norway pavilion to spike when a Frozen-themed ride debuts in 2016. Source: TEA/AECOM Global Attractions Attendance Report The Ultimate Epcot Guide for a Magical Disney Vacation 25 of 50 No. 25 St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, Italy © imageBROKER / Alamy Annual Visitors: 11,000,000 One of the holiest Catholic sites, St. Peter's Basilica teems with ornate gold, marble columns, paintings of angels, iconic statues, and works created by a who's who of Renaissance artists, including Raphael, Brunelleschi, Bernini, and Michelangelo, who sculpted the marble Pietà and designed the massive dome. For a nominal fee, you can climb 320 steps to the top and soak up the most famous panorama of Rome. Source: Italian Government Tourist Board How to Live La Dolce Vita in Rome 26 of 50 No. 26 Great Wall of China © Stock Connection Blue / Alamy Annual Visitors: 10,720,000 (Badaling and Mutianyu areas combined) Once used as a wartime defense, the Great Wall winds "like a dragon tail" from eastern China to western, spanning some 5,500 miles. While much of what is visible today was built during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), construction began on various sections as far back as 770 B.C. Credit goes to the million slaves and prisoners of war who carried blocks of granite, bricks, stones, and dirt on their backs up to the top of the ridgelines. The Badaling section, closest to Beijing, draws the biggest crowds. Word has gotten out, inspiring some travelers to make the longer drive to the more serene Mutianyu section. Source: National Tourism Administration of the People's Republic of China and China Odyssey Tours 27 of 50 No. 27 Sacré Coeur Basilica, Paris Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure Annual Visitors: 10,500,000 Sacré Coeur lures visitors to the summit of Montmartre for a litany of reasons—while some come to pray and meditate, most come for the remarkable 360-degree views of the City of Light from its highest vantage point. The construction of the basilica, which started in 1871, was intended to restore peace to a site stained by violence during the Paris Commune. Source: Atout France, the France Tourism Development Agency 28 of 50 No. 28 Disneyland Park, Marne-la-Vallée, France © Pawel Libera Images / Alamy Annual Visitors: 10,430,000 When Disney's first European theme park opened in 1992, many French protested the "cultural imperialism" of such an American symbol opening 40 minutes outside of Paris. Today it's one of the most-visited locations in Europe. So be prepared to queue for popular rides like It's a Small World, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast. A 3D ride inspired by the film Ratatouille opened in 2014; enter through a replica of Gusteau's restaurant. Source: TEA/AECOM Global Attractions Attendance Report 29 of 50 No. 29 Disney's Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL Michela Sieman/Travel + Leisure Annual Visitors: 10,198,000 Since 1998, this animal-themed park has successfully marketed Mickey Mouse and silverback gorillas under one all-inclusive "roof." If it has four legs or wings or a tail, chances are you'll find it at this zoo/museum/school theme park. Don't miss the Kilimanjaro Safaris, Expedition Everest, or the 14-story Tree of Life sculpture carved with some 325 animals. Fun fact: at one point park creators also wanted to include a section for mythological creatures called "Beastly Kingdom." Source: TEA/AECOM Global Attractions Attendance Report 30 of 50 No. 30 Disney's Hollywood Studios, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL © RSBPhoto1 / Alamy Annual Visitors: 10,110,000 Disney describes this park (est. 1989) as "the Hollywood that never was and always will be." Laid out much like a real-life motion picture studio, with a 154-acre network of streets and buildings and miniature replicas of famous landmarks, it showcases the golden age of film. But most kids make a beeline to Toy Story Midway Mania! at Pixar Place and Star Tours—The Adventures Continue. Source: TEA/AECOM Global Attractions Attendance Report 31 of 50 No. 31 Universal Studios Japan, Osaka, Japan Photo Japan / Alamy Annual Visitors: 10,100,000 Opened in 2001 and a near twin to its Orlando sibling—albeit one with more sushi—this popular movie theme park is one of four operated by Universal in Japan. Highlights include a Jaws-like shark encounter, Jurassic Park roller-coaster ride, Sesame Street in 4-D, and now the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Interesting fact: investment banking firm Goldman Sachs is the park's largest shareholder. Source: TEA/AECOM Global Attractions Attendance Report 32 of 50 No. 32 Hollywood Walk of Fame, Hollywood, CA © Chad Ehlers / Alamy Annual Visitors: 10,000,000 to 12,000,000 Nothing says Hollywood like the (literally) star-studded Walk of Fame, with each star bearing the name of a celebrity with enough cachet to be immortalized on the street. That means stars from James Dean and Marilyn Monroe to, more recently, Tina Fey and Neil Patrick Harris. Source: Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board 33 of 50 No. 33 Pike Place Market, Seattle © Ian Dagnall / Alamy Annual Visitors: 10,000,000 One of the oldest continually operating farmers' markets in the U.S. (est. 1907), this nine-acre National Historic District is famous for kitschy Seattle souvenirs, salmon-throwing fishmongers, and its "gum wall" installation art. The many seafood restaurants include Market Grill and Emmett Watson's for oysters. It's just down the street from one of the original Starbucks—complete with an early-edition logo featuring a more, er, risqué mermaid. Source: Pike Place Market This Pacific Northwest Hub Has Something for Every Traveler — From an Iconic Fish Market to the Sky-high Space Needle 34 of 50 No. 34 Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee © Tim Mainiero / Alamy Annual Visitors: 9,345,695 Originally Cherokee homeland, America's most-visited national park first opened in 1940 and covers some 520,000 acres of protected Tennessee and North Carolina forestland that's bisected by the Appalachian Trail. Whether hiking Chimney Tops (or any of the 800 miles of trails) or driving the super-scenic U.S. Highway 441, visitors are sure to get an eyeful of the mystical haze that inspired the park's name. To escape the crowds, park ranger Caitlin Worth recommends heading to Balsam Mountain Road, a high-elevation gravel road accessible from the southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Source: National Park Service 35 of 50 No. 35 Musée du Louvre, Paris iStock Annual Visitors: 9,334,000 The world's largest museum is both the subject of ongoing architectural controversy—not everyone agrees with the 1989 addition of I. M. Pei's 69-foot-high glass pyramid entrance—and an art-lover's wonderland of some 35,000 masterworks. Throngs parade through the former 12th-century palace to see such famous highlights as Leonardo da Vinci's smiling La Gioconda, a.k.a. Mona Lisa—a painting that, rumor has it, was originally commissioned by François I to hang in his château at Fontainebleau. And the crush of visitors continues to increase, up about 10 percent since 2010. One tip: avoid peak crowds by timing your arrival to Wednesday or Friday evening, when the museum is open until 9:45 p.m. Source: Atout France, the France Tourism Development Agency 36 of 50 No. 36 Navy Pier, Chicago © Axiom Photographic / Design Pics /Corbis Annual Visitors: 8,900,000 While the USS Chicago—docked at the end of the pier—is a reminder of its World War I military past, this bustling Lake Michigan promenade now caters to civilians with a mix of carnival rides, dancing fountains, trinket stalls, an IMAX theater, and local food favorites Garrett Popcorn and Billy Goat Tavern. Don't miss the exceptional stained-glass museum featuring colorful works by Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Comfort Tiffany. Source: Navy Pier 37 of 50 No. 37 Disney's California Adventure, Anaheim, CA © The Walt Disney Company Annual Visitors: 8,514,000 Cars Land, a 12-acre real-life rendition of Radiator Springs from the films that pay homage to Route 66 and retro-cars culture, remains a big draw at Disney's California Adventure. Guests "racing" in the Radiator Springs Racers attraction never know which car will get the checkered flag. Most fun, though, is still Soarin' Over California, a simulated hang-glider flight over the Golden State complete with motion, wind, and the sweet scent of orange blossoms. Source: TEA/AECOM Global Attractions Attendance Report 38 of 50 No. 38 Sydney Opera House, Sydney © Clive Leach / Alamy Annual Visitors: 8,200,000 With its dramatic cantilevered roof and harbor setting, the Sydney Opera House is easily Australia's most recognizable landmark—and its most visited. Few tourists leave Sydney without at least stopping here for a photo op. But you can do much more: go backstage for a tour, attend one of the 40-plus weekly performances, and watch the sun set over the city and Sydney Harbour Bridge from the alfresco Opera Bar. Make your grand exit on the scenic Manly Ferry, which passes right by. Source: Sydney Opera House Sydney Travel Guide 39 of 50 No. 39 Universal's Islands of Adventure, Orlando, FL © Ian Dagnall / Alamy Number of Visitors: 8,141,000 Hogwarts fans went hog wild when Islands of Adventure opened the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in 2010, and the attendance numbers continue to reflect Harry's magic touch. Shops, restaurants (The Three Broomsticks), and rides are all branded with the boy wizard; nonbelievers can find rides themed with Marvel superheroes and other trademarked characters. The Jurassic Park River Adventure, for instance, is a hairy river-raft ride with a terrifying T. rex attack, set in a habitat for animatronic dinosaurs. Source: TEA/AECOM Global Attractions Attendance Report 40 of 50 No. 40 (tie) Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C. © Rob Crandall / Alamy Annual Visitors: 8,000,000 Dinosaur fossils, a huge stuffed elephant, and an insect zoo have been wowing kids for generations (and for free). The 126-million-item collection even includes the notorious Hope Diamond. But this National Mall favorite continues to innovate, in the last few years opening the Ocean Hall and the ambitious Hall of Human Origins, where visitors come face-to-face with specimens and models of their ancestors. Source: TEA/AECOM Global Attractions Attendance Report 41 of 50 No. 40 (tie) Grand Palace, Bangkok © AHowden - Thailand Stock Photography / Alamy Number of Visitors: 8,000,000 The gold-spired Grand Palace in Bangkok is one of Thailand's most important sacred sites. The riverfront complex, built in 1782, housed Thai kings for 150 years. The Outer Court serves as the visitor entrance today; the Center Court was the king's residence; and the Inner Court, the quarters of his consorts and daughters. Keep an eye out for Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, located near the Outer Court. Source: Thailand Tourist Services Bangkok Travel Guide 42 of 50 No. 40 (tie) Pier 39, San Francisco Melissa Zink/Travel + Leisure Annual Visitors: 8,000,000 Of course it's corny—replete with candy shops, T-shirt emporiums, stuffed animals, and fried food—but this tourist magnet at the edge of Fisherman's Wharf offers great views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. Perhaps the wooden pier's biggest attraction is the noisy community of sea lions that bark and bask on the docks. Aquarium of the Bay is by the pier's entrance. Source: PIER 39 43 of 50 No. 43 Palace of Versailles, France © LOOK Die Bildagentur der Fotografen GmbH / Alamy Annual Visitors: 7,527,122 King Louis XIV did a pretty nice job redoing a place that started out as a mere hunting lodge and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's so nice, in fact, that people willingly trade a day in Paris cafés for the experience of wandering Versailles' hallways, like the gilded Hall of Mirrors—the best place to channel your inner Sun King. Source: Atout France, the France Tourism Development Agency Everything to Know About Visiting the Palace of Versailles on a Day Trip From Paris 44 of 50 No. 44 Ocean Park, Hong Kong © Hemis / Alamy Annual Visitors: 7,475,000 Sure, there are roller coasters, but this 40-acre theme park stands out for attractions that are more down to earth. There's Panda Village, where, despite the name, visitors come to see playful otters; Pacific Pier, where you can feed seals and sea lions; and the Sea Jelly Spectacular, where you can marvel at some 1,000 jellyfish, including many phosphorescent species. A mountain divides the park, which you can navigate by bus, train, even cable car. (It's a bus ride away from central Hong Kong.) Source: TEA/AECOM Global Attractions Attendance Report 45 of 50 No. 45 Bourbon Street, New Orleans © ClassicStock / Alamy Annual Visitors: 7,470,000 You'd have to be a pretty big curmudgeon for Bourbon Street not to put you in a good mood. Free-flowing music and booze might have something to do with it. Restaurants and bars pack this historic strip of the French Quarter; Jean Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop is even rumored to be haunted. Of course, if you really like crowds, grab your mask and join the Mardi Gras circus. Source: New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau 46 of 50 No. 46 National Museum of China, Beijing © Henry Westheim Photography / Alamy Annual Visitors: 7,450,000 This museum on Tiananmen Square measures 2.07 million square feet—surpassing New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art's 2 million square feet—and reopened in 2011 after a decade-long renovation. It presents 5,000 years of Chinese history, as approved by the Ministry of Culture. (In other words, don't expect much on the Great Leap Forward.) Artifacts include ancient Chinese Buddhist sculptures, a cowboy hat Deng Xiaoping wore on a visit to the U.S., and glazed pottery from the Tang dynasty. The museum also hosts temporary shows on subjects ranging from Leo Tolstoy to African art. Source: TEA/AECOM Global Attractions Attendance Report 47 of 50 No. 47 (tie) Hong Kong Disneyland, Hong Kong © ImageDB / Alamy Annual Visitors: 7,400,000 Hong Kong Disneyland features tried-and-true crowd-pleasers like Sleeping Beauty's castle and Space Mountain as well as the recent additions of Mystic Point (2013), Grizzly Gulch (2012) and Toy Story Land (2011), increasing the park's size in the last three years by 25 percent. What sets this park apart from the others? It was designed according to the Chinese rules of feng shui in a nod to local culture. It also has a dedicated stop on Hong Kong's efficient metro. Source: TEA/AECOM Global Attractions Attendance Report 48 of 50 No. 47 (tie) Lotte World, Seoul JTB Photo Communications, Inc. / Alamy Annual Visitors: 7,400,000 The world's largest indoor theme park is just the beginning of a complex that seems as big as Seoul itself. An outdoor amusement park, a folk museum, theaters, malls, an aquarium, and other venues round it out, along with—of course—plenty of karaoke machines. Source: TEA/AECOM Global Attractions Attendance Report 49 of 50 No. 49 Everland, Gyeonggi-Do, South Korea Walter Lim Annual Visitors: 7,303,000 Everland amusement park in South Korea has been thrilling kids since 1973 and knows how to keep them coming. The park is divided into themed sections that range from American Adventure (a rodeo experience, a wildly swinging Columbus ship) to Zoo-Topia (Amazon River ride, Safari World). It holds the record for the world's steepest wooden roller coaster. Source: TEA/AECOM Global Attractions Attendance Report 50 of 50 No. 50 Taj Mahal, Agra, India © imageBROKER / Alamy Annual Visitors: 7,000,000 to 8,000,000 The Taj Mahal is a graceful tribute to eternal love—a mausoleum that a 17th-century Moghul emperor built for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Gardens and reflecting pools with fountains lead to the mausoleum made of white marble with inlaid flower patterns made of semiprecious stones. The number of visitors has more than doubled since 2010 (when it welcomed 3 million). Source: Department of Tourism, Government of Uttar Pradesh 55 of the World's Most Beautiful Destinations Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit