This Is the No. 1 Trending Vacation Destination in the U.S.—and You’ll Want to Book a Trip There ASAP
Updated: Apr. 04, 2024
Can you guess which Tripadvisor favorite will be the buzziest destination of 2024?
Sick of the cold weather and plotting your next escape? Or maybe you just need a change of scenery and want to burn a few vacation days. Well, you’re in good company. According to Tripadvisor, 81% of Americans are planning vacations in 2024—and one U.S. hot spot, in particular, is shaping up as the place to visit this year, according to Tripadvisor’s 2024 Traveler’s Choice Awards, part of its annual “Best of the Best Destinations” list.
Tripadvisor’s buzziest destination boasts gorgeous vistas, award-winning restaurants, world-class wine and loads of positive reviews from people who’ve visited recently. Can you guess what it is? Read on to find out!
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How was the top trending destination chosen?
Tripadvisor determined the top spot by analyzing reviews for the site’s 8 million listings over a 12-month period between Oct. 1, 2022, and Sept. 30, 2023. The rankings were calculated based on the quality and quantity of reviews from users, in categories such as accommodations, restaurants and things to do. The top spot went to the destination with the biggest year-over-year increase in visits, positive reviews and page views on the site.
While the analysis covered a variety of categories—from the top trending destination in the world to the best spots for foodies and honeymooners—we’re focusing on the top-trending domestic destinations here.
So, what is the No. 1 trending destination in the United States?
Raise a glass to the country’s trendiest destination: Napa, California. Located about an hour north of San Francisco in the heart of California’s Napa Valley wine country, this West Coast winner’s charms extend well beyond just vineyards. “It’s no surprise that our community is loving Napa,” Sarah Firshein, head of editorial at Tripadvisor, tells Reader’s Digest. “With a buzzy downtown area packed with arts and culture, destination restaurants and wineries from big labels and small producers alike, it’s the sort of place you can visit again and again and always find something new to explore.”
According to Tripadvisor, Napa showed an 11% increase in reviews from global travelers during the 12-month review period compared with the year before for restaurants, hotels and attractions, with an average rating of more than 4.5 out of 5 stars. Translation: Your vacation will be just as amazing as you hope it will be!
What does a vacation in Napa look like?
Napa is a wine lover’s paradise and a decidedly grown-up getaway. You’ll find more than 400 fabulous wineries in the area, as well as 55 tasting rooms in downtown Napa where you can sniff, swirl and sip award-winning chardonnays, cabernets, pinots and more. The town also boasts 150 restaurants, including a starry list of Michelin hits, so you can make a day—and night—of pairing prime wines with excellent California-based cuisine. When you’ve tippled to your heart’s content, make your way to one of the more than 40 hotels, resorts, inns and B&Bs within a three-mile radius. (Some of the hotel spas even feature wine-infused treatments!)
But Napa is about more than just wine. You’ll find bike tours through the stunning Valley Vine-Trail; hot-air balloon rides; and arts galore, with numerous galleries, museums and public art works, including the RAD mural arts district. You can also kayak, paddleboard or take a gondola ride on the Napa River to spot plenty of birds and assorted wildlife.
Time your trip right, and you can enjoy Napa’s robust live-music schedule too. In May, you’ll find the iconic BottleRock Napa Valley, a three-day music and food festival with 75 acts on five stages; this year’s headliners include Stevie Nicks, Megan Thee Stallion, Pearl Jam and Ed Sheeran. There’s also the Festival Napa Valley for classical music, dance and theater, and the Blue Note Jazz Festival at the Silverado Resort in the summer. Plus, Napa’s local musicians take center stage at Napa Valley PorchFest, held every year on the last Sunday in July on the historic porches of Napa’s historic Fuller Park neighborhood.
The other top travel destinations of 2024
Looking for more travel inspiration for a quick trip or a longer stay? Here’s the full list of Tripadvisor’s Top 10 trending destinations to round out your travel plans for the year:
- Napa Valley, California
- St. Petersburg, Florida
- Marathon, Florida
- Brooklyn, New York
- Provincetown, Massachusetts
- West Yellowstone, Montana
- Homer, Alaska
- Eureka Springs, Arkansas
- Portland, Oregon
- Kanab, Utah
Sources:
- Tripadvisor: “The Results Are In: Tripadvisor’s Top 2024 Destinations According to Global Travelers”
- Tripadvisor: “Trending Destinations — United States”
- Sarah Firshein, head of editorial at Tripadvisor; email interview, January 2024
Originally Published: January 24, 2024
