After travel was shut down for a majority of 2020, I came into 2021 with the goal of traveling every chance I got. I feel like I did a great job with that up until I bought a house in September, and then I gave up a few opportunities to travel in order to work on the house. But overall it was a great year filled with visiting new places and revisiting a few old ones. I ended up visiting 86 unique sites throughout the year, and I will try to rank them below. I actually started this ranking back in January and have continued editing it all year as I visited new places. My opinions on some of these placements keep changing, but I eventually had to stick with this final ranking. I did leave a few places off: for example, I didn’t feel right including the Surfside Memorial as a tourist site considering the events surrounding it are so recent. And places like the Breezy Pines RV Estates and Marula Lodge were left off because they are too closely associated with hotels/resorts to be included. I also left out anything in northwest Florida or regularly-visited sites in lower Alabama. With that said, here is my ranking of every site visited in 2021:
86. World’s Smallest City Block
This block in Dothan, Alabama, is supposed to be the smallest in the world. This claim is disputed by a couple other cities, so it’s hard to know if this is actually the smallest. And what you see in this picture is literally all there is. It doesn’t even have a name other than “World’s Smallest City Block.”
85. Possum Monument
Wausau, Florida, is the Possum Capital of the World. During the Great Depression, the town survived off possum meat, so this monument was built to honor the possum’s contribution to the town’s history. I visited several similar sites, and this one was the least exciting as it was just sitting on the side of the road.
84. Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge
This wildlife refuge in Gautier, Mississippi, is an area of wetlands and wet pine savanna set aside to protect the sandhill crane. The trails throughout the park are okay, and the area contains endangered carnivorous plants. But I didn’t see a single bird while I was there, and there aren’t many trails.
83. Point Park
If you cross the Aerial Lift Bridge in Duluth, Minnesota, you’ll reach a very thin strip of land known as Point Park. There’s a beach here on Lake Superior, but it obviously doesn’t compare to Florida’s beaches. Seeing ice along a beach was interesting though.
82. Britton Hill
This is the highest point in Florida, but that isn’t too impressive considering it’s the lowest highest point of the 50 states. There’s a nice little park around it and some hiking trails, but that’s about it.
81. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
This one may be a controversial placement for some, but I was disappointed with John Pennekamp in Key Largo. There was a lot of algae that had washed up giving it a bad smell, and the water wasn’t that nice. To be fair, I didn’t take a boat out to the coral reefs, so that may be part of why I was disappointed with it. (It has good reviews online, so I’m probably in the minority with this opinion).
80. Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
I wish I could rank this higher, but my experience here was completely affected by the weather. Located just outside Denver, it’s supposed to be a place where you can see a lot of wildlife roaming around, but because of the rain there wasn’t much to see. To be fair, I did see a couple bison in the distance before entering the park, but because I was driving I didn’t really get a good look.
79. Riverfront Park
There really isn’t much to do at this park in Montgomery, Alabama. I expected more from it. It’s just a path along the Alabama River. There are supposed to be concerts and baseball games here though, so maybe I came at the wrong time.
78. Willie the Walleye
For most of the year, I had this ranked in last. Then I started to reconsider it because, while it should certainly be low on the list, it didn’t disappoint me like a few others, so I decided to move it up some. Baudette, Minnesota, is considered to be the Walleye Capital of the World, so here you go.
77. Biloxi Beach
This stretch of beach in Biloxi, Mississippi, creates a scenic drive along Highway 90. It’s actually the longest manmade beach in the world. But the beach itself is not impressive in my opinion. It’s shallow with no waves due to the barrier islands in the distance. And when I went it just looked kinda gross, but that might have just been bad timing.
76. Duval Street
Duval Street is a popular nightlife street in Key West. I walked this way (during the day) while waiting on my flight to head home. There wasn’t much there that interested me, and I couldn’t find an open public restroom anywhere which was very annoying.
75. Hawkins Mine Pit Overlook
Hawkins Mine Pit Overlook is found in Nashwauk, Minnesota. This area is known for its iron mines. Many are still in use, while others, like this one, are no longer being used. It’s a nice overlook though.
74. Little Haiti
I expected more from Little Haiti in Miami. While it does feel like visiting a Caribbean country at times, for the most part I was a little nervous while there, especially after finding out it’s one of the most dangerous areas of Miami.
73. Boll Weevil Monument
This monument sitting in the middle of Main Street in Enterprise, Alabama, is the only monument to a pest in the whole world. It was dedicated to the boll weevil which destroyed the cotton industry in the South, forcing this community to switch to peanuts which ultimately made them more successful than before.
72. Key West Farmer’s Market
Key West Farmer’s Market is found right on the water on Thursday afternoons. It’s cool to walk around and see all the unique fruits and sample new foods being sold.
71. Bridge Street Town Centre
Bridge Street Town Centre is a large outdoor shopping complex in Huntsville, Alabama. It’s very well maintained making a visit here very relaxing. But it’s nothing too special.
70. Larimer Square
Larimer Square is a popular square in downtown Denver. There are many shops and restaurants along it, though most of them are more expensive in this area.
69. Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument
This park marks the spot where Civil Rights protests were organized in the 60’s across from 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham. This is a nice area to come read about the Civil Rights Movement, and it’s very well-maintained.
68. Canal Park
Canal Park was interesting. I was expecting an actual park, but it’s really just a downtown section of Duluth that is very nice to walk around.
67. Frank Jackson State Park
This park in Opp, Alabama, is a nice place to visit or go fishing. But it’s not really a place you’d go out of your way to visit. It’s more of a park that locals would enjoy on the weekend.
66. Chautauqua Park
Chautauqua Park is a park in Boulder, Colorado, with some walking trails and views of the Flatirons in the distance. There were no views when I went because of the weather, but it’s still a nice place to stop.
65. Coheelee Creek Covered Bridge
This bridge near Blakely, Georgia, is the southernmost original covered bridge in the United States. It was built in 1891 and still stands today. It’s a nice relaxing place to come spend an hour or two.
64. City Park
City Park was very nice. It’s a large urban park in New Orleans which is actually bigger than New York’s Central Park. It has the oldest grove of oak trees in the world, along with several museums, playgrounds, a golf course, and many other recreational activities. I just didn’t have much time there, so there’s not really a reason to put it any higher.
63. Twickenham Historic District
Twickenham Historic District is an older neighborhood of Huntsville, Alabama, where there are many 19th and early 20th century mansions. It’s a cool place if you like looking at old mansions.
62. Haulover Park
Haulover Park is located by a pass in North Miami that leads from Biscayne Bay to the Atlantic Ocean. It normally creates rough waves for passing boats to face, but I went during low tide, so it wasn’t as cool. It also stunk really bad there.
61. Mel Fisher Maritime Museum
The Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West is a museum displaying treasure found in an old Spanish shipwreck. It’s cool, but I wasn’t really blown away by it.
60. Red Mountain Park
Red Mountain Park is located right outside Birmingham, Alabama. It’s an area known for its iron mines. I would place it higher if I had made it to the mines, but I misread the map and went the wrong direction, so I didn’t get to see them.
59. Civil Rights Memorial
This is a nice memorial in downtown Montgomery, Alabama. On top of the granite fountain are the names of 41 people killed in the Civil Rights Movement.
58. Gulf State Park
I first visited Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, Alabama, in 2019, but I wasn’t very impressed with it. I gave it another shot this year which really improved my opinion of it. It’s a nice park to visit and is much bigger than I initially thought.
57. Delmar Loop
Delmar Loop itself is a nice stretch of St Louis where there are a ton of restaurants. However I didn’t feel as safe here as I do in similar areas of other big cities. It’s worth stopping at for the food though.
56. Railroad Park
This is a surprisingly nice park in Birmingham, Alabama, next to the railway lines that pass through downtown. It’s a nice place to spend an afternoon.
55. Lakeshore Park
I had never visited the Lakeshore area of New Orleans until this year. And it really impressed me! I enjoyed walking along Lake Pontchartrain for a while. I also got to see the famous levees and the Pontchartrain Causeway, the longest bridge in the world over water.
54. Monte Sano State Park
Monte Sano State Park in Huntsville, Alabama, is a nice park to go hiking in at the edge of the Appalachian Mountain Range. My dogs enjoyed it too.
53. Peanuts Around Town
The Peanuts Around Town is a collection of 67 unique fiberglass peanuts scattered across Dothan, Alabama. Tourists are encouraged to try to find all 67, and I really enjoyed driving around trying to find as many as I could. (I only saw 19 but also only had a couple hours to look).
52. Kabetogama Lake
Kabetogama Lake is one section of Voyageurs National Park. It’s a beautiful lake, even when frozen. I didn’t come to Voyageurs at the right time of year, but I still enjoyed it. It was even better because I saw a lot of deer out on the ice.
51. Wisconsin Point
Wisconsin Point is a narrow strip of land in Superior, Wisconsin. There are some beaches along it on Lake Superior. But the area is most known for its lighthouse. To reach the lighthouse, you have to cross a narrow strip of rocks jutting out from the beach. It’s fun to visit though.
50. Hidden Valley
Hidden Valley is a valley that is hidden in Rocky Mountain National Park. It’s a nice place to go for a walk, but there are definitely better places to visit in the park.
49. Cahokia Mounds
Cahokia Mounds in Collinsville, Illinois, is impressive considering when and how it was built. It’s the largest prehistoric earthwork in America and the largest ancient Native American settlement in the US. But it’s also not as impressive as other sites on this list.
48. Denver Union Station
Denver’s Union Station is an old train station that has been in use since the 1800s. The building is beautiful, and there are several shops and restaurants inside. But while I loved visiting and just hanging out inside, there’s ultimately not much to do here for tourists, which is why it’s a little lower than expected.
47. Hurricane Hole Marina
Hurricane Hole Marina is a popular marina on Stock Island, right next to Key West. It is where many deep sea fishing charters leave from, so there’s a lot of activity, including cleaning fish and spraying down boats. I also saw a lot of tarpon and manatees here, and the restaurant is decent too.
46. South Pointe Park Pier
This pier at South Beach, Miami offers some awesome views of both Miami and Miami Beach. It’s also just a great place to come hang out or go fishing.
45. Malcolm W Martin Memorial Park
This park offers an awesome view of Gateway Arch and the St Louis skyline from the Illinois side of the Mississippi River, and there’s a live webcam so family can see you back home. But it’s not in a nice area and is kinda hard to find.
44. Duluth Lakewalk
I really liked Duluth, and a big part of that is the Lakewalk. It’s a beautiful walking trail that travels along Lake Superior, the largest lake in the United States. It’s really cold here though because of the wind coming off the lake.
43. Beau Rivage
The famous Beau Rivage Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi, is a very beautiful building which reminds me of the Bellagio in Las Vegas and also has some similarities with the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville. While I think this is the best looking of the three casinos on this list, the overwhelming smoke smell brings it down in my ranking.
42. Harrah’s Casino
I really like Harrah’s Casino in New Orleans. It’s smoke free, which is a major plus. And its French Quarter theme works well, especially considering it’s right next to the actual French Quarter.
41. Palace Casino Resort
The Palace Casino Resort in Biloxi, Mississippi, is known as the only smoke free casino in Biloxi. While it’s not as nice as the more-famous Beau Rivage, it’s a much more relaxing atmosphere due to the lack of cigarette smoke. And I’m placing it over Harrah’s because of its Palace Buffet.
40. Border Trail
The border trail runs up to the town of Angle Inlet from the Northwest Angle Ice Road. It’s a very uneven road and can be uncomfortable to drive on. It acts as a border between Canada and the United States, so I was able to put one foot in each country. If you like mudding, this would be a trail you’d enjoy driving on.
39. Bayside Marketplace
Bayside Marketplace is the most visited attraction in Miami. I enjoyed it, but it’s not something I’d rank really high.
38. Great East Road
The Great East Road runs across Zambia, and I saw a majority of the road while traveling along it for about 12 hours from Lusaka to Chipata. Though the road conditions got worse the farther I got from Lusaka, the views were incredible!
37. Court Square/Rosa Parks Bus Stop
Court Square in downtown Montgomery, Alabama, is an intersection with a beautiful fountain in the center. This intersection is also the location of the bus stop where Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat. It’s a must-see in the city.
36. Mallory Square Sunset Celebration
Mallory Square in Key West comes to life every night before the sunset. It’s a cool place to come hang out and watch the sunset with family.
35. Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a cool stop to make near Denver. It’s a popular place for concerts and would be a great place to attend one. If there’s not a concert going on, it’s a popular place for exercise and yoga, or if you’re me, just taking cool Instagram pictures. Climbing to the top is no joke when you consider its altitude!
34. Robbie’s Marina
Robbie’s Marina in Islamorada is a cool place to check out, and the main attraction there is being able to feed the tarpon. Just watch out for those pelicans because they will steal your fish from you.
33. Hamad International Airport
I don’t usually consider airports to be tourist attractions, but after visiting this one in Doha, Qatar, I had to make an exception. This is widely considered to be the most luxurious airport in the world and is definitely a place to explore if you have the chance. From the art sculptures everywhere to the relaxing spas, this was unlike any airport I had ever visited before.
32. Kiwanis Centennial Park
Kiwanis Centennial Park is on a mountain overlooking Birmingham, Alabama. There is a statue of Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and metal, with a nice observation deck at the top. It’s also the largest cast iron statue in the world.
31. Big Spring International Park
Big Spring International Park was my favorite thing about Huntsville, Alabama. It’s so clean and relaxing with nice fountains. And you can feed the many koi fish and ducks.
30. Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail
This trail is the path taken by Civil Rights protests led by Martin Luther King Jr that went from Selma to the Capitol building in Montgomery. The Edmund Pettus Bridge is the most recognized part of the trail because of the events of Bloody Sunday, two weeks before the protest.
29. Downtown Angle Inlet
Angle Inlet is a small town with a population of 60. It’s the northernmost town in the contiguous United States. As a result there’s not much to do here unless you come up for the fishing resorts.
28. Anhinga Trail
Anhinga Trail is one of the most popular hiking trails in the Everglades. It would’ve been ranked higher if I saw more wildlife, but I went during the hottest time of year when they were all hiding.
27. Mangrove Forests of Biscayne Bay
While at Biscayne National Park, I took a kayak tour of the shorline mangroves. It was a nice tour, but what really made it special was getting to kayak with wild manatees, which was completely unplanned.
26. Southernmost Point
The Southernmost Point is a must-see spot in Key West as it signifies the southernmost point of the continental United States. I’m putting it a little lower than the Northernmost Point, only because of the large crowds and intense heat that are absent at the other one.
25. Yankee Freedom III
The Yankee Freedom III is the only ferry service authorized to take tourists to Dry Tortugas National Park. It’s a nice ferry ride through beautiful blue waters and offers complimentary food and water. There were also a lot of flying fish along this route! I definitely enjoyed the ride both to and from Dry Tortugas.
24. French Quarter
I would normally place the French Quarter higher than this, but when I returned this year it was not as enjoyable as it always has been in the past. Large sections of the city were blocked off due to construction, restricting the large crowds of people to even smaller spaces. It made navigating the French Quarter a little more stressful than normal. But it’s still a beautiful city that I love to revisit.
23. 16th Street Mall
I really liked 16th Street Mall in downtown Denver. It’s a very popular pedestrian street with so much going on all the time. It’s a great place to walk around and has many shops and restaurants to stop at.
22. Northernmost Point
This year, I visited both the northernmost and southernmost points. I loved visiting both of them, but in addition to what I’ve already said, reaching the Northernmost Point felt like much more of an accomplishment for me because of how much went into actually visiting it. It was definitely one of the highlights of my travels!
21. Overseas Highway
The Overseas Highway is a long road connecting the major islands of the Florida Keys. Each one is unique and worth making a stop at, and the views from this road are great.
20. St Louis Union Station
Union Station is an old train station in St Louis. It has since become a touristy area of the city. The main attraction here is the St Louis Aquarium. It was nice, but it wasn’t the best aquarium I’ve visited. It would be an awesome place for kids though because of how interactive it is.
19. Trading Post Trail
The Trading Post Trail is found by the Colorado Music Hall of Fame in Red Rocks Park outside Denver. It’s located where the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains meet, and it’s a very scenic hike with plenty of wildlife.
18. Forest Park
During the right time of year, Forest Park would be higher on my list. Unfortunately I went during the winter, so my experience was not as great. It’s a huge park with a free zoo, art museum, and science center. I only visited the zoo, but because of the timing, many exhibits were empty. It’s a very nice zoo though, especially if you go during the right time of year.
17. Barataria Preserve
I love the Barataria Preserve in the Jean Lafitte Wetlands near New Orleans. It’s a very beautiful place that is peaceful to walk through, and getting to spot alligators, snakes, and more unique wildlife makes it even better.
16. Little Havana/Calle Ocho
Little Havana is arguably the most iconic neighborhood of Miami, and I really enjoyed visiting. It has a very unique vibe to it which is a mix of several Caribbean and Central American cultures. Definitely a place to check out!
15. Eldorado Canyon
Eldorado Canyon was a nice surprise in the Boulder, Colorado, area. It’s a beautiful canyon with many hiking trails throughout. It’s mostly popular with rock climbers due to its challenging climbs, but even if you’re not into rock climbing, there’s a lot to enjoy here. Also the drive here is really cool.
14. Florida Strait
The Florida Strait is the body of water that runs between the Florida Keys and Cuba, basically connecting the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico. I took a deep sea fishing trip out into the Florida Strait and enjoyed it more than I expected to. It’s also a beautiful area to visit with bright blue water as far as you can see.
13. Cathedral Basilica of St Louis
I was very impressed with Cathedral Basilica of St Louis! It’s one of the most beautiful cathedrals I’ve ever visited, and I’ve been to a lot! It contains the largest mosaic collection in the world outside Russia and is definitely worth visiting.
12. Boulder Falls
Boulder Falls is located inside Boulder Canyon and is very easy to reach. It was by far my favorite thing about Boulder, Colorado. If you’re ever in the area, this is a must see place.
11. Kapata Market
Kapata Market is a busy market in Chipata, Zambia. It’s so colorful and energetic, and you can find almost anything here from fresh fruits and vegetables, to textiles and fabrics, to every spice imaginable, to shoe stores, barber shops, and even butcheries. I loved every second I spent there just seeing the local culture, and every person I met there was so nice and went out of their way to welcome me to their city.
10. City Museum
It’s hard to describe the City Museum other than the fact that it’s just weird. But a good weird. It’s not really a museum as much as it is a place to just climb all over everything and explore. I’d recommend going during the summer when the roof is open, but it’s still a fun place during the winter.
9. South Beach/Art Deco District
South Beach is the most popular neighborhood of Miami Beach. And it’s a lot more than just the beach itself- this also includes the Art Deco District, which contains the largest collection of art deco architecture in the world. It’s a great place to explore by foot or bike- just don’t try to drive!
8. Bear Lake
Bear Lake is one of the most iconic locations in Rocky Mountain National Park. It’s a beautiful place to visit, and because I visited during a snow storm, it looked like it came straight out of a Christmas movie.
7. Gateway Arch
Gateway Arch is one of the most iconic sites in the United States. It’s the tallest monument in the US and second tallest in the world after the Eiffel Tower. If you visit, I highly recommend taking the pods to the top to get one of the best city views I’ve ever seen!
6. Shark Valley
Shark Valley is the section of Everglades National Park where I took an airboat tour. This was a very enjoyable experience, and I even got to see a couple wild alligators. This would be even higher if I had seen more wildlife, but it was still a great experience either way.
5. Trail Ridge Road
Trail Ridge Road is a road that connects the towns of Estes Park and Grand Lake by passing right through Rocky Mountain National Park. It’s actually the highest fully paved road in the United States and offers some of the best views in the park. While I wasn’t able to drive the whole road due to weather concerns, it was still an amazing experience.
4. Fort Jefferson/Garden Key
Fort Jefferson on Garden Key is the main attraction of Dry Tortugas National Park. It’s such a cool, historic place to explore and spend a day at. But part of what makes it so special is the journey there. Located 70 miles from civilization, it’s pretty remote, and there are only a few ways to actually reach it, but it’s definitely worth the effort!
3. Northwest Angle Guest Ice Road
The Northwest Angle is an area that belongs to Minnesota but is completely surrounded by Canada, and in order to allow Americans to visit, they plowed a 22-mile ice road over the frozen Lake of the Woods. The ice road was one of the most exciting road trips I’ve ever taken.
2. Muma Village
I spent about a week in Muma Village in Eastern Zambia. This is very much a traditional African village. The culture here is one of subsistence farming where the residents basically just live to survive. I could talk about how poor the conditions here are, but instead I think about how great the people I met were. I loved getting to be welcomed into their remote village for a short time.
1. South Luangwa
No question, this has to be number 1 in my ranking this year. South Luangwa National Park near Mfuwe, Zambia, is just breathtaking! It has one of the highest concentrations and most diverse varieties of wild animal species found anywhere in the world. While taking two separate safaris through the park, I saw so many incredible animals, including four of the Big Five. South Luangwa has to be one of the best places to visit in all of Africa, and I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to visit.
Tyler's Travels 