I started ranking every site visited throughout the year in 2020 and have continued it every year since. Each year, my ranking has been larger than the year before, and this year is no exception. But I do have a few rules for this ranking, and I even had to make a new one this year. First of all, I’m only ranking tourist sites, so no hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, etc. will be included, unless that site doubles as a tourist site itself. Second, I will not rank any site in Northwest Florida, commonly-visited locations in lower Alabama, or anywhere in McDonough, Georgia. These are places where I have either lived or visited frequently, so they will not count as “tourist sites.” Then the third rule that I added this year is that I will not rank any site that was included in a previous ranking. That last addition was included to try to keep this ranking as small as possible, knowing it was already the largest I’ve ever attempted. There are a few places on this list that have [2022] next to them: these are locations visited between December 30-31 last year that barely missed my 2022 ranking. It didn’t feel right to separate them since the other locations from that same trip were visited on January 1, 2023, so to keep the whole trip together, I did it this way. There’s one last thing I want to say before getting to the ranking: it’s basically impossible to have an accurate ranking with this many entries, so of course, no one will agree with all of them. I even disagree with certain things every time I look at it, but I can’t keep making minor adjustments, or it’ll never be finished. If you want to see my previous rankings, you can find them here: 2020, 2021, 2022. Now, here’s my final ranking of every site visited in 2023:
147. Georgia Guidestones
The Georgia Guidestones were a very controversial site due to inscriptions calling for the world to limit its population to under 500 million. No one knows who built them in the 80s or who blew them up last year. There’s nothing to see here anymore, so it’s getting ranked in last.
146. Downtown Vidalia Association
This is the downtown portion of Vidalia, Georgia, and it honestly feels very run-down. Unless something changes, I wouldn’t recommend visiting.
145. The Smiling Peanut
The 13-feet tall Smiling Peanut was made in 1976 for Jimmy Carter’s Presidential campaign. It is now considered one of the top 50 roadside attractions in America, according to the sign next to it. While it has a neat history, it’s literally just sitting on the side of the road in front of a gas station.
144. Augusta Canal Trail
The Augusta Canal is the only unbroken, accessible industrial canal in the South, and there are old textile factories dotting the landscape along it. I’ve read decent things about this trail, but I struggled to find anywhere to park due to the poor GPS directions in Augusta. I think I probably parked at the worst possible area, so my opinion shouldn’t really be taken too seriously.
143. Jekyll Wharf [2022]
Jekyll Wharf is a pier on the river side of Jekyll Island. While there are some nice views from the pier, most of it is part of a restaurant while the rest is reserved for boat tours, neither of which I participated in.
142. Casino Morongo
I was a little disappointed with Casino Morongo in Cabazon, California. I know there are nice casinos in the Palm Springs area, but I didn’t really have time to visit them. This is the one I happened to pass by, but it doesn’t compare to those I’ve been to in Vegas, New Orleans, or Biloxi.
141. Pickens County Chamber Building
The Pickens County Chamber Building has a small marble museum inside. It’s neat, but it’s not really anything too special.
140. Bixby Knolls “National Park”
I love that this place exists! Some businesses came together to convert this .05 acre unused plot of land on the side of a busy road into “America’s smallest national park.” While it’s not a national park at all and not even owned by the NPS, it’s a fun little joke to visit and get pictures of. But realistically, I can’t rank it any higher.
139. Stage at City Park
My favorite thing about Vidalia, Georgia, was spotting all the onions depicted on literally everything. Is there any reason to stop at the Stage in City Park? Nope. But this onion fountain is cool.
138. Main Street Toccoa
This is a nice area to walk around in Toccoa, Georgia, but there really isn’t much going on.
137. Carter Compound Public Viewpoint
This viewpoint in Plains, Georgia, allows guests to get a very brief glimpse of Jimmy Carter’s personal home from a distance. While it’s cool to be able to see a living former-president’s residence, it’s also a little weird knowing you have the secret service monitoring your every move.
136. Flat Rock Park
This park right outside Columbus, Georgia, irritated me when I visited it. The roads are all one-way, so if you miss the area you want to stop at, you have to drive the entire loop and exit the park before re-entering. As a result, I only drove through. There were pretty views though, so it’s not completely in last place.
135. China Town Mall
I was a little disappointed with China Town in Chamblee. It’s considered the Chinatown of Atlanta, but compared to the other more impressive areas I visited in the area, this just doesn’t compare.
134. Elberton Granite Museum
This is a neat museum in Elberton, Georgia, but it’s extremely small. The coolest thing here is the Argo Spire, located next to the building.
133. Brunswick Old Town Historic District
Brunswick is the mainland town that connects the Golden Isles of Georgia. Its old town historic district is a nice area to drive or walk around, but it definitely has a small-town vibe.
132. Fayetteville Bicentennial Celebration
The city of Fayetteville, Georgia, is a nice city that I enjoy coming to frequently. So I was excited when I found out about its bicentennial celebration. I was a little disappointed because it seemed much smaller than I had anticipated. I later found out that there was much more to it, and I just didn’t know where to go 😑
131. Georgia Marble Festival
The Georgia Marble Festival in Jasper, Georgia, is a small town fall festival. It’s like any other fall festival you’ve been to, but it is one of the more organized ones I’ve been to.
130. Elberton Square
This is the main public square in Elberton, Georgia. It’s a pretty area, but there’s not much to do.
129. Oceanview Beach Park [2022]
Oceanview Beach Park is a nice area of Jekyll Island to walk around. As its name implies, it’s right on the beach, and there are plenty of shops and restaurants to check out.
128. Archery, Georgia
Archery was a predominantly-black community in the Deep South in the early 1900s. It’s a large ghost town now with many crumbling houses found within the forests.
127. Santa Claus
In 1941, a pecan farmer called this area Santa Claus to get attention. Then the interstate came, and this area became a ghost town. It’s a fun little town to explore, and I got a free tour from the city clerk.
126. Morningside Nature Preserve
Morningside Nature Preserve in Atlanta isn’t terrible, but it isn’t great either. If it were better maintained, it would be much higher. There’s a nice dog beach here though, so it’s a cool place to come to see dogs playing in the water.
125. The Big Chicken
The Big Chicken is an iconic landmark in Marietta, Georgia. It’s a 7-story tall steel rooster with moving eyes and beak. Ask anyone in Marietta for directions, and you’ll get a response similar to “turn left at The Big Chicken.”
124. Granite Bowl
The Granite Bowl is the local football stadium in Elberton, Georgia, that is entirely built of granite. It seats 20,000 people and would be a cool place to watch a game. It’s difficult to see it if there’s not a game going on, but it’s neat.
123. Main Street Jasper
It’s fun to walk around Main Street in Jasper, Georgia, and spot all the buildings built with local marble. But it’s small, and there’s not a ton to actually do there.
122. Cabazon Dinosaurs
The Cabazon Dinosaurs, in Cabazon, California, are said to be the biggest dinosaurs in the world. They are part of a creation museum which I didn’t have time to visit. But most people just treat them like a roadside attraction.
121. Old Pickens Jail
The Old Pickens Jail in Jasper, Georgia, is a neat place to visit. It’s definitely like stepping back in time though as the cells were very small, and there’s even a noose (which was never used).
120. Columbus Riverfront Park
I feel kinda bad putting this this low. It’s definitely a pretty area, and it’s the best part of Columbus, Georgia, in my opinion. I was just very underwhelmed overall. And that should also tell you my opinion of Columbus as a whole.
119. Augusta Riverwalk
As with everywhere in Augusta, finding a place to park to visit the riverwalk is stressful, so I had a bad impression before I even got here. The riverwalk is a nice place to go for a walk. It’s better than other riverwalks I’ve been to, but it also doesn’t come close to others.
118. Downtown Alpharetta
Alpharetta, Georgia, is a more upscale city than many of the surrounding areas. What I really enjoyed about downtown is how walkable it is. And there are plenty of cool shops and restaurants to check out while you’re there. Also, if you see commercials for the local news station in Atlanta, this is often the backdrop used.
117. Vidalia Onion Museum
This is an entire museum dedicated to onions. It’s not very big, but it does have a lot of interesting information on what many consider to be the best onions in the world.
116. Angel Oak Tree [2022]
The Angel Oak Tree on Johns Island, South Carolina, is a famous attraction in the Charleston area. It’s definitely a cool tree to take pictures of, but it’s hard to rank a tree much higher than this.
115. Alpharetta Greenway
Alpharetta Greenway is a linear park in Alpharetta, Georgia. It’s a nice place to go for a walk or bike ride. My biggest complaint is that it’s hard to find.
114. Arabia Mountain PATH
Arabia Mountain PATH, or AMP, is a network of trails connecting Arabia Mountain and Panola Mountain throughout the southeast Atlanta area. The trails are nice, though they are best experienced by bike.
113. Fernbank Museum of Natural History
Fernbank Museum, in Atlanta, is a nice place to visit. I’m not really into museums, so it’s hard for me to accurately rank them. I mostly visited this one in order to access Fernbank Forest, which I enjoyed.
112. The Hangar Food Hall
The Hangar at LBX is a cool food hall in Long Beach, California. It has many great options that all look good, and the building is kinda cool too.
111. Marietta Market Square
This is a cool stop to make in Marietta, Georgia. There are plenty of cool restaurants inside with my favorite being Cousins Maine Lobster.
110. Grand Central Market
Grand Central Market is a market in Los Angeles that has many great restaurants throughout. They all look amazing, but For The Win gets my recommendation.
109. Joe Riley Waterfront Park [2022]
Charleston’s Waterfront Park is a nice area to walk around and is the location of the famous Pineapple Fountain. There’s not much more to say about it other than that it’s nice.
108. Jimmy Carter Presidential Library
Jimmy Carter’s presidential library is located in Atlanta, and it’s the first presidential library I’ve ever visited. It was cool, if you like American history. I’m not a huge museum person, but I thought it was interesting.
107. St Simons Island Tree Spirits
The Tree Spirits scattered across St Simons Island create a fun scavenger hunt for families. I had no intention of finding all of them since I had a busy schedule ahead, but it was fun finding the 2 that I did look for.
106. Shoreline Village
Shoreline Village is a shopping center on the water in Long Beach, California. There are some souvenir shops and restaurants, but it was ultimately much smaller than I was expecting.
105. Imerys Marble Hill Plant
Imerys Marble Hill Plant contains an underground marble quarry. It’s cool to see, but I was not allowed to actually enter the tunnels which was a little disappointing.
104. General Coffee State Park
I only had about 30 minutes here to hike a boardwalk trail over some wetlands. It was also raining. I enjoyed what I saw and would be interested in returning, but it’s just so far away that I’ll likely never be back.
103. Clarkston
I normally wouldn’t list a city as an entry on this list, but this one is small. Clarkston, Georgia, is known as the most diverse square mile in America as this is where many refugees end up. It’s cool to drive around and walk into the various markets as there are so many different cultures represented here.
102. Avalon Boulevard
This shopping district of Alpharetta, Georgia, is really nice. While I’m not a big shopper, I did enjoy just walking around.
101. Los Angeles Chinatown
I didn’t have much time in Los Angeles Chinatown after my family found out it’s one of the most dangerous parts of the city. But the architecture is cool!
100. Folly Beach [2022]
Folly Beach, on Folly Island, South Carolina, is a popular beach in the Charleston area. While it’s nowhere near as nice as the beaches in Florida, I enjoyed visiting it. What I liked the most about it was its pier, which offered amazing views of the beach.
99. Main Street Senoia
If you’re a fan of The Walking Dead, this is where they filmed the town of Woodbury in Season 3. I couldn’t get into the show, so it has no meaning to me, but I know a lot of fans that were very excited when visiting for the first time. It’s still a cute town to visit if you’re not a fan of the show. And Norman Reedus has a restaurant here too.
98. The Apple Barn
The Apple Barn is a popular place to visit in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. It’s a big store, restaurant, candy shop, etc. It’s super touristy and crowded, but it’s a nice place to visit.
97. Wat Lao Buddha Phothisaram
Wat Lao Buddha Phothisaram in Conley, Georgia, is a Buddhist temple built for the local Lao population. It’s an impressive building, but unfortunately I couldn’t go inside.
96. Krog Street Market
Krog Street Market is a market in Atlanta that I actually tried to visit in 2022 but couldn’t because there was no parking available. After finally visiting it this year, I realized that the parking lot is full because this is a cool place to hang out and get something to eat. Definitely a place to check out!
95. El Dorado Nature Center
El Dorado Nature Center is a nice little park in Long Beach, California, with some walking trails. It’s not anything super special, but it’s not trying to be.
94. Panola Mountain
There are a few nice trails here with decent views of the mountain. But if you want to hike up the mountain, you’ll need to schedule a guided tour in advance. I didn’t do that, so my experience wasn’t as great as it could’ve been.
93. Augusta Museum of History
I’m not a museum person in general, and I really only stopped here because I was looking for something to do in Augusta that had an accessible parking lot. I ended up enjoying it more than I expected to.
92. The Plains Depot
The Plains Depot, an old train depot in Plains, Georgia, was the campaign headquarters for Jimmy Carter’s presidential campaign in 1976. It’s the oldest building in Plains, being constructed in 1888 and was chosen as the campaign headquarters because it was the only available building in the city with a bathroom.
91. Belmont Veteran’s Memorial Pier
Belmont Veteran’s Memorial Pier is the best place to view Long Beach, California from. It’s a cool fishing pier right in the middle of the beach, and the views are very cool.
90. Goats on the Roof
This place in Tiger, Georgia, is exactly as it sounds. There are goats on the roof. It’s a fun place to stop for sure, and there’s plenty here for kids to enjoy. Their marketing department is doing an amazing job too: all I saw is a big sign on the side of the road that said “Goats on the Roof,” and I knew I had to stop! It’s just crazy enough that my curiosity wouldn’t allow me to drive past without checking to see if there were actually goats on the roof.
89. Mingus Mill
Mingus Mill is an old mill in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the North Carolina side. It’s a cool place to stop, and there are some nice scenic hikes here.
88. Buford Highway Farmers Market
Buford Highway Farmers Market in Doraville, Georgia, is the best international market I have found in the United States. There are so many unique items found throughout, including Bucuria (pictured), a candy that I had previously only seen in Moldova.
87. Monastery of the Holy Spirit
This monastery in Conyers, GA, is impressive. The building itself is beautiful. When I visited, there was complete silence (which is requested), giving it a somewhat eerie feeling.
86. Oconaluftee Visitor Center
Oconaluftee Visitor Center is the visitor center on the Cherokee side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I didn’t actually stop here, but I’m including it because I randomly ran into a group of elk while driving by in the middle of the night.
85. Al-Farooq Masjid
Al-Farooq Masjid is the largest mosque in Atlanta. It’s very impressive on the inside, but they ask that you don’t take any pictures. I stayed for a couple minutes to watch the locals do their evening prayers, but I didn’t stay too long.
84. Fort Moultrie [2022]
Fort Moultrie is an important fort in Charleston, South Carolina. It’s within view of Fort Sumter, where the first shot of the Civil War took place. I didn’t get to fully explore it because it started raining, which is why it’s ranked a little lower than it probably should be.
83. Etowah Mounds
Etowah Mounds is an old Native American city near Cartersville, Georgia. The mounds here are impressive, though after you’ve seen similar mounds, they all seem to start feeling the same.
82. Watson Mill Bridge
Watson Mill Bridge, located in Comer, is the longest covered bridge in Georgia. It was built in 1885 and is still being used today. It’s a very picturesque park and a nice stop to make when nearby.
81. Town at Trilith
Trilith, in Fayetteville, Georgia, is a filming studio where different studios, including Marvel and DC film movies. The studio is surrounded by a neighborhood and small town built to house those who work on these productions. The town is really cool to explore.
80. Plains High School
Plains High School, officially the state school of Georgia, was the high school that President Jimmy Carter attended growing up. It is now a museum, and it’s very interesting to walk through.
79. Jimmy Carter Boyhood Farm
The boyhood home and farm of Jimmy Carter, in Plains, Georgia, is a cool place to check out. I actually had the entire place to myself when I went and didn’t even see a park ranger anywhere.
78. Wormsloe State Historic Site
Wormsloe State Historic Site, in Savannah, Georgia, is a popular location for pictures because of the 1.5-mile road with oak trees lining either side. Once on the other side, there are some short hiking trails that are nice to walk around.
77. Chestatee Pyrite/Copper Mine
This is an abandoned copper mine in north Georgia along the Chestatee River. It was definitely cool to explore, but it doesn’t go as deep as you may think. I am not going to reveal its exact location, but feel free to ask me for it if you want.
76. Plaza Fiesta
Plaza Fiesta is a Mexican and Central American market in Chamblee, Georgia. It’s a very cool market to walk around, and I felt like I was in another country the entire time. There’s great food here too.
75. Bombay Beach
Bombay Beach was a popular resort town on the Salton Sea in Southern California in the 50s-60s. But after the Salton Sea became toxic, it was abandoned, leaving behind a ghost town and the stench of dead fish. It’s cool to explore, but a lot of the buildings have been demolished, so there’s not really that much left to look at.
74. Venice Beach
Venice Beach is a very popular stretch of beach in Venice, California. I didn’t get to spend enough time here to really appreciate it, so it’s being ranked a little lower than it probably should be.
73. Elkmont
Elkmont is a cool place to visit in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There’s an abandoned resort town to explore and a scenic hiking trail along a river.
72. Venice Canals
The Venice Canals are a group of canals running through Venice Beach. It’s a nice walk, but there are better canals in the area.
71. Fort Frederica
Fort Frederica, in St Simons, Georgia, was a town built by the British to protect Georgia from Spanish attacks. Not much is left of the town today, but it’s definitely a cool experience to walk the paths that were once streets in this old colonial town. Just be sure to bring bug spray if you come: the noseeums are awful here!
70. Pasaquan
How do I even begin to explain this place? A fortune teller/drug dealer/headdress-wearing snake trainer claims to have had a vision from future beings who instructed him to build this utopian society called Pasaquan in the middle of nowhere in Georgia. What remains is a psychedelic wonderland that is not particularly family-friendly and may or may not house a cult.
69. Kennesaw Mountain
Kennesaw Mountain was the site of an important battle during the Civil War. Today, it’s a nice place to go hiking, and there are nice views at the top. In case you’re not interested in hiking up a mountain, there’s a parking lot near the top.
68. The Battery/Rainbow Row [2022]
The Battery in Charleston, South Carolina, was used as a defensive seawall during the Civil War and is now a popular walkway along the coast. And there are very colorful buildings right beside it known as Rainbow Row. The entire area is very enjoyable to explore.
67. Via Rodeo
Via Rodeo, in Beverly Hills, is one of the most expensive streets in America. I don’t belong here, and everyone could tell by looking at me.
66. Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort
Harrah’s Casino in Cherokee, North Carolina, was a nice surprise. If you like casinos, this is the closest to a Vegas casino I’ve seen outside Las Vegas.
65. Walnut Street Bridge
In 2020, I attempted to visit this pedestrian bridge in Chattanooga, Tennessee, but failed as I had one of the scariest travel moments of my life. I successfully returned this year and really enjoyed my time there. Moral of the story: Don’t go at night!
64. Fort Pulaski
Fort Pulaski is located on an island between Savannah and Tybee Island. It was a Confederate fort during the Civil War that was then captured by the Union army and converted into a POW camp. It’s fun to explore this fort and its earthworks, but the traffic getting to it can be stressful.
63. Okefenokee Swamp Park [2022]
At first, I was a little disappointed with Okefenokee Swamp Park in Waycross, Georgia. It seemed more like an educational site rather than a “swamp park” and seems more fit for school field trips than anything else. But my opinion of it definitely increased once I took a boat tour on the swamp.
62. East Beach
East Beach is the most popular stretch of beach on St Simons Island. And there’s a reason for it! This place is very relaxing. I still prefer the beaches of Florida’s panhandle and even nearby Cumberland Island, but that shouldn’t take away from this one.
61. Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is one of the most iconic streets in the United States. While it’s cool to see, visiting it can be a letdown because it’s very dirty and overcrowded.
60. Lullwater Preserve
Lullwater Preserve is a secret location hidden on the campus of Emory University in Atlanta. You have to know how to get there to find it, but it’s worth the effort. There’s a small waterfall by the ruins of a 1920s powerhouse and a swinging bridge that are both really cool to visit.
59. Uhuburg
Uhuburg is a medieval Renaissance castle in the mountains surrounding Helen that just opened up this year. It’s a “philosophical place” that is really weird but interesting to visit.
58. Naples Canals
The Naples Canals are a group of canals in the Naples neighborhood of Long Beach, California. It’s a residential area with many beautiful houses along the picturesque canals. I really enjoyed walking around this area.
57. Palm Canyon Drive
Palm Canyon Drive is the main street passing through downtown Palm Springs, California. It’s lined with palm trees and has many cool places to stop. I really enjoyed this area and wish I could’ve spent more time here.
56. Georgia Marble Company
Georgia Marble Company is a marble quarry found in Tate, Georgia, and you can only tour it one weekend a year. It’s cool to see and is definitely worth taking the tour.
55. Slab City
Slab City is a town of people who consider themselves outcasts from society. The town is lawless, and the nearby sheriff’s station avoids it completely. While it’s definitely an interesting place to experience, a lot of it does feel somewhat trashy. It’s hard to rank this one.
54. Jerome C. Daniel Overlook above the Hollywood Bowl
This is a cool overlook in the Santa Monica Mountains that gives great views of the Hollywood sign and Los Angeles. It’s just a quick stop, but it’s definitely worth it.
53. Forsyth Park
Forsyth Park is the most popular park in Savannah, Georgia. There’s a cool fountain in the center, and the pathways leading to it have oak trees lining it on either side, creating a very scenic atmosphere.
52. Tybee Island South Beach
On New Year’s Day, I joined thousands of people in an annual polar plunge into the Atlantic Ocean from Tybee Island’s South Beach. This was definitely a fun experience that I’d recommend participating in if you’re there around that time.
51. Georgia Mountain Coaster
The Georgia Mountain Coaster is a small roller coaster on the side of a mountain in Helen, Georgia. It takes you up and down the mountain, through a forest, and you can control your own speed. It was really fun! But it can get ruined if the person in front of you keeps braking.
50. Atlanta’s Filming Locations
I really enjoyed visiting various filming locations throughout Atlanta. Sites included were featured in The Hunger Games, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Walking Dead, and many others, with Atlanta Marriott Marquis and Jackson Street Bridge being a couple of the highlights.
49. Phinizy Swamp Nature Park
Phinizy Swamp is a wetlands area in Augusta, Georgia, that is filled with wildlife, including alligators. I saw several alligators and heard many more, hiding just out of sight in the grasses immediately next to the levees that you walk along. The more I think about this place, the more I like it and would recommend it to those visiting Augusta. The biggest downside to it is that there’s very little shade, so it gets very hot!
48. Gatlinburg Parkway
The Parkway is the main strip in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. It’s very touristy with so many things to see and do. Traffic can be awful, but it’s a fun place to visit with friends or family. I would rank it higher, but based on my visit this year, I didn’t get to spend that much time there.
47. Islamic Cultural Center of Atlanta
I had the opportunity to participate in an interfaith dinner during Ramadan with the local Muslims in Fayetteville, Georgia. This was definitely a unique experience where I got to share my faith with several people I met.
46. Pont Faidherbe
This is a bridge connecting N’Dar Island to mainland Saint-Louis in Senegal. I loved getting up in the morning and watching the sunrise from this bridge.
45. Andersonville National Historic Site
Andersonville Prison in Andersonville, Georgia, was the most notorious prison camp of the Civil War. Of the 45,000 POWs that were held here, 13,000 of them died in what were some of the worst living conditions imaginable. It is difficult to visit this site, but it is definitely worth it.
44. Helton Creek Falls
Helton Creek Falls is located right outside Helen, Georgia. There’s not much of a hike at all to reach it, and there’s a cool swimming hole at the base of the falls. I probably wouldn’t drive all the way out just for this, but it’s definitely a cool spot to add onto a trip to Helen.
43. Fort Mountain State Park
Fort Mountain State Park is located in North Georgia and offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. There are some nice hiking trails and overlooks, plus some interesting Cherokee history.
42. Bell Mountain
Bell Mountain offers potentially the best views in all of Georgia. But getting there can be tricky. It requires driving straight up and down the side of a mountain on the edge of a cliff, where all you see in your rear-view mirrors is the sky. The big downside to this site is that it’s covered in graffiti.
41. Garden Lights, Holiday Nights
Around Christmas time, the Atlanta Botanical Garden has a cool walk-through light display that is very nice to visit. Many of the lights are synchronized to music, and there are some nice surprises throughout.
40. Mount Hollywood Trail
Mount Hollywood Trail is a trail that gives decent views of the Griffith Observatory, Hollywood sign, and Los Angeles. I enjoyed the trail, though it didn’t get as close to the sign as I would’ve liked.
39. Charleston’s French Quarter [2022]
I really enjoyed walking around the French Quarter in Charleston, South Carolina. There are many old colorful buildings and historic sites to explore. I can see why many love this city.
38. High Shoals Falls
The hike to this waterfall in Hiawassee, Georgia, is really just a random stop on the side of the road in the middle of the Blue Ridge Mountains. There’s only room for about 5-6 cars. But the waterfall is definitely worth the effort to visit. Just make sure you bring water with you rather than assuming you won’t need it like I did.
37. DeSoto Falls
DeSoto Falls is a 104-foot waterfall in Mentone, Alabama. There are 3 different places to view it from, with each offering very different perspectives of it. While each trail is very short, they can be strenuous. This is a great stop to make on Alabama’s portion of Lookout Mountain.
36. Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica Pier is a very popular pier on Santa Monica Beach. There’s always something going on, and it even contains an amusement park and many restaurants. It gets really crowded though.
35. Mount Lee Drive
Mount Lee Drive is a neighborhood in the Hollywood Hills, right below the sign. It has great views of the sign from the winding streets below.
34. Historic District of Savannah
Savannah, Georgia, is an awesome city to explore, and its historic district is no exception. It’s very walkable, and the architecture and landscaping throughout create amazing photo opportunities everywhere you turn.
33. Griffith Observatory
Griffith Observatory is an awesome place to visit in Hollywood for views of the Hollywood sign and the Los Angeles skyline. The observatory itself is cool too if you like sciency stuff.
32. Cades Cove
Cades Cove is a valley surrounded by the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. It’s a great place to drive through, and it’s often a great place to spot wildlife. Unfortunately, on my visit this year, the only wildlife I saw were some turkeys, but it was still a beautiful drive.
31. Laurel Falls
Laurel Falls is one of the most popular locations within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It’s a beautiful trail with a nice waterfall at the end. My one complaint is that the trail itself needs to be better maintained, but it’s still worth visiting in its current state. Post-review note: they actually are going to re-pave this trail next year, which is needed.
30. Mingo Falls
Mingo Falls is a 120-foot waterfall in Cherokee, North Carolina. I was shocked when I first saw it because it was much taller than I was expecting. The hike there is really just a staircase, but it’s definitely worth the visit.
29. Zuma Beach
Zuma Beach is an awesome beach in Malibu, California. Here, there are dramatic mountains leading right up to the beach with large Pacific waves crashing onto the shore, and it’s a great place to watch the sunset.
28. Swamp Island Drive [2022]
Swamp Island Drive is a road within Okefenokee Swamp. There are several nice trails to hike from this road, but the best in my opinion is the Chesser Island Boardwalk that leads to the lookout tower. This was an awesome place to visit and one of the highlights of my journey to the Seven Wonders of Georgia.
27. Dukes Creek Falls
Dukes Creek Falls in Helen, Georgia, may not be as impressive as nearby Amicalola Falls or Anna Ruby Falls, but it’s still very impressive! I couldn’t figure out how tall it is, but it’s definitely much taller than I expected. Unfortunately, pictures just don’t show the full scale as it’s hidden behind a lot of trees.
26. Tennessee Aquarium
I was really impressed with Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga! While it’s not as nice as Georgia Aquarium overall, I was especially blown away by the River Aquarium portion, which I actually think outdoes the river section at Georgia Aquarium.
25. Gatlinburg Space Needle
The Gatlinburg Space Needle is a lookout tower over Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The view from the top is incredible! It’s definitely a place to visit when in Gatlinburg.
24. Fantastic Fourth Celebration
The Fourth of July celebration at Stone Mountain Park was probably the best firework show I’ve ever been to. I was very impressed with the entire production from the light show to the drones to the actual fireworks, and even the soundtrack! I’d definitely recommend checking it out if you’re in the area on July 4th.
23. Mastermind Escape Games Peachtree City
Mastermind Escape Games is an escape room business in Peachtree City, Georgia. It was a lot of fun, but unfortunately we barely didn’t escape the bank heist. If you enjoy escape rooms, this is definitely one to check out.
22. Langue de Barbarie
Langue de Barbarie is a narrow strip of land separating the Senegal River from the Atlantic Ocean in Saint-Louis, Senegal. There’s a really cool fishing village to explore here and plenty of colorful boats, but the beach is covered in trash, which brings it down a few points for sure.
21. Vickery Creek Waterfall
Vickery Creek Waterfall, in Roswell, Georgia, was a pleasant surprise for me! It’s somewhat difficult to visit just because it’s so popular and doesn’t have enough parking. But it’s an awesome place to spend a day swimming at the base of the falls.
20. BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir was the largest Hindu temple in the world outside India, until a slightly larger one opened in New Jersey in mid-October. It’s made from 34,450 hand-carved pieces of Italian marble, Turkish limestone, and Indian pink sandstone, carved in India then shipped to Lilburn, Georgia. It’s a beautiful building and is very impressive to see in person.
19. Little River Canyon
Little River Canyon, near Fort Payne, Alabama, is a beautiful canyon with the Little River running through it. The river itself is considered to be the longest mountaintop river in the United States as it’s entirely located on Lookout Mountain. The canyon walls rise 600 feet above the river, offering incredible views, making this one of the best places to visit in Alabama.
18. Driftwood Beach
Driftwood Beach is an awesome beach on Jekyll Island. It marks the spot where an ancient forest is being overtaken by the Atlantic Ocean, and it creates a very photogenic backdrop that’s hard to top. It’s especially worth a visit around sunrise or sunset for the full, almost-mythical atmosphere.
17. Toccoa Falls
This waterfall in Toccoa, Georgia, is the tallest single-drop waterfall east of the Mississippi River. It’s located on the campus of Toccoa Falls College, and there’s a very short walk to the waterfall itself. Once it finally popped into view, I was shocked at how incredible it was.
16. River Street
River Street is the best street to visit in Savannah, Georgia. I loved exploring this part of the city, but I do have one major complaint. Parking is very limited in the middle of the day, and driving on the cobblestone streets is literally painful.
15. Disneyland Park
While Disneyland in Anaheim, California, came before Disney World in Orlando, I believe the Florida location is better in almost every area possible. But this is still a Disney park, so of course it’s going to be great!
14. Pont Moustapha Malick Gaye
This bridge offers incredible views of the colorful fishing boats of Saint-Louis, Senegal. I loved every moment I spent walking across the bridge on my many walks throughout the city. Just be careful if you go: locals don’t like when tourists take pictures of their boats.
13. Goxu Mbaaj
This is a poor neighborhood in Saint-Louis, Senegal. It’s one of those places that outsiders will very rarely visit, and it’s because of this that I enjoyed it so much. I got to have an inside look at what life in this part of the world is like, and I’m very grateful for that.
12. Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is the largest rotating tramway in the world and takes guests from the low Sonoran Desert to the peak of San Jacinto Mountain, over 8500 feet in elevation. The views are great, and the rotating feature is cool, but you do have to be lucky and get a window spot. Oh, and if you come, expect annoying tourists to loudly yell “Woooooah” in unison when going over those towers.
11. Raven Cliffs Falls
Raven Cliffs Falls is found at the end of a 2.5-mile hike and is somewhat hidden between two cliffs. It’s an awesome trail with many smaller waterfalls along the way. The waterfall at the end is definitely worth the wait, but it unfortunately doesn’t show up in pictures the way you want it to.
10. Runyon Canyon
Runyon Canyon is an awesome hike in the middle of Hollywood. It gives incredible views of the Hollywood sign and Los Angeles as a whole. The hike is somewhat strenuous, but it’s the perfect morning hike.
9. Joshua Tree National Park
I don’t usually list national parks by themselves and prefer to rank the individual sites within the park separately. But they’re all so similar that I decided to group them all together. Joshua Tree National Park is a cool park that includes 2 unique desert ecosystems, and the Joshua Trees themselves are really neat to see in person.
8. N’Dar Island
N’Dar Island is an island in the Senegal River in Saint-Louis, Senegal. It’s full of old colorful architecture and walkable streets. I spent a lot of time exploring the streets of this island and often wish I could return.
7. Désert de Lompoul
This desert in northern Senegal sits right on the edge of the Sahara. It contains massive dunes that are fun to surf down. But other great activities that can be done here include camel rides and ATV drives. Just be careful: surfing down dunes is difficult; camels are very unsteady; and if you’re not the driver of the ATV, bring Advil.
6. Cloudland Canyon
Cloudland Canyon, on the edge of Lookout Mountain in North Georgia, is a pretty amazing place to go hiking. The views over the canyon are incredible, and if you hike down into it, there are beautiful waterfalls that take your breath away. Expect to climb a bunch of stairs, and if you go during colder times of the year, look out for ice.
5. Newfound Gap Road
Newfound Gap Road is the route from Gatlinburg to Cherokee on US 441. This is one of the most beautiful drives in America, especially during fall when the leaves are changing colors. I was very impressed!
4. Lula Lake Land Trust
Lula Lake Land Trust is a part of Lookout Mountain in North Georgia. It’s private property, and as a result, it can only be visited a few days out of the year and requires advanced reservations. But it’s definitely worth the effort as it rewards guests with stunning mountain views and an awesome waterfall.
3. Cumberland Island
Cumberland Island is an island in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of St Marys, Georgia. It’s unique because it has been taken over by wild horses. Reaching the island takes effort, but it’s definitely worth it!
2. Panther Creek Falls
Panther Creek Falls, in Clarkesville, Georgia, is a special place. It is probably my personal favorite hike in Georgia, but it’s not an easy hike. It’s difficult, but not too difficult. It has an amazing finale with a waterfall and natural pool to swim in. And the trail to get there certainly isn’t boring either. I can’t recommend this trail enough for more experienced hikers!
1. Yaakaar Ju Sax
Yaakaar Ju Sax is the church/educational center that I worked with in Saint-Louis, Senegal. It’s located right in the middle of a busy alleyway and next to a mosque. I spent a lot of time here over a week and a half, and I loved almost every minute of it, except for when I was dealing with heat stroke because the sun is very intense here.
Tyler's Travels 