This was an awesome year, both for travel and just in general! I visited 10 US states and 7 countries, and just like the past few years, I kept a ranking of every site visited throughout the year. Every year this gets more difficult because somehow each year has more sites than the year before. Because of this, I’ll never be completely satisfied with the final ranking as my opinions change daily. I’m pretty confident in the first 20 and the last 20, but everything in the middle could probably get jumbled up on any given day. But with that said, here are a few rules for my ranking:
Every place I visit throughout the year is included, unless
1) It is included in McDonough, Georgia, or the immediate surrounding area where I live;
2) It has been included on a previous year’s ranking;
3) It is some place in Northwest Florida that I have visited before. (New rule for this year)
No restaurants, airports, businesses, or hotels are included unless they themselves could be considered a tourist site. I’ll also point out that there are a few places on here with [2023] next to their name. These are places that barely missed out on last year’s ranking as I visited them in the final few days of December 2023. I didn’t want them to get left out, so they’re here. If you want to see my rankings from the last few years, you can see them here: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023. Now finally, here’s the ranking:
167. Honey Creek Woodlands
Don’t come here! It looks like a place you can visit, but it’s private property. There were no warnings. I got yelled at. Good times.
166. Fort Strong Cemetery
I had heard about some ruins in the forest here at Fort Strong Cemetery near Athens, Georgia. There’s nothing to see. Don’t come here. At least no one yelled at me!
165. Pegasus Without Wings
The Iron Horse is a popular sculpture with UGA students located on a nearby farm, but…. uh, there was nothing there? I think I came during a time that it was undergoing restoration.
164. Te Anau Downs
This is a location within Fiordland National Park in New Zealand. It’s a boat ramp, but there’s a gate preventing you from accessing it unless you’re taking a tour. Because I couldn’t see anything, it seems fair to stick it here.
163. Lifsey Springs
Lifsey Springs was a public pool back in the 1870s-80s and was later also used in the 1960s-70s. It technically no longer exists, though that will change soon. Ace Amerson from The Real World and The Challenge on MTV bought the land and is currently restoring it. I’ll be interested to see it once he has it completed!
162. Downtown BGKY
I made a quick stop in downtown Bowling Green, Kentucky, to see what the city had to offer. To be honest, there wasn’t much there. It was a little disappointing. I really like the colors in this picture ☝️ though!
161. Rabbittown
Rabbittown is an older part of Gainesville, Georgia, named after the meat industry that used to be popular here before the introduction of chicken farms. It’s not the best area, and the only reason to come is to see the rabbit statue. (Sometimes I visit someplace only to get a picture to use in my Instagram stories, and this is one of those places).
160. Trott’s Garden
This garden in Ashburton, New Zealand, seems like a nice place. I didn’t get to see anything while there, and the owner is very rude, so I wouldn’t want to anyway.
159. World’s Largest Brick Made of Bricks
This sign in Montgomery, Alabama, (literally just a sign in front of a business) used to be considered the largest brick in the world. Then a larger one was created in Texas because everything has to be bigger there. Now it’s no longer the world’s largest brick. The one in Texas is not made of bricks though… so this one got a new name!
158. World’s Largest Peanut [2023]
Located in Ashburn, Georgia, this is the largest peanut in the world. State law has declared this to be Georgia’s official state peanut monument (which is apparently a real thing), and it cannot be blocked from public view for any reason. Kinda weird, but an interesting roadside attraction.
157. Titan I Missile [2023]
This intercontinental ballistic missile (no longer active) sits in a gas station parking lot in Cordele, Georgia. It acts as a monument to the US Air Force. It’s very random, but kinda fun to stop and see.
156. Lloyd Shoals Dam Park
This is a quiet park on the edge of Jackson Lake that is popular with fishermen. There’s not much here, but that’s kinda the point.
155. Dolly Parton Mural
This mural can be found in downtown Ringgold, Georgia. While Dolly Parton is most often associated with Tennessee, she was actually married in Ringgold, Georgia, instead. There’s not much else the town is known for, so they put up a mural of her, which is kinda neat to see.
154. Nashville Riverfront Landing
Nashville Riverfront Landing is on the other side of the pedestrian bridge from downtown, and it gives great skyline views of the city. Unfortunately, that’s all it is. There’s no other reason to come here, unless you like hanging out with geese.
153. Jamaica
No, I’m not referring to the country… I haven’t been there yet. This is a neighborhood in Queens, New York. I wasn’t a fan.
152. Captain Leonard Destin Park
I’ve been to Destin, Florida, many times, but I had technically never been to this park before this year, so it fits the criteria for this ranking. It’s a nice park to visit if you have kids. My nephew Knox really seemed to like it, but I can’t really rank it much higher than this without running through the splash pad myself, and that wasn’t gonna happen!
151. District of Columbia War Memorial
This is a random memorial found in Washington DC. I didn’t really stop here and just took a picture as I passed by. But I was there, so it needs to make this list.
150. Downtown Franz Josef
Franz Josef is a small town near Franz Josef Glacier in New Zealand’s West Coast. It’s a very quiet town with almost nothing going on (at least when I was there).
149. Downtown Winder
Winder, Georgia, is a town known for its Native American history and rumored door to hell, known as Nodoroc. The mythology continues with the legendary Wog that guards this Nodoroc. There’s not much of a reason to come here as none of this is open to the public, and the town has very little to attract visitors besides that, except for the pretty good barbecue restaurant you see advertised around town.
148. Downtown Ashburton
Ashburton, New Zealand, is a small town an hour south of Christchurch. It’s a nice city- don’t get me wrong. It’s just hard for me to rank it any higher.
147. Powers Island
Powers Island is a unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area in Sandy Springs, Georgia. It’s my least favorite part of the park so far, but that doesn’t mean it’s terrible. It was a little overgrown when I visited, and I just don’t think it has as much to offer as the other units I’ve visited.
146. Three Creeks
Three Creeks is a small tourist stop in Burkes Pass, New Zealand. It’s themed after 1950s America and includes a model gas station, general stores, blacksmith, and antique store.
145. Auchumpkee Creek Covered Bridge
This is a random covered bridge in Culloden, Georgia. It’s cool, but it’s a random stop on the side of the road with a picnic table or two next to it. Not really something to travel for.
144. Battery Park
Battery Park in New York City shouldn’t be this low. But when I visited, it was under so much construction you really couldn’t do anything. Even my view of the Statue of Liberty was pretty pathetic because of all the construction going on.
143. Chickamauga Battlefield
This battlefield in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, is part of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. I visited the Tennessee side of this park in 2020 (Look for “Point Park” on my 2020 Ranking!), but I had never visited the Georgia side until this year. It’s an interesting battle where the Confederates won only to march into Chattanooga to lose.
142. Jericho Covered Bridge
This is a neat covered bridge in Kingsville, Maryland. It was built in 1865 and is still in use today. While there are rumors that it is haunted by Confederate soldiers, these are false… I know a relative of the person who started those rumors!
141. Ripken Stadium
Ripken Stadium is a minor-league baseball stadium in Aberdeen, Maryland, owned by Cal Ripken, Jr. I only saw the outside of the stadium, but it was cool seeing it, as I have Ripken’s rookie baseball card.
140. Poultry Park
Gainesville, Georgia, is considered the Poultry Capital of the World, and in this park, you can see a giant Chicken Monument. It’s kinda fun to see, though that’s all you’ll find here.
139. Presque Isle Lights
I’m very conflicted on this one. The Presque Isle Lights in Erie, Pennsylvania, were unfortunately very disappointing. But I can tell that this state park is probably really nice during the day – I just wasn’t impressed with the Christmas light displays. This was actually the first place Bekah and I went as an official couple, so I really enjoyed my visit here: I just can’t really give the lights any credit for that.
138. Downtown Hokitika
Hokitika is a coastal town on the West Coast of New Zealand. It’s supposed to be a touristy town, but everything closes at 5, which did affect my opinion of it overall. It looks like a nice place, when it’s actually during business hours.
137. Devil’s Staircase Overlook
This is a random overlook near Queenstown, New Zealand. I don’t really know what the Devil’s Staircase was supposed to be, but it’s a nice overlook…
136. Downtown Fairlie
Fairlie is a small town in New Zealand known for its meat pies. The town itself is nice, but there’s not much going on. You go there for the pies, which are pretty good!
135. Cumberland River Greenway
The Cumberland River Greenway in Nashville follows the river and gives access to the most popular parts of downtown. This is also where you’ll most likely find parking for downtown. It’s nice, but homelessness is a big issue in this area, and parts feel a little run-down.
134. Rocks State Park
Rocks State Park in Hartford County, Maryland, is a nice state park with trails to a waterfall and some rock formations. I didn’t get to hike due to bad weather, but I did get to drive through, and it was nice. I’m sure it would rank much higher if I got to see more.
133. Wakanui Beach
Wakanui Beach is a beach in Ashburton, New Zealand. It’s quiet, and there’s no sand, but it’s still a nice place.
132. National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden
I’m including this because I did walk through it on my way to the National Archives. I guess I just don’t get art because a lot of what I saw was just weird. It is a nice quiet area to get away from crowds though.
131. Constitution Gardens
I didn’t really want to include this because it’s not a very significant site, but then I wouldn’t be able to call this “ranking EVERY site visited in 2024,” so here it is. I briefly walked through this area. It’s nice, but it’s not going to compare to the other iconic sites of DC.
130. State Botanical Garden of Georgia
This botanical garden in Athens, Georgia, is operated by the University of Georgia. It’s nice, but it was much smaller than I expected. I was a little underwhelmed, but my only real botanical garden experience prior to this was the Montreal Botanical Garden, which is hard to beat.
129. Downtown Cave Spring
Cave Spring, Georgia, is a small town near the Alabama line. It’s a really small town where everyone knows each other, and it’s a cute town to walk around. But due to its size, there’s not much to it.
128. Bridge of Remembrance
This bridge in Christchurch, New Zealand, is one of the major landmarks of the city. It’s a memorial to those who died during the World Wars. Nice place to come walk around.
127. Little Bethlehem
Little Bethlehem is a bit of a controversial site as it was a suspected cult that ran from the early 70s until 2012. It was abandoned but had since been bought by the leader’s son, so you can’t see much. But seeing it from the road is still interesting, especially if you read about its history and controversies before coming.
126. Downtown Greensboro
Greensboro, Georgia, is a small town known as the Gateway to Lake Oconee. It’s a nice little town to walk around, and I enjoyed visiting the antique store right in the center of town.
125. Longwood Park
This park is located on Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Georgia. It’s where you’ll find Pluto on the city’s Solar System walk. It’s a nice park, and I would have probably put it higher except I didn’t have the best experience here as I got turned around pretty bad.
124. Gainesville Square
This square in downtown Gainesville, Georgia, is really nice. It’s the start of the city’s Solar System walk, which is really why I’d recommend coming here.
123. Sandy Creek Nature Center
Sandy Creek Nature Center in Athens, Georgia, is a nice park to explore. There are many trails to walk, and the atmosphere is calm and peaceful. It’s definitely a nice place to visit to escape the busyness of the college town it’s next to.
122. Jerusalem Mills
Jerusalem Mills is a historic site located inside Gunpowder Falls State Park in Maryland. It’s a nice quiet place with a cool mill to explore.
121. International Motorsports Hall of Fame
This hall of fame/museum is located right by the Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama. It’s neat to see, and there are a lot of cars that have been previously used by famous racers from the past. It’s not my thing, so it’s ranked a little lower.
120. Reston Station
Reston Station is a transit-oriented urban center in Reston, Virginia. It provides access to the metro station and contains several nice office buildings, residences, and restaurants.
119. The Chasm
This seems like a really nice trail in Fiordland National Park, New Zealand. Unfortunately, the bridge that takes you across the actual chasm and trail that gives you good views of it were shut down for maintenance at the time I visited, so there wasn’t much to see.
118. Old Salem Park
This park in Greensboro, Georgia, sits right on the shores of Lake Oconee. It’s a perfect place to spend an afternoon with awesome views of the lake, a small beach, and plenty of picnic tables.
117. Stones River National Battlefield
Stones River National Battlefield in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, was the site of one of the bloodiest battles during the Civil War. It’s a nice park to drive through and learn about this battle. I would’ve spent more time here, but my time was limited.
116. Rock Hawk & 115. Rock Eagle
These are two completely separate sites found within the Oconee National Forest, but I’m grouping them together because they’re very similar. They’re both rock effigy mounds in the shape of birds that date back thousands of years ago, and they’re the only two located east of the Mississippi River. Rock Eagle is MUCH better than Rock Hawk (as you can see from the above pictures), but I’m ranking them side-by-side because Rock Hawk has better facilities and hiking trails.
114. Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial
This is a memorial wall located by a river in Christchurch, New Zealand. Its purpose is to remember those who died during the 2011 earthquake that hit the area. It’s very well done and a nice place to walk around.
113. Scull Shoals
Scull Shoals is a ghost town hidden deep within Oconee National Forest that was abandoned shortly after the Civil War. There are some old overgrown ruins that are perfect for photography. There are supposed to be more ruins, but the trails are so overgrown they’re basically nonexistent. I’m ranking it this high because the ruins you can visit are really cool, but it would be much higher if you could visit the rest.
112. Fort Yargo State Park
Fort Yargo was a fort built by European settlers to protect themselves from the local Native American population. It has been well-preserved and can be visited in this park. The park also includes some great hiking trails and a beautiful lake.
111. Conowingo Fisherman’s Park
This is a small park by the Conowingo Dam where you can watch thousands of birds flying around. It’s a popular place for bird watchers to come photograph eagles.
110. Mirror Lakes
The Mirror Lakes are found in New Zealand’s Fiordland National Park. It’s a nice little walk, but it’s not something to travel for.
109. Union Station DC
Union Station in DC is a beautiful train station that I enjoyed taking pictures of. Unfortunately, the chaotic nature of the station did bring that enjoyment level down for me. If it could be a little more organized, I’d put it higher.
108. New Regent Street
This pedestrian street in Christchurch, New Zealand, is one of the most popular places in the city. It’s really nice and has cool architecture.
107. Manly Beach
This is often considered the best beach in Sydney, Australia. It’s really nice, but finding parking can complicate your visit. Plus I got a severe sunburn here, so my opinion may be biased.
106. Broadway
Broadway is a popular street in New York City. I walked along it for a while and saw the Trinity Cathedral plus the Charging Bull. It’s a nice area, but I can’t rank it any higher than this.
105. Jamestown Public Winter Market
Jamestown is a small town in Western New York, and the St Luke’s Episcopal Church hosts its winter market in its basement. It was nice, but I’ve seen better too.
104. MA & PA Heritage Trail
The MA & PA Heritage Trail (MA PA Trail) follows the former Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad Corridor in Bel Air and Forest Hill, Maryland. It’s a nice trail and is very scenic in the snow.
103. Cochran Mill Park
This park is found in the town of Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia. It contains the ruins of some 19th-century mills and a few waterfalls. It’s a nice park to visit and is located about 20 minutes from the Atlanta airport.
102. Riverside Market
Riverside Market in Christchurch, New Zealand, is a market with many different shops and restaurants inside. It’s a cool place to hang out!
101. Puzzling World
Puzzling World is a tourist attraction in Wānaka, New Zealand that has many optical illusions and a large maze you can explore. The lobby also includes many tables with different puzzles, making it a great place for the whole family to visit.
100. Uncle Remus Museum
Eatonton, Georgia, is where Joel Chandler Harris stayed on a plantation and heard folktales from the slaves which eventually became known as the Uncle Remus stories, with Br’er Rabbit being the most well-known. The Uncle Remus Museum is found within an old slave cabin and houses many historic artifacts surrounding these stories, as well as the controversial Disney film Song of the South, which was supposed to be set in this region.
99. Paradise Gardens
Paradise Gardens is an art environment created by Howard Finster. It’s a large folk art site with some biblical themes throughout. It’s neat to see, but folk art isn’t really my thing. I can appreciate the dedication to it though. I know some others would enjoy it a lot more and rank it much higher.
98. Canalside
Canalside, located on the edge of Lake Erie, is becoming a popular part of Buffalo, New York. We found out that a lot of it shuts down during the winter, so there wasn’t much going on. But a nice walk in the rain can be fun, so I’ll put it a little higher than it probably deserves this time of year.
97. New Echota
New Echota was the capital of the Cherokee Nation and a town modeled after those of the European settlers in the area. The history of this area is really cool, though because the town was destroyed after the events of the Trail of Tears, pretty much everything here is only a restoration.
96. UGA’s Historic North Campus
North Campus of the University of Georgia is filled with many historic buildings. This university is the oldest public university in the United States, and many of its original buildings can be found here. It’s a nice place to walk around, and it’s fun to watch college students avoid walking under the UGA Arch.
95. Rolater Park
Rolater Park in Cave Spring, Georgia, is where you go to find Cave Spring, which the town was named after. In this cave, you’ll find a natural spring with some of the purest and best tasting water in the world. You can visit the cave for $2 or fill up from the spring for free. There’s also a nice spring-fed lake in the park which you can swim in.
94. Dawes Point Reserve
Dawes Point Reserve is a park found beneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge. There are several vendors set up and plenty of green space to hang out in. I enjoyed walking around this area!
93. Little Ridge Park
This is a park with some scenic trails along Lake Lanier, in Buford, Georgia. I was actually impressed with it. It’s small, but the trails were exactly what I was hoping they’d be. It’s a nice, quiet place to come spend an afternoon on the lake.
92. James H. “Sloppy” Floyd State Park
This state park in Summerville, Georgia, contains several great hiking trails. The most popular one leads to an old marble mine, which is really cool to see. Another good trail here circles the lake and offers some nice scenic views.
91. Tauparikākā Marine Reserve
This is a park right on the beach along the Tasman Sea in Haast, New Zealand. It’s a beautiful place to watch the sunset and a nice stop along a long drive through the Southern Alps.
90. Cave Stream Scenic Reserve
This park near Arthur’s Pass, New Zealand, includes a beautiful walk along the river. There’s a cave here that you can explore, but you have to walk through a river to do it. I only made it to the entrance of the cave, but I still enjoyed it!
89. Pettyjohn’s Cave
This is a tough one to rank. I know Pettyjohn’s Cave is worthy of a top 10 spot on this list. But I had to turn around when my glasses started fogging up making continuing too dangerous to attempt. The part of the cave I experienced was certainly beautiful, but it wasn’t what most people explore Pettyjohn’s Cave for.
88. Berry College
Berry College is the largest college campus in the world. It’s a Christian college located in Rome, Georgia, and the campus is beautiful! It’s filled with old Gothic architecture, a large deer population, and an old historic mill with hiking trails.
87. Port Deposit
Port Deposit is a really cool town to visit that is so narrow there’s only one road running through it. It’s sandwiched between a tall cliff and the Susquehanna River, but because of this, it floods often.
86. Rakaia Gorge
Rakaia Gorge is a gorge in Canterbury, New Zealand. It’s a nice quiet place with beautiful blue water flowing through. It was also a stop on The Amazing Race when they came here.
85. Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum
I never watched I Love Lucy, but I found this museum to be very interesting. Lucille Ball grew up in Jamestown, New York, so the town is the location of a museum dedicated to her life. In 2023, I stayed in a hotel that she opened near Palm Springs, so I was hoping I’d see some type of reference to it in this museum, but it wasn’t included anywhere.
84. Korean War Veterans Memorial
The Korean War Veterans Memorial in DC honors those who fought in the Korean War. It’s an impressive memorial that reminds us what all these veterans went through.
83. Hokitika Beach
Hokitika Beach is a nice beach in Hokitika, New Zealand. There’s some driftwood along the beach, and the most famous landmark here is the “Hokitika” sign made from some of this driftwood.
82. Glow Worm Dell
The Glow Worm Dell in Hokitika, New Zealand, is a small trail through the forest known for its many glow worms. If you come here at night, there are so many glow worms it looks like you’re exploring the galaxy!
81. World War II Memorial
The World War II Memorial in DC is an impressive memorial dedicated to those who fought in World War II. There are 56 pillars, representing those who fought from all 50 states, the 5 territories, and DC.
80. Fa’a’ā International Airport
I don’t typically rank airports on this list, but I felt like I could make an exception for this one. This airport in Tahiti, French Polynesia, is basically a large open-air pavilion, so it felt like I was visiting the country even though I never officially passed through customs. (I’m not counting it as a visit to French Polynesia for those wondering). This is one where the location is giving it a higher score than it would receive otherwise, if I’m being honest. Because it’s open-air, cigarette smoke tends to travel throughout the airport, so I don’t like that about it.
79. Tennessee Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park
This park in downtown Nashville is not very well-known, but I decided to stop by to see what it was like. I was pleasantly surprised by it! This is a nice park that is dedicated to the history and geography of the state of Tennessee. I haven’t seen anything like this in any other state capital, so this was actually pretty impressive!
78. President’s Park
On my last trip to DC in 2001, I toured the White House. That is no longer an option, and the closest you’re allowed to get to it is an area known as President’s Park. It’s cool to see, but there’s literally nothing to do here other than look at the White House through the bars of a tall fence, with secret service members watching you while holding massive guns.
77. New York City Subway
The subway is an iconic form of public transportation around the city. It’s intimidating at first, but once you figure out how it works, it’s a very easy and convenient way to get around. I realized riding the subway is exactly as it looks in the movies, even down to the subway rats!
76. Chick-fil-A Support Center
The Chick-fil-A Headquarters is really cool to visit. You have to be on the guest list for the day to get in, which makes it feel more exclusive when you do get to visit. Included inside is a museum, Truett Cathy’s office, part of his car collection, and several walking trails.
75. St Omer Park
St Omer Park is a beautiful park on the water in downtown Queenstown, New Zealand. It’s very peaceful, making it a great place to come to escape the busyness of the city.
74. Moton Field
Moton Field is the site where the Tuskegee Airmen first learned to fly in Tuskegee, Alabama. These pilots were the first African Americans allowed to fly aircraft for the US Air Force during World War II. Visiting the museums here and seeing the field itself is a really cool experience that was much more interesting than I expected. And this site was instrumental in changing the country’s racist views toward African Americans during a time when segregation was still a major problem.
73. Aberdeen Proving Ground
Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland is an Army installation that studies and tests new weapons and military technology, including those captured from other countries. It’s so big it feels like a city on its own. It’s definitely a neat place to visit.
72. Cardboard Cathedral
While the Christchurch Cathedral is still being renovated following its destruction in the 2011 earthquake, its congregation is meeting inside what’s known as the Cardboard Cathedral. This cathedral was made of cardboard due to an attempt at finishing it quickly, and it has become a popular tourist attraction in the city.
71. La Plaza Central
This is a market in Bucaramanga, Colombia, that is really cool to explore. There are a ton of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices that you may not see anywhere else, and the smells coming from here are overwhelming in a good way. I always enjoy visiting local markets, so this was fun!
70. Macon Cherry Blossom Festival
Macon’s annual cherry blossom festival is located right in downtown Macon. There are 150,000 cherry trees spread throughout Macon-Bibb County, making it the cherry blossom capital of the world. Visiting it, you won’t see a ton of cherry trees concentrated in one area, but it’s still cool to visit.
69. Rock Creek Greenway
Rock Creek Greenway is an awesome urban park that travels through the center of Gainesville, Georgia. I loved exploring this park and walked the entire length of it searching for the planets along the city’s Solar System walk. This is probably my favorite urban park in Georgia!
68. Grand Bay Wildlife Management Area [2023]
This swamp is the #1 rated attraction in Valdosta on TripAdvisor. While I’d personally put Wild Adventures above it, I still really enjoyed it, especially the tower at the end!
67. Havre de Grace Promenade
Havre de Grace is a historic city on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland that has some significance in American history. When deciding which city would be the capital of the United States, it came down to Washington DC and Havre de Grace, with DC winning by only one vote!
66. Shelby Street Bridge
Shelby Street Bridge is a pedestrian bridge over the Cumberland River in Nashville. It gives great views of the city’s skyline and is a popular place to visit.
65. Mammoth Cave Trail System
Mammoth Cave National Park isn’t just a cave: there are also many trails on the surface that are worth checking out. I got there early in the morning when there was a layer of fog over the park, and it was a great experience!
64. Zoo Atlanta
Overall, the zoo was a little smaller than I expected, but it was still really nice. At the time, it was the only place in the United States to see pandas, so that was really cool!
63. Sawnee Mountain
Sawnee Mountain in Cumming, Georgia, is a nice place to go for a hike. At the peak, there are a lot of rocks known as “Indian Seats” because the Cherokee that inhabited the area used to use them as seats overlooking the surrounding area.
62. Arthur’s Pass
Arthur’s Pass is a mountain pass in New Zealand. It has some beautiful scenery and some very random things like the Otira Hotel with a giant Gollum hanging off its roof.
61. 40th Annual Shady Dale Rodeo
Shady Dale, Georgia, is a small town that really only has this one thing to look forward to every year. But because this rodeo is something they plan all year for, it ends up being a pretty great experience!
60. Marco das Três Fronteiras
This is a park in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil located by the tri-point border with Argentina and Paraguay. It’s a cool place that you’d enjoy if you’re a geography fan like me. Each country has its own park and marker, though I only had time to visit this one in Brazil.
59. Arrowtown
Arrowtown is a small town near Queenstown, New Zealand, that was established during the country’s gold rush. It has a somewhat “Old West” vibe and is a nice place to walk around with many cool shops and restaurants to check out.
58. Pickle & Social – Gwinnett
This is a pickleball facility in Buford, Georgia, that is similar to Topgolf. You can reserve a court ahead of time, and while there, you have a server who brings you food and drinks off the menu. It’s a really fun place!
57. Topgolf Mobile
This was my first experience with Topgolf, and I really enjoyed it! In case you’re not familiar with it, it’s a fun activity for friends or family where you hit golf balls without having to actually be good at golf. Plus, there’s plenty of food!
56. Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History is cool to explore and contains many neat things throughout. I’m not a huge museum fan overall, partially because of the evolution being taught everywhere. The Hope Diamond is really cool though!
55. Ashburton Lakes
The Ashburton Lakes area of New Zealand is somewhat remote. There are many beautiful lakes within a large valley. When I visited, the weather was not ideal, but that almost made the experience better as it felt even more remote!
54. Vietnam Veterans Memorial
This DC memorial dedicated to those who fought in the Vietnam War is a very emotional place to experience. At first, it’s just a wall, but as you take a closer look, you’ll see the names of thousands of soldiers who either died or are missing from the Vietnam War, etched into the side of it.
53. National Mall
The National Mall in Washington DC is home to some of the most iconic symbols in the United States. It takes hours to walk the entire mall, but it’s a must-do when visiting DC. (This placement is referring to the walkways themselves: each individual monument I visited along the National Mall is being ranked separately).
52. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington DC is a beautiful memorial dedicated to the leader of the Civil Rights Movement in America. It was inspired by his “I Have A Dream” speech where he stated, “Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.”
51. Talladega Superspeedway
This is Talladega! I enjoyed visiting the Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama. While I’m not a NASCAR fan at all, I still found it really interesting. I visited less than a week before the big race in April, so there was a unique energy as they were working to prepare for the incoming crowds.
50. Rocktown
Rocktown is an area on top of Pigeon Mountain that is basically a boulder forest. Large rock formations dominate the landscape, making it a really cool (and very quiet) hike.
49. Skyline Park
Skyline Park is located on the roof of Ponce City Market in Downtown Atlanta. It contains a mini golf course, some carnival games, food & drinks, and even a seasonal ice skating rink. It’s a cool hangout spot with incredible views of the Atlanta skyline.
48. Historic Banning Mills
Historic Banning Mills is an adventure resort in the hills of Whitesburg, Georgia, where we had our MMO staff retreat. This was a great facility for the retreat, and it had many fun opportunities like hiking and ziplining. (In fact, it has the Guinness record for the longest zipline course in the world).
47. Cardrona Valley
The Cardrona Valley is found between Queenstown and the Haast Pass in New Zealand. It’s a very scenic area with some really cool overlooks to stop at.
46. Kolomoki Mounds State Park
Kolomoki Mounds is an old Native American city located in the deep south of Georgia. Due to its location in Blakely, Georgia, it gets very few visitors, but its seclusion really adds to the experience of visiting.
45. Okaloosa Island Boardwalk
This marks the first time I’ve ever ranked somewhere in Northwest Florida! [edit: Destin, FL, was included earlier, but I wrote this review months before that one]. When I started these rankings, I excluded the entire region since it’s where I lived, so I didn’t really consider it “traveling” to visit. Now that I live in Georgia, I will allow places in NW Florida to be included only if it’s somewhere I had never been before, which is rare. This boardwalk area in Fort Walton Beach fit all the requirements, so it’s here. I really enjoyed it: it’s not a huge touristy area like you’d see in Panama City, but it still has a similar vibe. Plus the pier here is awesome!
44. Puente Internacional de la Amistad
This is the bridge connecting Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, to Ciudad del Este, Paraguay. After exploring Ciudad del Este, I decided to walk back to Brazil via this bridge, and there are some great views available from it.
43. Centro Comercial Parque Caracolí
This is technically a large shopping mall in Bucaramanga, Colombia. I don’t typically consider malls for this list, but in Bucaramanga, this is the place to be on any given night. It’s a big hangout spot, and malls are much more popular here. My hotel was attached to this mall, so I spent a lot of time walking around it. It’s definitely a place I have some fun memories from.
42. Kawarau Bridge
The Kawarau Bridge in Queenstown, New Zealand, is the site of the first ever commercial bungee jump. Bungee jumping was invented here in New Zealand, and this is arguably the most famous bungee jump in the world. I attempted it, but an anxiety attack forced me to change plans. It’s a beautiful view whether you jump or not!
41. Lower Broadway
Lower Broadway is the most popular street in Nashville and is home to the honky tonks. These are bars where country musicians play. This street gets very busy, and it’s really cool to see it.
40. Centennial Park
Nashville’s Centennial Park is home to the world’s only full-scale replica of the Parthenon in Athens. It was built for the 100th anniversary of Tennessee, and the design was chosen due to Nashville’s nickname “Athens of the South.” It’s a great park where many locals come to hang out on weekends.
39. Lake Pukaki
This wasn’t a planned stop on my road trip across New Zealand’s South Island, but when we saw the impressive views, we had to stop and take it in!
38. Downtown Ciudad del Este
Ciudad del Este is a city in Paraguay right on the border with Brazil. I spent a few hours walking the main shopping district of the city as that’s what it’s mainly known for. The city itself really isn’t anything special, but I have a higher opinion of it simply because coming here allowed me to visit my 19th country.
37. Downtown Wānaka
Wānaka is a small town on the South Island of New Zealand. It’s mostly known for its lake, but the town itself really impressed me! It’s a great town to explore, and there’s a lot more to it than just the lake.
36. #ThatWānakaTree
Lake Wānaka is home to the most popular tree in New Zealand. This tree is one of the most photographed places in all of New Zealand. It’s a very scenic area with some of the best lake scenery in the country. This also happens to be one of my favorite pictures from 2024!
35. Smithsonian Museum of American History
The Smithsonian Museum of American History is one of the most famous museums in the world. It contains many important items in American history, including the Star-Spangled Banner and Abraham Lincoln’s hat, as well as more fun items like the Ruby Slippers from The Wizard of Oz and Captain America’s shield.
34. National Archives Museum
The National Archives houses many of the most important documents in American history, including the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. It’s very cool to see in person! Yes, they do sell replicas of the Declaration of Independence in the gift shop.
33. U.S. Capitol
The Capitol Building in Washington DC is the seat of Congress and is a very beautiful building. I didn’t get to go inside, but I walked all along the outside and loved taking pictures of it.
32. Central District of Bucaramanga
This downtown district of Bucaramanga, Colombia, is a nice place to walk around. There’s some nice architecture, and a lot of green space along the streets. I always love walking around new cities, and this one was a nice surprise.
31. Lake Tekapo
Lake Tekapo is a popular stop for tourists in New Zealand. There’s a scenic church right on the shores of the lake that makes for some cool pictures. Get there before all the tourists show up because the ones that frequent here don’t understand social cues very well.
30. Gaylord Opryland Hotel
I don’t typically rank hotels on here, but I visited this one as a tourist attraction instead of an actual hotel. Nashville’s Opryland Hotel is beautiful on the inside as it’s designed to make you feel like you’re outside. It’s hard to explain without pictures, but trust me, it’s really cool!
29. Wintergreen Gorge
Bekah and I hiked through the snow in Wintergreen Gorge, located in Erie, Pennsylvania. It was a nice trail, though to be honest, we didn’t get very far due to the timing and difficulty of hiking in snow.
28. Grand Ole Opry House
The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville is the most coveted stage in country music. Every country artist dreams of performing here as it’s the most iconic venue in Nashville. I took a full backstage tour of it, which was really interesting. But it did get kinda old when my tour guide kept referring to his friends Blake and Brad.
27. Times Square
Is Times Square one of my favorite places? No. But it’s so iconic that you can’t help but feel kinda excited when you visit it for yourself. Because of that feeling, I’m ranking it this high.
26. Castle Hill
Castle Hill is found near Arthur’s Pass, New Zealand. It’s a sacred Māori site with a lot of boulders. If it looks familiar, it’s because the final battle of the first Narnia movie was filmed here.
25. The Rocks
The Rocks is a historic neighborhood in Sydney that has become a popular place in the city. Every day it turns into a large market that is definitely worth checking out.
24. Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is (arguably) the largest library in the world. It’s a beautiful building to see in person, but if you want to check out any books, you’d have to be a member.
23. George W. Disney Trail
This trail, located in Dalton, is known as the most difficult short hike in Georgia. It goes straight up the mountain, but the views from the top make it all worth it. I loved this trail, though there were a ton of spiders… like a ton… like, the ground looked like it was moving because it was all spiders.
22. Franz Josef Glacier
Franz Josef Glacier is a glacier in the West Coast of New Zealand. It’s a cool place to stop when in the area, and there’s a nice hike that takes you to a closer viewpoint.
21. Fort McHenry
Fort McHenry is an iconic symbol of American history. It was here during the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812 that the British failed to overtake the fort. From one of the British ships, captured American Francis Scott Key saw that the American flag was still standing and wrote the “Star-Spangled Banner,” which was later adopted as the US national anthem.
20. Noccalula Falls
Noccalula Falls, near Gadsden, Alabama, really surprised me and became my favorite place in Alabama. Viewing the falls from the top is cool, but it’s the hike down to go behind the falls that really makes this place special. You have to come after it’s been raining recently, but when you get the timing just right, it’s an amazing experience! [Note: you’ll be extremely disappointed if you don’t time your visit just right].
19. Haymarket
Haymarket is an international area of Sydney where many different cultures can be found. This is an awesome area to walk around and explore the random shops and restaurants found throughout.
18. Stephen C Foster State Park [2023]
Stephen C Foster State Park is part of Okefenokee Swamp in Southern Georgia, located near the small town of Fargo. This park is extremely remote but worth the effort to visit. I loved renting a small jon boat and exploring the swamp, even spotting a few gators along the way.
17. Mount Aspiring National Park (Haast Pass)
While I wasn’t really planning to visit this park, driving along the West Coast will take you along the Haast Pass which passes directly through it. There are so many cool places to stop here including many awesome waterfalls.
16. Lincoln Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial doesn’t need a description. It’s very impressive to see in person and is much bigger than you may think if you’ve only seen pictures. This is definitely a must-see in DC!
15. Iglesia Bíblica Bautista Ágape
I don’t rank churches, so that’s not what this is. I’m including this here because this is the location where we held our optical clinic in Bucaramanga, Colombia. It was an awesome clinic site where we were able to see over 1,000 patients within 4 days!
14. Cerro del Santísimo
Cerro del Santísimo is a statue of Christ overlooking the cities of Bucaramanga and Floridablanca in Colombia. It’s actually slightly taller than the famous Cristo Redentor statue in Rio if you don’t count the base, and you can go up the elevator to the top for great views. It’s a slightly controversial site in Bucaramanga, but it’s definitely one to check out!
13. Queenstown Mall
This downtown section of Queenstown, New Zealand, is an awesome place to hang out any time of day. It’s located right on the lake, and there are many great parks, shops, and restaurants to check out.
12. Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park [2023]
Paynes Prairie Preserve, in Gainesville, Florida, is a large prairie that is home to wild bison and horses, along with many other animals. It was such a nice surprise visiting this park and seeing all the wildlife (except bison) roaming around. To be honest, if it weren’t for the wildlife, this wouldn’t be ranked very high, but I was so impressed with it that it makes it this high on a very competitive ranking.
11. Hokitika Gorge
Hokitika Gorge is a gorge in New Zealand with some of the bluest water I’ve seen anywhere! There’s an awesome hike down to the bottom that includes a large suspension bridge giving epic views of the gorge.
10. Hacienda Casa Blanca
Hacienda Casa Blanca is a coffee farm in Colombia known for winning the title of “best cup of coffee in Colombia.” The farm itself is situated in a rainforest atop a mountain on the edge of the Andes, and visiting it is one of the coolest experiences you can have in Colombia! The hike through the farm takes you through thick jungle and offers incredible views before ending at a beautiful waterfall.
9. Washington Monument
The Washington Monument is the tallest building in DC, the tallest obelisk in the world, and the tallest freestanding stone structure in the world. It’s an iconic symbol of America, and the views from the top are some of the best anywhere!
8. Blue Mountains National Park
This Australian national park is located a couple hours outside Sydney. It includes breathtaking views and impressive landscapes with the Three Sisters being the most iconic. This park is definitely worth the effort to visit!
7. World Trade Center
One of my earliest travel memories was visiting the Twin Towers only a couple months before 9/11. I’ve been dreaming of returning ever since, so it was great to be able to visit the memorial this year. It’s definitely tough to visit, but they did a great job with the entire area.
6. Mammoth Cave
Mammoth Cave, in the middle of Kentucky, is the longest known cave system in the world at 426 miles long. The second longest is only 270 miles long, so it’s not even close! You have to book a tour to visit it, but getting to experience this massive cave is worth the effort.
5. Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is one of the most iconic places in the United States (and Canada). Most people visit during the summer, but visiting during the winter gives you a much different experience! I’m tempted to vote this number 1 based on who I visited it with, but I’m trying to focus on the site itself. 🙂
4. Chicamocha Canyon
Colombia’s Chicamocha Canyon, or “Panachi” as the locals call it, is the second largest canyon in the world after the Grand Canyon. It’s an incredibly beautiful part of the world, and I was shocked by how much I enjoyed it! It also contains the longest gondola ride in the world which is necessary if you want to reach the other side of the canyon.
3. Sydney Harbour
The Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge are two of the most iconic landmarks in the world, and it’s definitely an awesome place to visit. I never thought I’d get the chance to visit Sydney for myself, but visiting the Harbour made it all real! (Just do a quick Google search before booking any shows at the Opera House because they’re not all family friendly).
2. Milford Sound
New Zealand’s Milford Sound is one of the most beautiful places on the planet. In fact, Rudyard Kipling famously stated that it should be considered the eighth wonder of the world. And the best way to visit it is by boat. In any other year, this would likely be ranked number one, but this year had some tough competition!
1. Iguazu Falls
Iguazu Falls is the largest waterfall system in the world and one of the most beautiful sites on the planet. It straddles the Brazil-Argentina border and contains 275 waterfalls within a 3km stretch of river. It’s absolutely incredible to see in person, and pictures can never do it justice. These are technically 2 different parks that I’m grouping together for this, but if I HAD to differentiate them for this ranking, then it would be #1. Parque Nacional Iguazú (Argentina), #1.5. Parque Nacional do Iguaçu (Brazil) since I like the Argentina side slightly more than the Brazil side. Both are great, and in my opinion, both are necessary to get the full Iguazu Falls experience!
Tyler's Travels 
Wow! You saw a lot, Tyler! I’m impressed. –Craig
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