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From the Grand Canyon to the Statue of Liberty, these are the most visited UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the United States—and why they belong on your bucket list.
The United States has its fair share of cultural and natural treasures, including 63 national parks and more than 2,600 National Historic Landmarks. But 26 of them are so universally valued that they’ve landed on UNESCO’s famous World Heritage List, which aims to protect and preserve them for future generations. Getting on the list, which stands at just under 1,250 sites globally, requires a nomination process that requires approval from several advisory bodies and the World Heritage Committee.
You’ll no doubt recognize the heavy hitters on the U.S. list, which consists of 13 cultural, 12 natural, and 1 mixed site. According to a UNESCO spokesperson, sites with the greatest interest vary each year, but Grand Canyon National Park, Yosemite National Park, Statue of Liberty, Yellowstone National Park, San Antonio Missions, and the 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright broadly generate a lot of interest. Read on to find out which UNESCO sites are the most popular in the country — and consider it the start of your bucket list.
1 OF 10
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
WHERE: North Carolina and Tennessee
Drawing more than 12 million visitors per year, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most popular of all the United States’ UNESCO sites, at least in terms of traffic. It’s easy to see why: the sprawling, 522,427-acre park spanning two states, North Carolina and Tennessee, offers abundant chances for immersing in the outdoors, camping, and hiking, including 74 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Whether you plan to go horseback riding, fish its many streams, or just take in those beautiful vistas and waterfalls, it’s a park to remember.
2 OF 10
Grand Canyon National Park
WHERE: Arizona
Arizona’s iconic gorge of red rocks as far as the eye can see, carved by the Colorado River, literally takes your breath away — and the breath of 4.7 million visitors a year. At more than 277 miles long, 18 miles wide, and a mile deep, its scale is astounding, not to mention that all those layers of sediment reveal billions of years of history. Add to that plenty of outdoor adventures like hiking and whitewater rafting, and you’ve got yourself a site worth visiting at least once in your life, at least according to President Teddy Roosevelt, who famously called it “the one great sight that every American should see.”
3 OF 10
Yellowstone National Park
WHERE: Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
America’s first national park, established in 1872, is also one of its most popular. It’s a magnet for more than 4.5 million visitors per year, a number that’s been steadily increasing over the past five years, according to the National Park Service. People come to see hot springs and geothermal features, including half the world’s active geysers — the most famous being Old Faithful — plus quintessentially North American wildlife like bison, elk, bear, and wolves. Most of its 2.2 million acres (that’s larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined!) are in Wyoming, though it extends into Montana and Idaho, too.
4 OF 10
Yosemite National Park
WHERE: California
Towering sequoia trees, flowing waterfalls, and the granite cliffs of El Capitan and Half Dome are the main natural attractions in this California park, which gets nearly 4 million visitors a year. More than 95 percent of the park is wilderness, so there’s plenty of opportunity for camping, rock climbing, and rafting, plus 750 miles of trails to hike and scenic overlooks to take in those mesmerizing views.
5 OF 10
Statue of Liberty
WHERE: New York City
Between 3 to 4 million people visit this beacon of liberty in New York Harbor each year, and for many it’s a physical reminder of freedom and opportunity. A gift from France in 1886, the 305-foot Lady of Liberty Island famously says, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses,” a quote from “The New Colossus” that was added to welcome the many immigrants that passed by as they entered the country. Many come to see what their ancestors must have seen as they first set foot in the U.S. generations ago and to climb to the top of the crown, a feat that requires ascending 162 steps in a tight spiral.
6 OF 10
Independence Hall
WHERE: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Both the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence were signed at this Philadelphia landmark that’s a must-see for American history buffs. The American Georgian building on Chestnut Street is part of the greater Independence National Historical Park that also includes the Liberty Bell. Fresh off a preservation project , the refreshed site is a reminder of America’s beginning and the Founding Fathers; there’s even a Ben Franklin Museum to honor the longtime Philly resident. Just under 3 million people visit each year.
7 OF 10
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
WHERE: Hawaii
Two of the world’s most active volcanoes, Kilauea and Mauna Loa, spew lava in a dramatic natural show that draws nearly 1.5 million visitors per year to this Big Island park. Among the lava flows and views from Kilauea Caldera, there are hiking trails and the chance to spot rare animals like the nene (goose) and honeycreeper among its varied ecological zones (with seacoast, lowland forest, rainforest, and alpine, all in one park).
8 OF 10
Everglades National Park
WHERE: Florida
The largest tropical wilderness in the United States, South Florida’s “River of Grass” spans 1.5 million acres, showcasing Florida ecology on a vast scale and protecting endangered species like the Florida panther. More than a million visitors per year come to take tram tours among the wild swampland, spot alligators and birds like anhingas, and ride airboats among the sawgrass marshes (outside park limits). It’s a popular day-trip on virtually every list of first-time visitors to nearby Miami, making it a relatively easy bucket list item to check off.
9 OF 10
San Antonio Missions
WHERE: San Antonio, Texas
More than a million visitors per year visit these five frontier mission complexes along the San Antonio River basin in Texas. You can see farmlands and 18th-century churches that are a reminder of Spain’s efforts to convert indigenous peoples to Christianity, resulting in an interesting mash-up of cultures that exists only here. According to UNESCO, the area has a “culture with an identity neither wholly Indigenous nor wholly Spanish that has proven exceptionally persistent and pervasive.”
10 OF 10
20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright
WHERE: Various
While only inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2019, this collection of eight buildings already has massive interest, considering they were created by the single most influential modern architect in American history. Frank Lloyd Wright’s signature organic architectural style, which emphasizes harmony and nature, is on display in some popular U.S. cities, including the Guggenheim Museum in New York and Hollyhock House in Los Angeles as well as more rural locations, including Fallingwater in Pennsylvania.