Grand Canyon, Sedona Among Top Places To Visit In 2021: U.S.News

ARIZONA — Planning your next vacation? If so, you won’t need to travel far. U.S. News & World Report this week released its annual list of best vacation spots in the United States, and multiple Arizona spots are among them.

The annual rankings, which highlight the world’s best places to visit, include several region-specific lists, including the best places to visit in the United States and the best small towns to visit in the United States.

Destinations are also ranked among several niche lists, such as best weekend getaways in the South, the best weekend getaways in the Midwest and the best mountain towns to visit in the United States.

The Grand Canyon ranked No. 1 on the overall list of best places to visit in the United States.

U.S. News gushed about the northern Arizona landmark, calling it a "natural wonder."

"'Grand' doesn't begin to do this canyon justice," the blurb starts. "Measuring approximately 277 river miles in length, up to 18 miles in width and a mile deep, this massive chasm in northern Arizona is truly a natural wonder. For six million years, the Grand Canyon has expanded with the help of the mighty Colorado River, and for centuries, people from all over the globe have traveled to gaze out over its red and orange grandeur. Managed by the National Park Service and officially designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Grand Canyon leaves its approximately 6 million visitors per year awestruck."

Sedona ranked 23rd in the Best Places to Visit on the USA list, thanks in large part to its famed red rocks and majestic formations.

"Outdoorsy types will love vacationing in Sedona," U.S. News writes. "Home to towering red rock formations, ancient cliff dwellings and supposed energy vortexes, this Arizona town features a multitude of postcard-worthy landmarks accessible by various hiking trails."

To determine the annual rankings, U.S. News analyzed more than 1,100 destinations using a methodology that combines traveler opinion (collected through user votes) with expert and editor analyses.

Each destination is scored in 10 categories including sights, culture, food, nightlife, adventure and romance. The goal is to offer travelers a comprehensive evaluation of each destination.

Once again, the calming appeal of forests, canyons and mountain ranges helped several national parks land spots at the top of the list for best places to visit in the United States. Here are the top five:

1. Grand Canyon National Park
2. Yosemite National Park
3. Yellowstone National Park
4. Maui, Hawaii
5. Glacier National Park

New to this year’s rankings is the niche list highlighting the best mountain towns to visit in the United States. These towns “offer the best of both worlds to travelers looking to hike or bike while still enjoying the comforts of small-town life,” according to the rankings.

Topping the list of best mountain towns is Gatlinburg, Tennessee, followed by Bar Harbor, Maine, and Telluride, Colorado.

Other interesting lists include the best historical cities to visit in the United States. Here are the top five, listed in order according to ranking:

1. Washington, D.C.
2. Boston, Massachusetts
3. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
4. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
5. Williamsburg, Virginia

If you’re hoping to get out of town for cheap, there’s a list for that, too. These are the top five cheap vacations in the United States:

1. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
2. Glacier National Park, Montana
3. Olympic National Park, Washington
4. St. Augustine, Florida
5. Sequoia National Park, California

Ready to make a vacation bucket list? Check out the full rankings for Best Vacations available on U.S. News’ website.