NC Outer Banks Named A Top Place To Visit In 2021: US News

NORTH CAROLINA — 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 the Outer Banks is 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 Outer Banks ranked 26th on the overall list of best places to visit in the United States.

Says U.S. News: "North Carolina's Outer Banks region features 200 miles of barrier islands. History enthusiasts will appreciate snorkeling and scuba diving the roughly 3,000 shipwrecks offshore, as well as wandering around the site of the Wright brothers' famous first flight. Meanwhile, beach bums can lounge on the Outer Banks' beaches and admire the lighthouses that tower above them. When it's time to eat, head to one of several seafood restaurants to savor local specialties like Hatteras-style clam chowder and raw oysters. "

The region was also ranked No. 1 best family beach vacation in the nation, the No. 2 best place to visit in August and the No. 4 best family summer vacations.

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.

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