Tourism in the United States is a large industry that serves millions of international and domestis tourists yearly. Tourists visit the US to see natural wonders, cities, historic landmarks and entertainment venues. Americans seek similar attractions, as well as recreation and vacation areas.

Major destinations include the Empire State Building; Statue of Liberty; Ellis Island; Broadway theater productions; museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art; greenspaces such as Central Park and Washington Square Park; Rockefeller Center; Times Square; luxury shopping along Fifth and Madison Avenues; and events such as the Halloween Parade in Greenwich Village, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the St. Patrick’s Day parade, seasonal activities such as ice skating in Central Park in the wintertime, the Tribeca Film Festival, and free performances in Central Park at Summerstage. Special experiences outside the key tourist areas of the city include, but are not limited to the Bronx Zoo; Coney Island; and the New York Botanical Garden.

Landmarks

As of 2007, there are 2,462 registered National Historic Landmarks (NHL) recognized by the United States government. The majority of these are located in New York, California, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. Each major US city has thousands of landmarks. For example, New York City has 23,000 landmarks designated by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. These landmarks include various individual buildings, interiors, historic districts, and scenic sites which define the culture and character of New York City.

Natural Wonders

The Grand Canyon is one of the most well known landmarks in the US. Other landmarks include the Appalachians, the Rocky Mountains, the Everglades, Yellowstone and neighboring Grand Tetons, Hawaii Volcanoes, Yosemite, Monument Valley, the Great Plains and more.