The 50 Best Free Tourist Attractions in the United States
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
46. Times Square
It’s cheesy, overcrowded, a bit dirty, and even a bit dangerous, although seeing all the bright ads of Times Square is worth a visit at least once, if anything just to say you have done it. Being home to so many digital Billboards and also the Broadway district, it is considered one of the entertainment capitals of the world. Although there are many shops and restaurants, you can easily entertain yourself just taking in all the lights, action, and excitement. And of course, there are endless people watching opportunities.
47. The Grand Strand
This 60 mile stretch of uninterrupted coastline along South Carolina is a beach lover’s paradise. The most popular vacation destination is Myrtle Beach. This beach is the most active with a lively boardwalk and one of the country’s tallest Ferris Wheels. Litchfield and Atlantic beach offer a more tranquil setting for beach walks, sunbathing, and reading.
48. Nature preserves of Tampa Bay
The Tampa metro is loaded with gorgeous preserves. While the beaches tend to get all the tourist attention, there are so many beautiful free preserves to enjoy during your time here. From bird watching, to gator watching, these preserves will allow you to get up close and personal with wildlife of the Florida Gulf Coast. Armadillos, gopher tortoises also make frequent appearances. Living in the area for 3 years, I visited at least one preserve every weekend.
A few of the best free preserves to add to your bucket list:
- John Chestnut (Palm Harbor) – Features a beautiful boardwalk path through cypress swamps.
- Weedon Island (St. Petersburg) – Skip the beach in favor of a relaxing walk at this natural gem featuring miles of trails and an overlook tower of the Bay.
- Moccasin Lake (Clearwater) – Great bird watching destination home to nature trails & bird exhibits.
My top recommended Bay area nature preserves
49. Welcome to Las Vegas sign
The iconic 25 foot neon sign marks the southern end of The Strip. On any Vegas vacation, you will definitely want to plan to get your picture in front of the sign featured in endless movies and TV shows. Really, it’s the best free souvenir. I am suprised that it took me over 5 visits to finally get my picture – I guess I didn’t’ want to wait in line! The sign is lit up at night and in various colors to commemorate various holidays/events.
50. Congaree National Park
This free national park is conveniently located just 20 min outside of Columbia, South Carolina. Most notably, it is home to the largest tract of old growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the United States. An easy 2.5 mile long walk along a maintained boardwalk trail will take you past a variety of beautiful trees including bald cypress, tupelo, oaks, maples, and loblolly pines. The park is home to a number of Champion Trees (trees which are the largest of their species) including a 169 foot Loblolly pine.
More pics/details on Congaree National Park
**Stay tuned for Part 2! As we continue to travel to beautiful and exciting places across the US, we will comprise our next top 50 list
