The US is a vast and varied country, with beauty and adventure on our doorsteps, so where are the favorite U.S. vacation destinations with residents of each state? We’ve turned to Google to find out.

The USA’s Top Five Favorite U.S. Vacations

1. Las Vegas, NV – 6.6 million annual searches

Known around the world as the Entertainment Capital of the World, it’s little wonder that so many Americans search for flights to Las Vegas to blow off some steam. Vegas was the most-searched-for destination in Nevada and neighboring California and in cities such as San Francisco, Dallas, Albuquerque and Kansas City.

2. Miami, FL – 4.29 million annual searches

For those Americans who would rather relax by the beach for a couple of days, Miami is the primary destination of choice, with tropical weather all year round and stretches of sandy beaches to enjoy. The city is also known for its iconic Art Deco architecture and nightlife.

3. New York City, NY – 3.82 million annual searches

As one of the cultural centers of the world, many Americans flock to New York each year to take in sights such as Times Square, Central Park, and the Statue of Liberty. NYC was the most-searched-for destination in cities such as Boston, Washington D.C. and Miami (which, ironically, was the preferred destination for New Yorkers).

4. Chicago, IL – 3.32 million annual searches

With its bold architecture and impressive skyline, featuring skyscrapers such as the John Hancock Center, Willis Tower, and Tribune Tower, Chicago is a popular vacation destination for those in the Midwest and was the most-searched-for in Illinois and Michigan.

5. San Diego, CA – 3.3 million annual searches

For those on the West Coast, San Diego is one of the vacation destinations of choice, with a mild climate throughout the year and some of the best beaches and parks in the country, as well as the renowned San Diego Zoo.

Favorite U.S. Destinations by State

Looking across the whole country, we see that the majority of people prefer to stay closer to home when it comes to vacations in the US, with 36 (72%) states preferring a destination within their home state.

Favorite U.S. Destinations by City

When we look at some of the favored destinations of the country’s biggest cities though, we see that while some prefer to stay closer to home, visiting major destinations in their neighboring states. That said, there are also plenty that are still searching for trips some distance away. For example, New York was the most-searched destination in cities such as Miami and Boston, and Las Vegas proved popular with residents of cities in California, Texas, New Mexico and more.

Methodology

Using Google’s Keyword Planner, we took the annual search volume (September 2019-August 2020) for various destinations around the country in each state, as well as the 50 most populated cities in the US, to reveal the most popular U.S. vacation destination in each.

For each destination we combined the number of annual searches for the following terms:

• Hotels in [Destination]
• Flights to [Destination]
• Things to Do in [Destination]
• Vacations to [Destination]
• [Destination] Road Trips