Poll reveals Florida's natural landmarks are the 8th most popular in America.

From the mystical Appalachian Trail which runs through the east, to the natural phenomenon that is Mississippi’s Petrified Forest, and the esteemed Grand Canyon, the U.S. has volumes to offer when it comes to exploring natural sites and landmarks.

Aqua Expeditions, a recognized global leader in luxury small-ship expeditions, polled 2,100 Americans on which local natural landmarks they would most like to visit. It was revealed that the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which lies on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee, is the natural landmark most people would like to tick off their bucket list. Unsurprisingly, this destination is the most visited national park in America, having attracted more than 14.1 million visitors in 2021 alone. It’s no wonder so many others aspire to join the visitor’s book and witness the sprawling natural landscape, along with its year-round wildflower blooms, abundant rivers, waterfalls and forests.

In 2nd place, Niagara Falls emerged as one of the most popular natural landmarks, which is located on the Niagara River. At the Observation Tower at Prospect Point in the Niagara Falls State Park, visitors can behold a natural spectacle: a view of all three waterfalls.

Located in Belleview, Missouri, Elephant Rocks State Park is a geologic reserve and recreation area, and it emerged in 3rd place. It is named for a row of large granite boulders, resembling a train of elephants.

A closer look at the figures...

The top 10 natural landmarks Americans would most like to visit:

1. Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains National Park
2. New York’s Niagara Falls
3. Missouri’s Elephant Rocks
4. Wyoming’s Yellowstone National Park
5. California’s Redwood National and State Parks
6. Hawaii’s Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
7. Hawaii’s Hanauma Bay
8. Iowa's Pikes Peak State Park
9. Arizona's The Grand Canyon
10. Hawaii's Waikīkī Beach

States with the most popular landmarks:

1. Hawaii 
2. Tennessee 
3. California 
4. New York 
5. Missouri 
6. Wyoming 
7 . Maryland 
8. Florida 
9. Kentucky 
10. Nevada 

While landmarks in Hawaii, California and Florida made up some of the top 10, the list had some unexpected entries such as Missouri and Maryland - states not well known for their tourist industries. As well as Missouri’s aforementioned Elephant Rocks, the state is also home to Rocky and Grand Falls, which came in 30th and 31st place respectively. Likewise, Maryland’s Washington Monument State Park came in a commendable 14th place. Swallow Falls State Park came in 36th position and Crystal Grottoes Caverns 37th. Overall, the Old Line State had 5 entries in the top 250.

Florida's natural landmarks voted in the 250 most popular include:

#18 Florida Keys.
#25 Lake Okeechobee.
#44 Everglades National Park.
#129 Coral Castle.
#153 The Southernmost Point.

While it is evident how eager Americans are to visit local landmarks at least once in their lives, it appears this willingness extends beyond the national border to landmarks across the world. Indeed, Aqua Expeditions quizzed 3,013 Americans to determine if the country’s proficiency in well-known global landmarks is up to scratch. The quiz revealed that overall, Americans scored a highly commendable score when it came to identifying global geographical landmarks. Almost half (47%) correctly identified popular landmarks when presented to them.  

Aqua Expeditions created an interactive quiz so that readers can test their own international geographical knowledge, and compare to others.

"Nowadays, travellers are searching for more meaningful experiences in which they can witness and learn first-hand about a destination's biodiversity and cultural heritage, as well as gain a broader perspective of the world around them" – Francesco Galli Zugaro, CEO & Founder of Aqua Expeditions.