Fascinating Facts Legends & Myths About Halloween

For centuries Halloween has had it’s share of folklore, mystery and deep-rooted tradition.  However, I bet there are a few things about the celebration that you may not have known about. Here are a few fascinating facts and legends as well as a few myths associated with Halloween that you may not have necessarily been aware of…..

• Halloween is historically and traditionally celebrated on October 31st.

• Halloween is one of the oldest celebrations in the world, dating back over 2000 years to the time of the Celts who lived in Britain.

• Halloween is also known by a few other names…

* All Hallow’s Eve
* Samhain
* All Hallowtide
* The Feast of the Dead
* The Day of the Dead

• About 99% of pumpkins marketed domestically are used as Jack O’Lanterns at Halloween.

• In the United States, 65% of Americans decorate their homes for Halloween.

• More candy is sold just prior to Halloween than any other holiday during the year. Halloween also ranks second, in terms of total sales, just behind Christmas… which has $$$ dancing into merchants cash registers.

• Legendary magician Harry Houdini died in Detroit of gangrene and peritonitis resulting from a ruptured appendix on Halloween in 1926.

• Did you know that in the dictionary there are no words that rhyme with orange?

• The tradition of “Trick or Treating” is believed to have originated in Ireland. In preparation for All Hallow’s Eve, Irish townsfolk would visit neighbors and ask for contributions of food for a feast in the town.

• The original 1978 Halloween film classic directed by John Carpenter cost just $320,000 to produce, however it ended up making over $50 million at the box office worldwide.

• People have believed for centuries that light keeps away ghosts and ghouls. Making a pumpkin lantern with a candle inside is suppose keep you safe from all the restless spirits flying around on Halloween.

• Halloween traditionally is correctly spelled ….. Hallowe’en.

• When Christianity came to England and the rest of Europe, November 1st became known as “All Saints Day” – a day dedicated to all those saints who didn’t have a special day of their own. They performed a mass called “All hallows mass”. The night before became known as “All Hallows E’en” (translated in America as “All Hallow’s Eve”) and eventually became Hallowe’en or Halloween.

• When the Romans conquered England, they merged ‘Samhain’ with their own festivals, a harvest festival called ‘Poloma’, and a celebration for the dead called ‘Feralia’.

• In Mexico, as well as several other Latin American countries, they celebrate ‘El Dia de los Muertos’ or the Day of the Dead starting on the evening of October 31.

• It is thought that the colors, orange and black, became Halloween colors because orange is associated with harvests (Halloween marks the end of harvest) and black is associated with death.

• Black cats were originally believed to protect witches’ powers from ‘negative forces’.

• A pumpkin is really a squash, and comes from the same family as the cucumber.

• The biggest pumpkin in the world tipped the scales at a whopping 1,446 pounds. This gigantic gourd was weighed in October 2004 at a pumpkin festival in Port Elgin, Ontario, Canada.

• The record for the fastest pumpkin carver in the world is Jerry Ayers of Baltimore, Ohio. He carved a pumpkin in just 37 seconds!

• The very first jack o’ lantern was made out of hollowed out turnips.

• Folklore has it that ringing a bell scares away evil spirits.

• Legend claims that if you see a spider on this particular night, it could be the spirit of a deceased loved one who is watching over you.

• Another folklore tale states that if you care to encounter a witch, put your clothes on inside out and walk backwards on Halloween night.

• Supposedly if your pumpkin lantern shrivels up, you can restore it by soaking it in water overnight to re-hydrate it.

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Here are a couple more Halloween related posts (links) from this blog:

• 240 Halloween Themed Songs: The Ultimate Playlist

• Halloween Traditions Around The World

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Here’s another fun and informative post on Thanksgiving:

• Fascinating Facts Legends Myths & Traditions About Thanksgiving

09/09/09: The Numbers Game

Those who like to play with numbers will have a field day on 09/09/09. On the negative or opposite side of the coin, “Doomsayers” have predicted the end of the world on 09/09/09 – specifically at 9:09 pm. Some even pointed out that the devil’s number of 666 or date of  (06/06/06) was typical of the trickery he is infamous for and people got the date turned upside down (666 turned around is 999).

So whether you consider the date lucky or unlucky … Here are some tidbits, news, events and suggestions for the day……….

09/09/09: The Numbers Game –

• The date falls on a Wednesday in September, both of which have 9 letters.

• September 9 also is the 252nd day of the year. 2+5+2=9

• If you multiply a single-digit number by 9, the resulting two digits add up to 9. Consider: 8×9=72 –> 7+2=9

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Take me out to the ballgame –

More than most, baseball is a game steeped in nines:

• 9 players on the field at one time
• 9 innings in a standard game
• 9 strikes per inning
• 90 feet between bases

You can celebrate by going to one of 15 games that Major League Baseball has on tap on Wednesday. Or you can commemorate along with MLB.com, which is inviting fans to vote for each team’s best players, by season and position, in the All-Time 9s.

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And though the date lacks the pizzazz of the lucky sevens (07/07/07) or (08/08/08), very lucky in many Asian cultures, that isn’t stopping marketers, mathematicians and the marriage-minded from dressing it to the nines.

Hotels are offering discounts, couples are wedding in droves and “9/9/09” was among the top 100 search terms on the search engine Google on Tuesday.

Lottery users will undoubtedly try their luck by playing 999 Wednesday, and a lucky mother might see herself profiled on the news should she give birth at just the right time: 9:09.

So why not get in on the act?

After all, you’re unlikely to experience another single-digit date in your lifetime. The next one won’t roll around for 92 years — until 1/1/2101.

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50 Most Popular Tourist Attractions In The World

Have you ever wondered what tourist attractions and places of interest receive the most visitors worldwide. Well, back in 2007, Forbes Traveler released a ranking of the world’s 50 most visited tourist attractions. This includes both international and domestic tourists. The following list will show you the most popular tourist attractions in the world, based upon the number of visitors. Now obviously those with paid attendance figures will be more precise than those that are free to the public. Some of those listed here are more obvious than others and some may even surprise you.

See how many you’ve heard of or even recognize…..

* Included here for the first time are direct links (whenever possible) to each site for more detailed information. Website links that are listed are English versions (where applicable).

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50 Most Popular Tourist Attractions

In The World

#1 – Times Square

New York City, New York (USA)

Annual Visitors….. 35 million

http://www.timessquarenyc.org/

http://timessquare.com/

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#2 – National Mall & Memorial Parks

Washington, D.C. (USA)

Annual Visitors…..25 million

http://www.nps.gov/NAMA

http://www.nps.gov/mall

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#3 – Disney World’s Magic Kingdom

Lake Buena Vista, Florida (USA)

Annual Visitors…..16.6 million

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/

http://www.wdwinfo.com/

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#4 – Trafalgar Square

London, England (UK)

Annual Visitors…..15 million

http://www.london.gov.uk/trafalgarsquare/

http://www.ionthesquare.co.uk/

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#5 – Disneyland Park

Anaheim, California (USA)

Annual Visitors….. 14.7 million

http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland

http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/disneyland-theme-parks.htm

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#6 – Niagara Falls

Ontario (Canada) & New York (USA)

Annual Visitors….. 14 million

http://www.niagarafallsstatepark.com/

http://www.niagara-usa.com/

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#7 – Fisherman’s Wharf / Golden Gate National Recreation Area

San Francisco, California (USA)

Annual Visitors….. 13 million

http://www.visitfishermanswharf.com/

http://www.nps.gov/goga

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#8 – Tokyo Disneyland / DisneySea

Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture (Japan)

Annual Visitors….. 12.9 million

http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp

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#9 – Notre Dame de Paris

Paris (France)

Annual Visitors….. 12 million

http://www.notredamedeparis.fr/

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#10 – Disneyland Paris

Marne-La-Vallée (France)

Annual Visitors….. 10.6 million

http://www.disneylandparis.com/

http://www.disneylandparis.co.uk

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#11 – Great Wall of China

Badaling (China)

Annual Visitors….. 10 million

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/china_great_wall/

http://www.greatwall-of-china.com/

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#12 – Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Tennessee/North Carolina (USA)

Annual Visitors….. 9.2 million

http://www.nps.gov/grsm

http://www.gatlinburg.com/things-to-do/national-park/

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#13 – Universal Studios Japan

Osaka (Japan)

Annual Visitors….. 8.5 million

http://www.usj.co.jp/e/

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#14 – Basilique du Sacre-Coeur de Montmartre

Paris (France)

Annual Visitors….. 8 million

http://www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com/

http://www.paris.org/Monuments/Sacre.Coeur/

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#15 – Musee du Louvre

Paris (France)

Annual Visitors….. 7.5 million

http://www.louvre.fr/llv/commun/home

http://www.paris.org/Musees/Louvre/

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#16 – Everland

Gyeonggi-Do (South Korea)

Annual Visitors….. 7.5 million

http://www.everland.com/MultiLanguage/english/

http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264235

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#17 – The Forbidden City / Tienanmen Square

Beijing (China)

Annual Visitors…..7 million

http://www.beijingtrip.com/attractions/square.htm

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/beijing/tianan.htm

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#18 – Eiffel Tower

Paris (France)

Annual Visitors….. 6.7 million

http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/teiffel/uk/

http://www.paris.org/Monuments/Eiffel/

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#19 – Universal Studios / Islands of Adventure

Orlando, Florida (USA)

Annual Visitors….. 6 million

http://www.universalorlando.com/amusement-parks/islands-of-adventure.html

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#20 – Sea World Florida

Orlando, Florida (USA)

Annual Visitors….. 5.7 million

http://www.seaworld.com/orlando/

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#21 – Pleasure Beach

Blackpool, Lancashire, England (UK)

Annual Visitors….. 5.7 million

http://www.blackpoolpleasurebeach.com/

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#22 – Lotte World

Seoul (South Korea)

Annual Visitors….. 5.5 million

http://www.lotteworld.com/Global_eng/Main.asp

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#23 – Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise

Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture (Japan)

Annual Visitors….. 5.4 million

http://www.seaparadise.co.jp/english/

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#24 – Hong Kong Disneyland

Lantau Island (Hong Kong)

Annual Visitors….. 5.2 million

http://park.hongkongdisneyland.com/hkdl/en_US/home/home?name=HomePage

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#25 – Centre Pompidou

Paris (France)

Annual Visitors….. 5.1 million

http://www.cnac-gp.fr/

http://www.centrepompidou.fr/

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#26 – Tate Modern

Bankside, London, England (UK)

Annual Visitors….. 4.9 million

http://www.tate.org.uk/

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#27 – British Museum

London, England (UK)

Annual Visitors….. 4.8 million

http://www.britishmuseum.org/

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#28 – Universal Studios

Los Angeles, California (USA)

Annual Visitors….. 4.7 million

http://www.universalstudioshollywood.com/

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#29 – National Gallery

Trafalgar Square, London, England (UK)

Annual Visitors….. 4.6 million

http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/

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#30 – Metropolitan Museum of Art

New York City, New York (USA)

Annual Visitors….. 4.5 million

http://www.metmuseum.org/

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#31 – Grand Canyon National Park

Arizona (USA)

Annual Visitors….. 4.4 million

http://www.nps.gov/grca

http://www.nps.gov/archive/grca/grandcanyon

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#32 – Tivoli Gardens

Copenhagen (Denmark)

Annual Visitors….. 4.4 million

http://tivoli.dk/

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#33 – Ocean Park

Wong Chuk Hang (Hong Kong)

Annual Visitors….. 4.38 million

http://www.oceanpark.com.hk/html/en/home/

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#34 – Busch Gardens

Tampa Bay, Florida (USA)

Annual Visitors….. 4.36 million

http://www.buschgardens.com/BGT2/

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#35 – Sea World San Diego

San Diego, California (USA)

Annual Visitors….. 4.26 million

http://www.seaworld.com/sandiego/

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#36 – Statue of Liberty

Liberty Island / New York Harbor

New York City, New York (USA)

Annual Visitors….. 4.24 million

http://www.nps.gov/STLI

http://www.statueofliberty.org/

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#37 – The Vatican (Vatican Square)

& surrounding museums

Vatican City

Annual Visitors….. 4.2 million

http://www.vatican.va/phome_en.htm

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#38 – Sydney Opera House

Sydney, New South Wales (Australia)

Annual Visitors….. 4 million

http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/

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#39 – The Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheatre)

Rome (Italy)

Annual Visitors….. 4 million

http://www.italyguides.it/us/roma/colosseum.htm

http://www.tickitaly.com/galleries/colosseum-rome-italy.php

http://www.rome.info/about/

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#40 – American Museum of Natural History

New York City, New York (USA)

Annual Visitors….. 4 million

http://www.amnh.org/

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#41 – Grauman’s Chinese Theater

Hollywood, California (USA)

Annual Visitors….. 4 million

http://www.manntheaters.com/chinese/

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#42 – Empire State Building

New York City, New York (USA)

Annual Visitors….. 4 million

http://www.esbnyc.com/tourism/tourism_visitorinfo.cfm

http://www.esbnyc.com/index2.cfm?noflash=1

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#43 – Natural History Museum London

Kensington, London, England (UK)

Annual Visitors….. 3.7 million

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/

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#44 – The London Eye

Lambeth, London, England (UK)

Annual Visitors….. 3.5 million

http://www.londoneye.com/

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#45 – Palace of Versailles

Versailles (France)

Annual Visitors….. 3.45 million

http://en.chateauversailles.fr/homepage

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#46 – Yosemite National Park

California (USA)

Annual Visitors….. 3.44 million

http://www.nps.gov/yose

http://www.yosemitepark.com/

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#47 – Great Pyramid of Giza

Giza (Egypt)

Annual Visitors….. 3 million

http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/giza.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza

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#48 – Pompeii

Campania region (Italy)

Annual Visitors….. 2.5 million

http://www.pompeiisites.org/

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#49 – Hermitage Museum

Saint Petersburg (Russia)

Annual Visitors….. 2.5 million

http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/html_En/index.html

http://www.arthermitage.org/

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#50 – Taj Mahal

Dharmapuri, Forest Colony, Tajganj, Agra, Uttar Pradesh (India)

Annual Visitors….. 2.4 million

http://www.tajmahal.org.uk/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taj_Mahal

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How many of these have you been to?

Which ones would you eventually like to make a trip to see?

Quite a few of you will more than likely recognize many of the attractions listed above and may even be a little surprised that some other well known tourist spots are not included on this list. Then again, many Westerners may not be aware of places like Everland and Lotte World, but these mega-parks in South Korea are very well known on the other side of the world and get the definitely get the visitors.

Based on the research for visitor rankings, France receives more foreign tourists per year than any other country at 76 million. Then comes Spain with 55 million. The United States places 3rd with 50 million and China follows with 47 million. Italy rounds out the top five with 37 million. The United Kingdom is not far behind that. More information regarding the list and how the list was compiled can be found at Forbes.com.

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You may want to check out the following popular post about the most popular tourist attractions within the United States based upon attendance and visitor information provided by office of tourism and park information centers.

Most Popular US Attractions: State By State

*** One of the most popular and visited pages on this site ***

10 Fast Facts About Indian Casinos & Tribal Land

Here are a few fast facts about Native American tribal gaming and Indian Casinos in the United States as well as tribal land and reservation issues:

• Tribes receive $4 of every $10 that Americans wager at casinos.

• Indian casinos earn $26.7 billion in 2008 revenues.

• There are 425 Indian gaming facilities operating in the US and growing fast.

• 240 tribes operate casinos in the US.

• Indian gaming operates in 28 states.

• Indian gaming provides 346,000 jobs and pays $11.2 billion in wages.

• Indian gaming pays $1.3 billion in taxes to federal, state, local governments.

• Indian casinos and Native Americans living on reservations are not required to pay state taxes as long as they make their money on tribal lands. The federal government can tax individual Indians, but not tribal government revenues.

• Sovereign status exempts tribal members from paying state income tax if they live and work on the reservation, but they still must pay federal income tax.

• The biggest impact for tribal members and for the tribe at large is that their land can be placed in trust, meaning that it is not subject to property tax.

Source: National Indian Gaming Commission http://www.nigc.gov

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Indian Casinos of California

Most Popular US Attractions: State By State

Should anyone be planning any family vacations, excursions or road trips in the near future or even planning ahead for the holidays, this “numbers survey” might give you an idea of what others have done over recent years. There could be some helpful tips here or just a guide for your planning of where to go, what to see, places to shop, places to visit, camping opportunities, or just the opposite, what to stay away from if you’re looking to avoid crowds. The places listed here could also give you some research ideas ….. searching for more information online.

The information collected below has come from various sources including statistics from the National Park Service, state tourism offices, listed attraction’s own websites, Wikipedia (only as a last result) and other statistical websites. The attendance figures are based upon annual visitors to the attractions (some are exact figures while others are rounded off or estimated). Keep in mind that in determining the top attraction draws, the tourism industry is very controversial as well as competitive in it’s methods.

Listings Are Alphabetically – State By State

Use the links provided for easy access and navigation!

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*** For additional information, as well as your convenience, link(s) have been included underneath each listing. These links should lead you directly to the attraction’s website, the local city or state office of tourism, the state or national park service or another informative resource.

Most Popular Attractions in the USA

 

 ALABAMA

United States Space & Rocket Center

Huntsville, AL

Annual Visitors — 509,000

http://www.spacecamp.com/museum/

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/home/index.html

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ALASKA

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park

Skagway, AK

Annual Visitors — 935,940

http://www.nps.gov/klgo

http://www.travelalaska.com/Regions/ParksDetail.aspx?ParkID=

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 ARIZONA

Grand Canyon National Park

Northwestern Arizona

Annual Visitors — 4,425,314

http://www.nps.gov/grca/

http://www.thecanyon.com/

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ARKANSAS

Hot Springs National Park

near Hot Springs, AR

Annual Visitors — 1,238,147

http://www.nps.gov/hosp/

http://www.arkansas.com/state-federal-parks/national-federal-parks/hot-springs.aspx

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CALIFORNIA

Disneyland Park

Anaheim, CA

Annual Visitors — 14,721,000

Disneyland

http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/disneyland-theme-parks.htm

* great site for Disney history & nostalgia >> Yesterland

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COLORADO

Rocky Mountain National Park

near Estes Park, CO

Annual Visitors — 2,757,390

http://www.nps.gov/romo

http://rockymountainnationalpark.com/

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CONNECTICUT

Hammonasset Beach State Park

Madison, CT

Annual Visitors — 1,9000,000

http://www.ct.gov/dEP/cwp/view.asp?A=2716&Q=325210

http://www.friendsctstateparks.org/parks/hammonasset_beach.htm

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DELAWARE

Delaware Seashore State Park

Rehoboth Beach, DE

Annual Visitors — 1,200,000

http://www.destateparks.com/park/delaware-seashore/

http://www.beach-net.com/Parkdelshore.html

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FLORIDA

Walt Disney World / Magic Kingdom Park

Lake Buena Vista, FL

Annual Visitors — 17,063,000

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/

http://www.wdwinfo.com/

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GEORGIA

Stone Mountain Park

Atlanta, GA

Annual Visitors — 4,000,000

http://www.stonemountainpark.com/

http://www.atlanta.net/visitors/stone-mountain.html

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HAWAII

Waikiki Beach

Honolulu – Island of Oahu, HI

Annual Visitors — 3,670,000

http://www.waikikibeachwalk.com/

http://www.gohawaii.com/oahu/plan/things_to_do_on_oahu/attractions/points_of_interest/waikiki

http://www.aloha.com/~lifeguards/waikiki.html

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IDAHO

Silverwood Theme Park

Athol, ID

Annual Visitors — 558,000

http://www.silverwoodthemepark.com/

http://www.visitidaho.org/thingstodo/view-attraction.aspx?id=31026

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ILLINOIS

Navy Pier

Chicago, IL

Annual Visitors — 8,600,000

http://www.navypier.com/

http://www.chicagotraveler.com/chicago-navy-pier.htm

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INDIANA

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

Lake Michigan’s south shore (near Porter, IN)

Annual Visitors — 1,833,596

http://www.nps.gov/INDU

http://www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm

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IOWA

Amana Colonies (National Historic Landmark)

Amana, IA

Annual Visitors — 800,000

http://www.amanacolonies.com/

http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/amana/

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KANSAS

Flint Hills Tall Grass Prairie (National Preserve)

near Strong City, KS

Annual Visitors — 250,000

http://www.nps.gov/tapr/

http://flinthillstallgrass.org/

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KENTUCKY

Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area

Between Lake Barkley & Kentucky Lake (Kentucky/Tennessee)

Annual Visitors — 1,259,773

http://www.lbl.org/Home.html

http://www.tnvacation.com/vendors/land_between_the_lakes_national_recreation_area

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LOUISIANA

The French Quarter

New Orleans, LA

Annual Visitors — 5,000,000

http://frenchquarter.com/

http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/fq/

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MAINE

L.L. Bean Flagship Store

Freeport, ME

Annual Visitors — 3,500,000

http://www.llbean.com/shop/retailStores/freeportFlagshipStore/flagship/flagship.html

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MARYLAND

Assateague Island National Seashore

Assateague Island (a barrier island along the Maryland & Virginia coast)

Annual Visitors — 2,011,438

http://www.assateagueisland.com/

http://www.nps.gov/asis/

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MASSACHUSETTS

Faneuil Hall Marketplace (Quincy Market)

Boston, MA

Annual Visitors — 20,000,000

http://www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com/

http://www.faneuilhall.com/

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MICHIGAN

The Henry Ford Museum (Edison Institute/Greenfield Village)

Dearborn, MI

Annual Visitors — 1,500,000

http://www.hfmgv.org/

http://www.thehenryford.org/

http://www.michigan.gov/hal/0,1607,7-160-15481_19267_20424-54578–,00.html

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MINNESOTA

Mall of America

Bloomington, MN

(additional photo at bottom of this post)

Annual Visitors — 40,000,000

http://www.mallofamerica.com/

http://www.bloomingtonmn.org/page/1/mall-of-america.jsp

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MISSISSIPPI

Natchez Trace Parkway (National Park Service)

444 mile long parkway stretching from Natchez, MS to Pasquo, TN

Annual Visitors — 4,200,000

http://www.nps.gov/natr/

http://www.byways.org/explore/byways/2285/

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MISSOURI

Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Arch

St. Louis, MO

Annual Visitors — 1,954,810

http://www.nps.gov/jeff/

http://www.gatewayarch.com/Arch/

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MONTANA

Yellowstone National Park

NW Wyoming (predominantly), SW Montana, E Idaho

Annual Visitors — 2,000,000

http://www.nps.gov/yell/

http://www.travelyellowstone.com/

http://www.yellowstonenationalpark.com/

http://www.yellowstonepark.com/

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NEBRASKA

Henry Doorly Zoo (Riverview Park)

Omaha, NE

Annual Visitors — 1,388,014

http://www.omahazoo.com/

http://www.visitomaha.com/listings/index.cfm?action=display&listingID=57137

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NEVADA

Las Vegas Strip

Las Vegas, NV

Annual Visitors — 30,000,000

http://www.vegas.com/attractions/

http://www.visitlasvegas.com/vegas/index.jsp

http://www.lasvegasmaps.com/stripmap.html

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NEW HAMPSHIRE

White Mountain National Forest

New Hampshire/Maine

Annual Visitors — 5,000,000

http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/white_mountain/

http://www.visitwhitemountains.com/

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NEW JERSEY

Atlantic City Boardwalk

Atlantic City, NJ

Annual Visitors — 4,000,000

http://www.atlanticcitynj.com/visitors/thingstodo/attractions/boardwalktour.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_City,_New_Jersey

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NEW MEXICO

Albuquerque Biological Park (BioPark)

Albuquerque, NM

Annual Visitors — 1,123,000

http://www.cabq.gov/biopark/

http://www.bioparksociety.org/aquarium

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NEW YORK

 

 

Times Square

Manhattan/New York City

Annual Visitors — 37,600,000

http://www.timessquarenyc.org/

http://timessquare.com/

http://timessquare.nyctourist.com/

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NORTH CAROLINA

Blue Ridge Parkway (National Park Service)

469 mile National Parkway along the Blue Ridge Range of the Appalachian Mountains through North Carolina & Virginia

Annual Visitors — 10,943,831

http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/

http://www.virtualblueridge.com/

http://www.nps.gov/blri/

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NORTH DAKOTA

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

near Medora, ND

Annual Visitors — 516,804

http://www.nps.gov/thro/

https://www.ndtourism.com/whatdo/attractions/attraction-details.asp?AID=990

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OHIO

Cedar Point Amusement Park

Sandusky, OH

Annual Visitors — 3,200,000

http://www.cedarpoint.com/

http://wikitravel.org/en/Cedar_Point

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OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma City National Memorial

Oklahoma City, OK

Annual Visitors — 500,000

http://www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/

http://www.nps.gov/okci/

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OREGON

Crater Lake National Park

South Central Oregon

Annual Visitors — 415,686

http://www.nps.gov/crla/

http://www.oregon.com/trips/craterlake.cfm

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PENNSYLVANIA

 

Independence National Historic Park (Independence Hall)

Philadelphia, PA

Annual Visitors — 4,076,638

http://www.nps.gov/inde/planyourvisit/index.htm

http://www.independencevisitorcenter.com/

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RHODE ISLAND

 

 

Roger Williams Park Zoo

Providence, RI

Annual Visitors — 505,409

http://www.rogerwilliamsparkzoo.org/

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SOUTH CAROLINA 

 

Broadway At The Beach

(entertainment/shopping complex)

Myrtle Beach, SC

Annual Visitors — 14,000,000

http://www.broadwayatthebeach.com/

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SOUTH DAKOTA

 

Mount Rushmore National Memorial

near Keystone, SD

Annual Visitors — 1,789,328

http://www.nps.gov/moru

http://www.mountrushmoreinfo.com/

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TENNESSEE

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Tennessee/North Carolina

Annual Visitors — 6,940,000

http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/index.htm

http://www.gatlinburg.com/things-to-do/national-park/

http://www.tnvacation.com/vendors/great_smoky_mountains_national_park/

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TEXAS

San Antonio River Walk (Paseo del Rio)

San Antonio, TX

Annual Visitors — 5,100,000

http://www.thesanantonioriverwalk.com/

http://www.sanantonioriverwalk.com/

http://www.visitsanantonio.com/visitors/play/the-river-walk/index.aspx

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UTAH

Temple Square

Salt Lake City

Annual Visitors — 5,000,000

http://www.visittemplesquare.com/

http://www.utah.com/mormon/temple_square.htm

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VERMONT

Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory

Waterbury, VT

Annual Visitors — 293,000

http://www.benjerry.com/scoop-shops/factory-tours/

http://www.central-vt.com/web/benjerry/index.html

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VIRGINIA

 

Blue Ridge Parkway (National Park Service)

469 mile National Parkway along the Blue Ridge Range of the Appalachian Mountains through North Carolina & Virginia

Annual Visitors — 5,365,474

http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/

http://www.virtualblueridge.com/

http://www.nps.gov/blri/

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WASHINGTON

Pike Place Market

Seattle, WA

Annual Visitors — 10,000,000

http://www.pikeplacemarket.org/frameset.asp?flash=true

http://www.seattletravel.com/pikesplacemarket.html

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WEST VIRGINIA

New River Gorge National River

southern West Virginia

Annual Visitors — 1,212,854

http://www.nps.gov/neri

http://www.visitwv.com/companies/165/176

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WISCONSIN

Devil’s Lake State Park

near Baraboo, WI

Annual Visitors — 1,300,000

http://www.devilslakewisconsin.com/

http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/ORG/LAND/PARKS/specific/devilslake/

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WYOMING

Yellowstone National Park

NW Wyoming (predominantly), SW Montana, E Idaho

Annual Visitors — 3,066,579

http://www.nps.gov/yell/

http://www.travelyellowstone.com/

http://www.yellowstonenationalpark.com/

http://www.yellowstonepark.com/

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WASHINGTON DC

National Mall & Memorial Parks

Washington, D.C.

Annual Visitors — 25,000,000

http://www.nps.gov/NAMA

http://www.nps.gov/mall

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Additional Useful Travel Links on this Site

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The World’s Most Popular Tourist Attractions according to attendance records – Lots of pictures included here with direct links to the featured listings – Here is the link…..

►50 Most Popular Tourist Attractions In The World

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The Best National & State Parks in the USA is worth a look for planning your next camping trip – Pictures of the parks are featured as well as direct links to the featured parks – Here is the link…..

►Best National & State Parks in the USA

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Nostalgia-minded Remembering Lost & Forgotten Roadside Tourist Attractions & Amusement Parks On The West Coast is an older post (May/2009) that is still being updated and worth checking out – now featuring almost 200 fun and memorable roadside attractions, amusement parks and kitschy tourist traps of years past that no longer exist today. Definitely a trip down memory lane — See how many you had been to and still remember – Lots of pictures are featured here with many historical and fan club links to the featured attractions – Here is the link …..

Remembering Lost & Forgotten Roadside Tourist Attractions & Amusement Parks On The West Coast

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Below is another picture inside the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota which annually draws over 40,000,000 visitors for shopping, entertainment, dining and people watching.