Google’s Year in Search 2024: Travel Edition

It’s that time of year! Google’s Year in Search 2024 is out now, and we’re looking into all the top trending travel searches and keywords people have searched this past year. 

This year, people searched for top hiking areas to focus on active adventuring, searched for the best babymoon destinations to consider one last trip before parenthood and researched where in the world are the best places to visit as a solo traveler. 

The full travel categories are down below. Each list begins with the top trending search, so the ones you see first are the places, parks and attractions people have been researching the most this year. 

Google Maps: Top Hiking Areas

According to Google Maps, travelers searched for some incredible places to inspire their wanderlust and get some great use out of those hiking boots they purchased on a whim during the pandemic. They prioritized researching accessible parks with ample natural beauty. The top search? New York’s Dater Mountain Nature Park! 

1. Dater Mountain Nature Park
2. Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area
3. Garden of the Gods
4. Looking Glass Falls
5. Diamond Head Crater Trailhead
6. The Wave
7. Hole in the Rock
8. Annie’s Canyon Trail
9. Devil’s Bridge Trailhead
10. Peekamoose Blue Hole

Google Maps: Top Visitor Attractions

The Sphere in Las Vegas (Photo Credit: Sphere Entertainment)

While hiking is a newer trend, these iconic locations, like San Francisco’s PIER 39 or Chicago’s Navy Pier, are just as popular. Travelers searched on Google Maps to discover where they’re located, what they look like, and to find more information about visiting them. The top search? Las Vegas’s unique Sphere entertainment center. 

1. Sphere
2. Navy Pier
3. Edge NYC
4. Kentucky Horse Park
5. Willis Tower
6. PIER 39
7. Fantastic Caverns
8. Luray Caverns
9. Kemah Boardwalk
10. Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign

Google Maps: Top Stadiums

What’s one thing in travel that boomed this year, over and above others? Entertainment tourism! Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour was one of the most talked about global events of the year, so it’s so surprise that people have been scouring the Internet for information on stadiums and their many annual events, whether they be sports-related or entertainment-related. The top trending search? New York’s Madison Square Garden. 

1. Madison Square Garden
2. Yankee Stadium
3. MetLife Stadium
4. Barclays Center
5. Hard Rock Stadium
6. Citi Field
7. Wrigley Field
8. Fenway Park
9. SoFi Stadium
10. Nassau County International Cricket Stadium

US National Parks

National parks are beloved in the United States, and Google saw quite a lot of interest in travelers researching them this year, but the top trending might just surprise you: the most popular in visitation aren’t the top trending this year: Crater Lake National Park, Mount Rainier National Park and Kobuk Valley National Park are. 

1. Crater Lake National Park
2. Mount Rainier National Park
3. Kobuk Valley National Park
4. North Cascades National Park
5. Isle Royale National Park
6. Gateway Arch National Park
7. Gates of the Arctic National Park
8. Acadia National Park
9. Grand Canyon National Park
10. Grand Teton National Park

Babymoon Destinations

Seen as a last trip before the busy stage of parenthood begins, and often for new parents-to-be, Google saw a lot of trending searches for domestic and closer-to-home destinations for babymoons this year. Most notably, the top were Key West, Ojai and Maui, all offering beautiful beaches and plenty of sunshine.  

1. Key West, FL
2. Ojai, CA
3. Maui, HI
4. Turks and Caicos
5. San Diego, CA
6. Sedona, AZ
7. Scottsdale, AZ
8. Palm Springs, CA
9. New Orleans, LA
10. Bermuda

Honeymoon Destinations

Jackson Hole, Wyoming (Photo Credit: jovannig/Adobe Stock)

Honeymoons are still going strong, but the top trending honeymoon destination searches aren’t just resorts in Mexico anymore: nope, the top three are Jackson Hole, the Big Island of Hawaii and Madeira, Portugal. 

1. Jackson Hole, WY
2. Big Island, HI
3. Madeira
4. Banff
5. Islamorada
6. Puglia
7. Mallorca
8. Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
9. Grand Cayman
10. Turks and Caicos

Destinations

Overall, travelers have been searching for some interesting destinations, getting to know some closer-to-home second cities like Asheville, North Carolina while researching some lesser-known places like Indonesia’s Gili Islands or American Samoa. Those are definitely worth a few Google searches! 

1. Gili Islands
2. Washington, DC
3. Miami, FL
4. Amsterdam
5. Asheville, NC
6. Banff
7. American Samoa
8. Canary Islands
9. Turks and Caicos
10. Azores

Solo Vacations

Solo travel is huge right now! With so many people interested in traveling without having someone to travel with, research is a key component to this travel style. Trending solo trip searches include adventurous destinations like Bali, Glacier National Park and Machu Picchu. 

1. Bali
2. Glacier National Park
3. Machu Picchu
4. San Juan, Puerto Rico
5. Savannah, GA
6. Puerto Vallarta
7. Deadwood, SD
8. Amsterdam
9. Badlands National Park
10. Jekyll Island, GA

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