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America’s Top Patriotic Attractions

by Sandy Mitchell on June 26th, 2008

Just in time for July 4th, Trip Advisor, the world’s largest travel community, has announced their top 10 picks for American patriotic attractions. There are some predictable choices, such as the Statue of Liberty and Arlington National Cemetery, outside of Washington DC, but there are also some surprises (at least to me), such as the National Archives in Washington. Below is the complete list:

1. Statue of Liberty in New York City. A gift from the French government to celebrate America’s first 100 years, the statue has been a beacon for generations of immigrants.

2. Freedom Trail in Boston. This two-and-a-half mile path connects 16 significant US historical sites, including the Old North Church, the Old State House, the site of the Boston Massacre, and the Bunker Hill Monument. Plus, walking the trail is free.

3. Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia. This historical site is home to Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. It’s where the country was born.

4. National Archives Building in Washington DC. This free attraction, located just north of the Capitol Building is home to the original “Declaration of Independence,” “The Constitution,” and the “Bill of Rights,” among many, many other important documents.

5. Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. Located just across the Potomac River from Washington DC, this national cemetery is the final resting place to more than 290,000 heros, including President John F. Kennedy, General Omar Bradley, Admiral William Halsey, and General George Patton.

6. Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. This striking and famous memorial at the end of the Washington Mall features a 20-foot statue of the United States’ 16th president. The inside walls are inscribed with the words from his “Gettysburg Address” and second inaugural address.

7. The United States Service Academies. West Point, the Naval Academy at Annapolis, and the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs all welcome visitors. Says one TripAdvisor respondent,, visiting these academies “is a peek into a kind of life that requires more than many of us are willingn to give on a daily basis.”

8. Mount Rushmore National Memorial in Keystone, SD. This famous 60-foot, mountainside carving was completed in 1941 and pays homage to four influential presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. Like the Grand Canyon, pictures just don’t do it justice. You have to see it in person.

9. Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, MA. Located just south of Boston, this re-creation of the original Plymouth Colony shows how the Pilgrims lived during the 1600s. Visitors can also board the Mayflower II, a reproduction of the original Mayflower vessel.

10. Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, VA (pictured above). This living history museum, founded by John Rockefeller Jr. in the 1920s, features dozens of original, restored buildings and dwelling from the early 18th century, when Williamsburg was the capital of Colonial Virginia.

^{(photo courtesy of Colonial Williamsburg)}

Tags: arlington cemetery, Independence Day, july 4th, statue of liberty, williamsburg

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