AAA Members’ Choice Award Winners
Announcing the best places to travel—and more—according to AAA members like you
If there’s one thing we know about AAA members, it’s that they love to travel. In fact, AAA members are among the most well-traveled people on the planet. What’s new to us is learning about some of the places that keep calling you back or the ones that you’ve placed on your “someday” list. Reading the responses in our first-ever AAA Members’ Choice Awards survey has been a fascinating exercise for all of us, and we thank you for participating.
In the following pages, we reveal the top three members’ choices in six categories: dream destination, major US city, national park, tropical island, theme park and large-hub airport.
Read on to find out how your favorites fared—and, who knows, maybe some of your fellow members’ top picks will serve as inspiration for your next trip!
Dream Destination
1. Cross-Country Road Trip
Who in their right mind would want to pack up the whole family to drive for days on a cross-country road trip? Clearly, a lot of us.
After all, there are national parks, quaint towns, roadside diners, electric cities and unforgettable views to discover along the way. And there are Twizzlers and Cheetos to devour while playing classic road trip games like I Spy and the License Plate Game.
If you’re planning to take a road trip, you’ll be following in the tire tracks of Horatio Nelson Jackson, who took the first cross-country road trip in 1903. (It took him 63 days.) You should also pay homage to President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who approved funding for the interstate highway system in 1956.
Enjoy the drive!
2. Australia / New Zealand
Most of us have seen the Sydney Opera House and Uluru/Ayers Rock in photographs, and many are familiar with the epic landscapes of New Zealand thanks to The Lord of the Rings movies. But to see these places in person? That’s the dream for many AAA members. Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef and seeing animals like kangaroos and wallabies in the wild were also high on the list of must-dos Down Under.
3. Hawai‘i
As one survey respondent noted, a trip to Hawai‘i is “the epitome of a tropical vacation.” Blue waters, blue sky, breathtaking scenery plus historical and cultural attractions galore. For more about this amazing state, see the tropical island winners.
Favorite Major US City
1. New York City & Charleston, South Carolina
This question ended in a tie—and the cities could not be more different. On one hand, AAA members thrill to the excitement of the City That Never Sleeps with its population of 8.1 million and its nonstop energy. On the other, they appreciate the “Southern charm” of Charleston—almost a small town by New York standards with its population of just 157,000.
What appeals to our members in each city?
Well, in New York, Broadway comes to mind for many, luring us with blockbusters such as Six and Wicked and newcomers like A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical. And then, of course, there’s the plethora of museums—from The Met and MoMA to the American Museum of Natural History to the somber experience of visiting the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. Outdoor spaces like Central Park are juxtaposed with the drama of skyscrapers and pedestrian-filled sidewalks. And we can’t forget the world of cuisines, which had many survey respondents licking their lips.
One member simply wrote: “Best city in the world!”
Charleston wins over the hearts of our members for many reasons. For starters, it’s steeped in history with a wealth of museums, monuments and meticulously preserved mansions plucked out of the 1800s. Charleston also serves up world-class dining with Lowcountry dishes best enjoyed along a palmetto-tree-lined cobblestone street. Then, factor in the city’s stunning coastal location on the harbor and its easy-to-navigate size. But most of all, our members love the city’s quintessentially Southern hospitality.
One member summed up Charleston’s tourism trifecta best: “Just so beautiful, great food and friendly people.”
2. Washington, DC
Our nation’s capital could easily be called The Land of the Free. In this case, we’re referring to free admission at all the national monuments and memorials, as well as at the host of Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo. Members also noted that DC is a walkable city, has great neighborhoods and is a foodie’s dream.
Favorite National Park
1. Yellowstone National Park
On March 1, 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act, giving the nation its first national park. Yellowstone is a remarkable place that defines the concept of public land conservation.
It boasts more than half of the world’s geysers, an ecosystem shaped by extreme heat from an active supervolcano. The park’s natural wonders include Old Faithful, the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River, the Grand Prismatic Spring and Mammoth Hot Springs.
Often referred to as “The Serengeti of North America,” Yellowstone is home to the largest concentration of mammals in the contiguous US. Elk, wolves, bison and grizzly bears are among the highly prized photography subjects here.
“The diverse wildlife and natural beauty are so unique,” one survey respondent wrote. “Yellowstone defines the USA as the most beautiful place on Earth!”
2. Grand Canyon National Park
Encompassing 278 miles of the Colorado River and adjacent uplands, the Grand Canyon is one of the world’s most magnificent examples of erosion. Most travelers visit the South Rim, which is the view of the Grand Canyon most often seen in travel magazines, on the big screen and on television. The North Rim has a limited season due to winter snowfall, but it’s no less gorgeous and a lot less crowded.
“It’s as if God took His finger and made the Grand Canyon. The beauty is breathtaking,” wrote one member.
3. Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Ridge upon ridge of forest between North Carolina and Tennessee make up Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Thanks in large part to the region’s heavy rainfall, it’s the most biologically diverse of the US national parks.
“Stunning” is how one member described it.
Tropical Island or Island Chain You Most Want to Visit
1. Hawai‘i
The 50th state makes its second appearance as a top vote-getter in our survey. AAA members want to walk along the beaches and swim in the warm ocean waters, to witness the dramatic scenery at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and pay their respects at Pearl Harbor National Memorial, to climb Diamond Head and see soothing waterfalls, and to feast on fresh tropical fruit, poke and other traditional Hawaiian fare. The islands’ unique and fragile ecosystems include the highest number of endangered and threatened native plant and animal species in the world. That’s why native Hawaiians and Hawai‘i locals ask that the more than 9 million annual visitors join them in caring for the land. For tourists, that might look like visiting a botanical garden or farm, using certified eco-friendly tour and activity operators, patronizing local businesses, and even volunteering to plant trees.
2. US Virgin Islands
No passport, no problem for American citizens traveling to the USVI from the US states. Three main islands supply dreamy white-sand beaches and a fusion of cultures. St. Thomas, with capital city Charlotte Amalie, offers the most amenities, while a national park preserves two-thirds of the 3-by-9-mile island of St. John. The largest island of the archipelago is 27-mile-long St. Croix, with two historic towns and three national park units. —By MeLinda Schnyder
3. Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Islands
The Great Barrier Reef—the world’s largest collection of coral reefs—is also home to 900 islands. While many are uninhabited, others make a great jumping-off point for exploring the reef. Numerous members noted a sense of urgency to see this natural wonder “before it’s gone.”
Favorite US Theme Park
1. Cedar Point
Widely known as the Roller Coaster Capital of the World (the park has 18 scream machines), Cedar Point has been thrilling guests for more than 150 years. Featuring more than 70 rides, Cedar Point is located on the southern shore of Lake Erie in Sandusky, Ohio. “Best roller coaster park in the country,” said one fan.
While monster coasters like Steel Vengeance and Millennium Force have garnered the park worldwide press, Cedar Point also offers family-friendly rides, live shows, a mile-long beach, two marinas, and indoor and outdoor water parks.
Overnight guests will find lots of hotel options in the area, but the real gem is Hotel Breakers. Built in 1905, the resort hotel sits on the waterfront just a short walk from park entrances.
2. Magic Kingdom
Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom park scored big for its nostalgic experiences, from family-centric rides and shows, to fantasy-infused décor, to character meet-and-greets for little princesses and pirates. Taking center stage, Cinderella Castle is an iconic family-photo backdrop, and classic rides like It’s a Small World and Space Mountain have long been considered rites of passage among park-goers. As one member put it, Disney has a way of making “you feel young again!”
It’s no wonder that the Magic Kingdom is the most-visited theme park in the world.
3. EPCOT
EPCOT in Walt Disney World appeals with its world’s fair atmosphere highlighting technology, progress—and great food. Survey respondents noted that World Showcase is their favorite attraction for its food-and-beverage offerings that give visitors a taste of the world.
Favorite Airport
1. BWI: Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
Located 9 miles south of downtown Baltimore and 32 miles northeast of Washington, DC, BWI is the busiest airport in the nation’s capital region, serving more than 27 million travelers annually with 90 nonstop destinations in the US and abroad. Kudos for the airport include ranking eighth best among regional airports in North America in the Skytrax 2024 World Airport Awards.
AAA members give BWI props for its ease of access, logical layout, prompt ground transportation and smooth TSA experience.
2. PHL: Philadelphia International Airport
In 2023, more than 28 million passengers traveled through PHL, which serves 123 nonstop destinations. The airport has undergone more than $2.2 billion in capital improvements since 2000, and the travel press has taken notice. MarketWatch and Business Traveler recently named it among the best airports for layovers, and it’s also been lauded as family friendly.
3. CVG: Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
CVG, which serves more than 50 destinations nonstop, not only ranked third among North America’s Best Regional Airports in the 2024 Skytrax Awards but also took the number 10 spot among the World’s Best Regional Airports.