3 CA Landmarks Make Tripadvisor's 2025 'Best Of The Best' List

California earned multiple spots across various categories in Tripadvisor’s newly released 2025 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards — but it stood out most in the Top Attractions category.

Every year, Tripadvisor recognizes destinations, hotels, restaurants and things to do around the world based on user reviews and ratings collected over the year.

"The 2025 winners are a celebration of everything we did last year — all the places we discovered and all the times we just said 'yes' to new adventures," according to Tripadvisor.

Out of the site's 8 million listings, less than 1 percent make the list each year, the company said.

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Three California attractions earned top honors in the "Top Attractions" subcategory of the awards' Things To Do list.

"From natural wonders to man-made marvels, these are the most-loved attractions in the world — according to the travelers who ‘ooh-ed’ and 'ahh-ed' at them," Tripadvisor said.

Here's how Golden State attractions ranked. San Francisco’s Alcatraz Island secured the No. 10 spot for its storied past and eerie allure, followed by the iconic Golden Gate Bridge at No. 19, celebrated for its sweeping views, historic Civil War ties, and architectural beauty. Down in Los Angeles, Griffith Observatory landed at No. 25, offering visitors a blend of stargazing, science, and panoramic cityscapes.

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The three destinations represent iconic landmarks in California’s two bookending cities: Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Alcatraz Island

While admission to the historic prison is free, you'll have to get there by ferry, which does cost money. Tickets for a day trip to the island start at $49.95. Purchase tickets here. The historic prison is open year-round except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. More information here.

Golden Gate Bridge

Visiting the Golden Gate Bridge is free for pedestrians and cyclists, though southbound drivers into San Francisco must pay a toll, according to the Golden Gate Bridge Transportation District. The San Francisco Public Library offers free weekly history walking tours of the bridge, and both ends connect to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area — one of the world’s largest urban national parks. Visitors can explore nearby trails, take in views from the new Golden Gate and Pacific Overlooks, and tour Fort Point, a Civil War-era brick fortress tucked beneath the bridge’s southern end. More information here.

Griffith Observatory

Perched on the southern slope of Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park, the free-to-enter Griffith Observatory offers sweeping views of Los Angeles along with more than 60 indoor exhibits exploring astronomy, science and art. The planetarium hosts a range of low-cost shows daily, and visitors can also enjoy public access to Zeiss and solar telescopes, available for daytime and nighttime viewing. More information here.

Here are the top 10 attractions that made the U.S., according to the ranking:

1. NASA Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Florida
2. Empire State Building, New York
3. Sun Studio, Tennessee
4. Central Park, New York
5. Stetson Mansion, Florida
6. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Florida
7. Brooklyn Bridge, New York
8. National Museum of World War II Aviation, Colorado
9. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
10. Alcatraz Island, San Francisco

See the Travelers' Choice Awards Best of the Best 2025.