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Every State‘s Dream Travel Destination, Mapped

Which destinations are Americans most eager to visit in 2025? Explore this map to find out.
ByCaLea Johnson|
Which destination does your state want to travel to?
Which destination does your state want to travel to? | Google Trends

In a country as diverse as the United States, it’s no surprise that people have a range of preferences when it comes to travel. But where exactly are most Americans hoping to jet off to? The answer varies by state.

Analysts from Google Trends created a map that highlights the most popular travel destinations for residents of each state. The map is based on data collected from January 1, 2025, to February 27, 2025. The analysts used the phrase flights to to determine which destinations people in every state were searching for the most. (Uniquely searched is classified as a term overrepresented—or searched twice as much—in a state’s search interest compared to the rest of the country.)

Travel destination map per state
The dream destinations of the U.S. are pretty diverse. | Google Trends

It’s clear that most Americans want to travel overseas, with people in 20 states searching for such vacations. People in four states looked up flights to Central American countries; Caribbean destinations also proved popular. Asian countries, like Japan and Thailand, are also common choices. Japan is the most desired overseas destination, with Californians, Hawaiians, and South Dakotans wanting to visit.

People in many states set their sights on the U.S. when planning their travel. Fourteen states have American cities as their vacation spot. Las Vegas—a popular pick for North Dakota, Minnesota, and New Mexico—was one of the most favored choices. Meanwhile, those in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire wanted to visit Orlando, Florida. 

Vacations in tropical states proved fairly popular, with people in Montana, Utah, and Nevada searching for flights to Hawaii and those in Michigan, Indiana, and Kentucky looking up flights to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Some states crave mountainous scenery rather than beaches. Residents in Arizona and Alabama wanted the greenery in Seattle and Denver. On the contrary, travelers in five states seem to prefer the desert. Residents of Washington, Montana, Iowa, and Kansas have Phoenix, Arizona, at the top of their list, while those in Alaska set their sights on Tucson, Arizona.

You can find an enlarged version of the map here.

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