Survey Question: If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be?
BRJ INC./Via Flickr
A recent LivingSocial survey posed this question to 5,600 people, mostly Americans, and the results revealed an interesting mix of historical sites, natural wonders and the expected tourist meccas.
And, it just so happens that EF offers tours to all 10 of the top dream destinations.
So, without further ado, here’s the top 10 countdown:
10. Great Wall of China: Turns out you can’t see the 3,889-mile-long wall from space, but you can’t miss it up close and in person. Beijing and the Great Wall of China is one of several EF tours that take you there.
9. Leaning Tower of Pisa: It would never get past building inspectors today, but this lopsided tribute to design flaw is a certified hit with visitors to Italy. To see it for yourself, try the Paris, Florence and Venice tour.
8. Buckingham Palace: British monarchs have called this place home since 1837, and for good reason. It features 775 rooms (including 78 bathrooms), 1,514 doors, 760 windows, a post office, cinema and swimming pool (of course). You might see the Changing of the Guard on the Dublin and London tour.
7. Grand Canyon: Carved ever-so-slowly over the past 17 million years by the Colorado River, the Grand Canyon is the first of three U.S. destinations to make the list. Smithsonian Student Travel, which offers domestic tours operated by EF, takes students there on the Grand Canyon Adventure.
6. Las Vegas: OK, so the survey targeted adults. But even if gambling isn’t your thing, “Glitter Gulch” is still worth seeing. And when you visit with Smithsonian Student Travel’s Los Angeles and the Grand Canyon tour, what happens in Vegas doesn’t have to stay in Vegas.
5. Disney World: At the other end of America’s cultural spectrum is the land of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Buzz Lightyear. Smithsonian Student Travel’s tour,
Florida: Adventures in the Sunshine State, kicks off with a visit to Epcot Center.
4. The Colosseum: Home to gladiatorial contests, mock sea battles, animal hunts and Billy Joel concerts (OK, he played just outside the walls), the Colosseum in Rome has been thrilling the masses for centuries. Experience Italy is one of many EF tours that take you inside.
3. Pyramids of Giza: The Pyramid of Cheops, the largest of the three Pyramids of Giza, was the world’s tallest man-made structure for more than 3,800 years. Not a bad run. Cast your gaze upward on the Egypt and the Nile tour.
2. Eiffel Tower: “Useless and monstrous … a gigantic black factory chimney … this odious column of bolted metal.” That’s how the Eiffel Tower was described in a petition protesting its construction in 1887. Apparently they didn’t get enough signatures. Enjoy the view from the top on the London, Paris and Rome tour.
Kyle Taylor/Via Flickr
1. Great Barrier Reef: You were probably wondering why there weren’t any destinations that included sandy beaches and sparkling blue water. Well, survey respondents saved the best for last, naming Australia’s 133,000-square-mile coral reef system as their top world wonder to visit. See if you agree after taking the Sydney to the Great Barrier Reef tour.
If YOU could visit any place in the world, where would it be?
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