Short days, colder weather and post-holiday fatigue can make winter feel like a difficult season to push through. For many travellers, planning a last-minute experience - whether that’s an iconic city landmark or an immersive theme park escape like Universal Orlando Resort - can provide a much-needed boost, offering something positive to look forward to during these winter months.
To help, our team decided to highlight the destinations most closely linked with uplifting, feel-good experiences for American travellers. By analysing traveller sentiment alongside online interest, our ranking reveals which attractions are most consistently associated with happiness. These will be some of the strongest options to help you beat the winter blues!
How the Ranking Was Created
To uncover which experiences are most likely to lift spirits during winter, our team analysed a combination of review sentiment and consumer behaviour data.
Each destination was assessed across five equally weighted measures, producing an overall score out of 25. These included average online ratings, the volume of reviews containing positive emotion-led keywords such as “happy”, “perfect” and “magic”, as well as monthly US search interest.
The Experiences Most Likely to Lift Winter Spirits
(Scores out of 25)
Vacation Name | Rating Score | “Happy” Score | “Perfect” Score | “Magic” Score | Search Volume Score | Total Score |
Leaning Tower of Pisa (Italy) | 4.65 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 24.65 |
Warner Bros. Studio Tour (London) | 4.55 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 24.55 |
Universal Studios Hollywood (CA) | 4.8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 23.8 |
Central Park (New York) | 4.75 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 23.75 |
Eiffel Tower (Paris) | 4.65 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 23.65 |
Walt Disney World (FL) | 4.6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 23.6 |
Disneyland Paris (France) | 4.25 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 23.25 |
The Louvre (Paris, France) | 4.5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 22.5 |
Villa Park (Maldives) | 4.15 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 22.15 |
Tivoli Gardens (Denmark) | 3.95 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 21.95 |
Discovery Cove (Orlando, FL) | 4.75 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 21.75 |
Universal Orlando Resort (FL) | 4.6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 21.6 |
Edinburgh Castle (Scotland, UK) | 4.5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 21.5 |
Top of the Rock (New York) | 4.4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 21.4 |
Busch Gardens (Tampa, FL) | 4.3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 21.3 |
Neuschwanstein Castle (Germany) | 4.5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 20.5 |
Tokyo Disneyland (Japan) | 4.5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 20.5 |
Roman Baths (Bath, UK) | 4.8 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 19.8 |
Griffith Observatory (Los Angeles, CA) | 4.65 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 19.65 |
Bryant Park (New York) | 4.65 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 19.65 |
Key Insights from the Research
Iconic Attractions Offer a Strong Emotional Lift
The Leaning Tower of Pisa ranked highest overall, suggesting that world-famous landmarks and bucket-list experiences remain especially appealing to American travellers seeking something uplifting during the winter months.
Domestic Travel Continues to Dominate
US destinations appeared repeatedly throughout the ranking, with California, New York and Florida featuring prominently. This points to a strong preference for accessible, short-haul trips when looking for a winter mood boost.
Florida Excels at Immersive Experiences
Florida stood out for large-scale, experience-led attractions, with several Orlando-based destinations including Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, Busch Gardens and Discovery Cove ranking highly.
California and New York Lead on City Escapes
California performed well across the list, with Universal Studios Hollywood ranking near the top and Griffith Observatory also featuring. New York landmarks including Central Park, Top of the Rock and Bryant Park further highlight the appeal of city breaks that combine culture, atmosphere and easy access.
European Cities Remain Popular Winter Escapes
European destinations continue to resonate with US travellers too. In particular, Paris seems like a great spot with the Eiffel Tower, Disneyland Paris, and The Louvre all featured in the top 8.
Travel Expert Insight: Why are the winter months the perfect time to escape?
Oliver Brendon, CEO & travel expert at AttractionTickets.com, said of the findings:
“Winter is a time when motivation can dip and many people look for small ways to lift their mood after the festive season. This ranking suggests that destinations built around escapism and shared experiences are particularly appealing at this time of year, offering a welcome break from winter routines. From romantic European landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Leaning Tower of Pisa, to immersive Florida theme parks, to standout city-breaks closer to home, these experiences are consistently linked with happiness and enjoyment - making them really attractive options for those seeking a positive reset in winter.”
If you’re looking to beat the winter-blues, take a browse through our top attractions today.
