•David

In the top 10, except for #1 NYC and #7 Chicago, warm/sunny destinations dominate: 3 in Hawaii, 2 in Florida, 2 in California, plus Las Vegas.

What's so wonderful in NYC?

TripAdvisor says:

"Conquering New York in one visit is impossible. Instead, hit the must-sees – the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art – and then explore off the beaten path with visits to The Cloisters or one of the city’s libraries. Indulge in the bohemian shops of the West Village or the fine dining of the Upper West Side. The bustling marketplace inside of Grand Central Station gives you a literal taste of the best the city has to offer."

Unfortunately, TripAdvisor's explanation of how rankings are calculated is pretty vague:

"Travelers' Choice award winners were determined based on the millions of reviews and opinions collected in a single year from TripAdvisor travelers worldwide."

But I suspect sheer numbers of reviews and opinions play a big part - if so, destinations that are less popular through no defect of their own - think lack of airline connectivity - are at a disadvantage.