U.S. News ranks Grand Canyon among top travel spots in the world

The Grand Canyon is one of the top 30 vacation destinations in the world, according to U.S. News & World Report rankings released Tuesday.

By the numbers: The news outlet graded the canyon the 28th best spot in the world. Glacier National Park, Maui and New York City were the only other American destinations to make the list.

• The Grand Canyon ranked third-best travel spot in the U.S.
• Sedona also made that list, coming in at No. 23.

How it works: The annual travel rankings are determined by reader feedback and editor scores in several categories including: sights, culture, food, nightlife, adventure, romance, value and accessibility.

Zoom in: Grand Canyon tourism produces significant revenue for Arizona.

• The canyon generated $944.7 million in economic output from about 4.5 million visits in 2021, according to a National Park Service report from last year.

Jessica's thought bubble: I've been to the Grand Canyon a handful of times, and I love how different it looks and feels depending on the time of year and weather.

• I've seen it blanketed in snow, glistening during sunrise and cooling to its famous purple hue just before sundown. I could never pick a favorite view.