With just under three weeks left in 2014, we’re getting closer and closer to a new year. Along with the new year, comes lists of top places to visit from all different travel-related companies and sites.

Last week I wrote about Fodor’s picks for Best Places to Travel in 2015. You could also take Lonely Planet’s Quiz to Find Out Where You Should Go in 2015.

I came across another fun Top 10 for 2015 list a couple of days back from Lonely Planet. This time around they’re sharing their picks for Best in the US 2015.

Over the past few years Kim and I have been trying to make it a point to explore more of our country. While my main interest is with international travel, the United States has so many amazing and interesting places to visit too.

Lonely Planet “tapped into the expertise of their US authors and editors to come up with the top 10 American destinations primed for a visit in 2015“.

Here Is LP’s Top 10:

1. Queens, NY
2. Western South Dakota
3. New Orleans, LA
4. Colorado River Region
5. North Conway, NH
6. Indianapolis, IN
7. Greenville, SC
8. Oakland, CA
9. Duluth, MN
10. Mount Shasta Region, California

While looking over Lonely Planet’s picks of where to go in 2015, I saw some places make the list that I’m familiar with along with some surprises.

Here are the places we’ve visited:

1. Queens was an interesting and surprising pick for the top place in the U.S. to visit in 2015. We’ve been there countless times but it’s still a place that I could probably explore a bit more. (You can download the Queens chapter of Lonely Planet New York for free until 2/1/15 in celebration of the borough coming in at the top of the list.)
2. The only place to overlap on LP and Fodor’s list was South Dakota, a state we visited when Lucas was 6 months old. We spent a week there and to our surprise it wasn’t enough time. (I’ll include links to my South Dakota trip reports below.)
3. If I had to pick a favorite places in the U.S., New Orleans would definitely rank at the top. It’s an incredible food destination and also has some outstanding places to visit. (Look for my trip reports below.)

If I had to pick one destination from LP’s list to visit that we haven’t been to yet, I’d most likely go with Indianapolis. I was looking to go there back in October but Oktoberfest in Tulsa won out as our choice.

What place would you most like to visit in the U.S. in 2015? Choose one from LP’s list or pick one that you’ve always wanted to check out.

Find out about each of the places on Lonely Planet’s Best in the US 2015 here.

Related Posts:

South Dakota:

• Our Upcoming Trip to South Dakota
• South Dakota Trip In A Nutshell 
• Our First American Safari in Custer State Park
• Hanging With the Burros- Custer, South Dakota
• Local Eats: Chislic in South Dakota
• Driving (and Jumping) Along the Needles Highway

New Orleans:

• Progress in Planning: New Orleans
• Altering Our New Orleans Plans- We’re Heading To BAcon
• Day 1
• Day 2
• Day 3
• Hotel Review: Astor Crowne Plaza
• Visiting Santa’s Quarters