Priceline.com today released the results of its fifth annual survey of the 50 most popular destinations for the upcoming Independence Day weekend. The survey is based on hotel room booking requests made by priceline.com customers for check-in between June 29 and July 4.
Milwaukee ranked No. 25, up 13 spots from last year's No. 38 rank. It's pretty impressive when you consider that the survey also included international destinations. Obviously, Summerfest's drawing power is a factor.
This year's Top 50 July 4 Destinations list saw several changes over 2007. In the top spot is New York's Times Square/Theater District. After capturing the top spot in 2006 and 2007, Chicago's Millennium Park, Loop and Grant Park Area slipped this year to the number No. 4 spot.
Downtown St. Louis made a strong showing on the list at No. 7. The city's Fair Saint Louis and LIVE on the Levee recently announced that the festival had moved locations from the levee to its downtown due to flooding.
Milwaukee ranked ahead of several major tourist destinations including Boston, London, Paris, Hilton Head and Key West.
Priceline Top 50 Destinations List for July 4, 2008
1 New York City, Times Square / Theater District
2 Las Vegas, Strip Vicinity South
3 New York City, Chelsea Area
4 Chicago, Millennium Park. Loop & Grant Park Area
5 Washington, DC, White House / Downtown
6 New Orleans, Downtown / Convention Center
7 St. Louis, Downtown
8 Boston, Copley Square / Theater District
9 San Francisco, Union Square West
10 San Diego, Coastal Area
11 New York City, Central Park South
12 Chicago, North Michigan Avenue / River North Area
13 Seattle, Downtown
14 Las Vegas, Strip Vicinity North
15 St. Catharines, Niagara Falls
16 New York City, Empire State Building Area
17 Oahu, Waikiki Beach Area
18 New York City, Midtown East
19 Montreal
20 San Antonio, Downtown / Riverwalk
21 Orange County, Disneyland Area
22 San Francisco, Union Square East / Embarcadero
23 San Francisco, Lombard Street Area
24 Orlando, Universal Studios / Sea World
25 Milwaukee, Downtown
26 San Diego, Downtown & Harbor Island
27 San Diego, Point Loma / Shelter Island / Old Town
28 New Orleans, French Quarter
29 Vancouver
30 Toronto, Downtown
31 Hilton Head Island
32 San Francisco, Fisherman's Wharf
33 Monterey, Monterey / Pacific Grove
34 Nashville, Downtown / Vanderbilt / Metrocenter
35 St. Catharines, North Niagara Falls
36 London, Bloomsbury / Marble Arch
37 Orlando, Disney World Vicinity
38 Boston, Quincy Market / Faneuil Hall / Financial District
39 Oahu, Waikiki Marina Area
40 Virginia Beach
41 Philadelphia, Downtown
42 London, Regents Park / Baker Street
43 Quebec
44 London, Mayfair / Soho
45 Paris, Eiffel Tower / Grenelle / Montparnasse
46 New York City, Downtown / Soho / Financial District
47 Key West
48 Puerto Rico, San Juan
49 Myrtle Beach
50 London, Docklands Area
A life-long and passionate community leader and Milwaukeean, Jeff Sherman is a co-founder of OnMilwaukee.
He grew up in Wauwatosa and graduated from Marquette University, as a Warrior. He holds an MBA from Cardinal Stritch University, and is the founding president of Young Professionals of Milwaukee (YPM)/Fuel Milwaukee.
Early in his career, Sherman was one of youngest members of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, and currently is involved in numerous civic and community groups - including board positions at The Wisconsin Center District, Wisconsin Club and Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. He's honored to have been named to The Business Journal's "30 under 30" and Milwaukee Magazine's "35 under 35" lists.
He owns a condo in Downtown and lives in greater Milwaukee with his wife Stephanie, his son, Jake, and daughter Pierce. He's a political, music, sports and news junkie and thinks, for what it's worth, that all new movies should be released in theaters, on demand, online and on DVD simultaneously.
He also thinks you should read OnMilwaukee each and every day.
