Fascinating 'then and now' images of America's most historic attractions

The transformation of America's top tourist attractions

Step back in time for a nostalgic tour around the USA. From bridges to dams, monuments to boardwalks, we've dug around the archives to find historic images of America’s greatest-ever tourist spots.

Read on to see how some of the most famous attractions in the US have changed over the years...

Then: Coney Island, New York

Thanks to its sandy beach and Atlantic Ocean views, Coney Island became a hot spot for New Yorkers in the early 1900s. And those looking to escape the city's hustle and bustle were helped by the expansion of the railroad to the southern part of Brooklyn. Luna Park was one of the many amusements and rides that sprung up, opening in 1903, with the boardwalk added in the early 1920s.

Due to a fire in 1944, Luna Park closed permanently. However, other rides and attractions remained, with the New York Aquarium, first opened in the 1950s, remaining a big draw for families.

Now: Coney Island, New York

Today, Deno’s Wonder Wheel is still twirling amid the sticky smell of cotton candy and legendary Nathan's hot dogs. Bigger and faster attractions have risen up all around it, but it’s this creakily low-tech family-run Ferris wheel that makes the memories.

Then: Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California

Measuring an impressive 746 feet high (above the water) and 4,200 feet long (the distance between the towers), San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge is one of America’s top-visited attractions, and it’s easy to see why. On top of being an architectural feat, it also defied critics at the time, who believed building a bridge across the windy strait to the Pacific would be impossible.

Golden Gate Bridge opened to the public on May 27, 1937. Celebrations lasted for a week and amassed more than 200,000 foot passengers (some even wore roller skates). At the time, it was the longest and tallest suspension bridge in the world.

Now: Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

Today, the Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most Instagrammed places in San Francisco, and one of the most photographed bridges in the world, attracting more than 10 million visitors a year.

Then: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, California

Built by local businessman Fred Swanton, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk opened in 1907 and is still every bit as popular today as it was in its heyday. Here, Santa Cruz’s annual Easter Egg Hunt is in full swing in the 1980s, but these events were later canceled as they became too popular.

Boasting more than 40 attractions including restaurants, bars, roller coasters and even a pier, the Boardwalk receives its fair share of visitors. As the oldest theme park in California, it’s loved by locals and tourists alike.

Now: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, California

Today, the Boardwalk employs over 1,600 staff and hosts a number of yearly events including the annual Clam Chowder Cook Off every February – not to be missed.

Then: Empire State Building, New York

New York’s iconic 103-story Art Deco skyscraper is one of the city's most-visited landmarks. Construction was completed in 1931, taking just one year and 45 days to build. It was the world’s tallest building up until the 1970s.

While its construction garnered much publicity and fanfare at the time, it remained relatively empty and unvisited until the 1950s. By 1976, the Empire State Building Observatory had welcomed its 50 millionth visitor.

Now: Empire State Building, New York

Today, more than four million visitors from around the world visit the Empire State Building’s 86th and 102nd floor observatories each year. Soaring more than a quarter of a mile above Manhattan, it’s easy to see why.

Then: Hoover Dam, Nevada/Arizona

Located on the border of Nevada and Arizona to the southeast of Las Vegas, the Hoover Dam was constructed between 1931 and 1936, during the Great Depression. It opened for tours in 1937, but this was suspended during World War II. It consequently reopened after the war with tourism hitting 448,000 by 1953. In 1995, a new visitor center was built and the annual number of tourists hit a peak.

Now: Hoover Dam, Nevada/Arizona

While the Hoover Dam still attracts huge numbers of visitors every year, it’s reported that numbers are beginning to dwindle, perhaps due to the Hoover Dam bypass bridge, which opened in 2010.

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Then: Space Needle, Seattle, Washington

Seattle’s striking Space Needle officially opened to the public on April 21, 1962 as part of the Century 21 Exhibition, a space-aged theme World Fair. This futuristic landmark, measuring more than 600 feet tall, has since become one of the world’s most recognized landmarks. Here you can see visitors enjoying the views in 1962.

During the 1962 World Fair, more than 20,000 people used the lift to reach its summit each day, drawing over 2.3 million visitors overall. Approximately 1.3 million people now visit the Space Needle each year, and it has amassed nearly 60 million visitors since its opening 63 years ago.

Now: Space Needle, Seattle, Washington

The Space Needle offers panoramic views from three main viewing areas, including the world’s first revolving glass floor, which was installed in 2018. The summit, which measures 520 feet, takes just 43 seconds to access by elevator.

Then: Central Park, New York

Running from 59th street to 110th street, Central Park is an oasis in the heart of buzzing Manhattan. Originally opened in 1858, the park saw a series of improvements and expansion in the following 15 years. It was the first landscaped public park in America.

By 1865, Central Park was receiving more than seven million visitors a year. Popular attractions included summer afternoon concerts and ice skating in the winter on the lakes – both remain popular activities today. In 1871, Central Park opened its doors to a zoo, which quickly became one of its most popular features. Pictured are children near the elephant enclosure in the late 1800s. 

Now: Central Park, New York

While Central Park is man-made, it’s still a haven for wildlife and nature and boasts more than 26,000 trees. It’s also home to 9,000 benches and, unsurprisingly, happens to be the most filmed public park in the world.

Nowadays, Central Park receives more than 42 million visitors annually. Row boat rentals and gondola rides are still available on the Central Park Lake.

Then: Grand Canyon, Arizona

One of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Grand Canyon is thought to have been inhabited since the Ice Age. It achieved National Park status and officially opened to the public in 1919, where it’s thought to have attracted 44,000 visitors.

Now: Grand Canyon, Arizona

Measuring over 277 miles long, 18 miles wide, and a mile deep, the Grand Canyon is one of the largest canyons in the world. It’s also home to all manner of wildlife, including 373 species of bird.

Today, the Grand Canyon is visited by more than six million people each year. With a year-round on-site shuttle service available, plus day-long and even helicopter trips from Las Vegas, tourism is certainly still going strong.

Then: Mount Rushmore, South Dakota

Unveiled to the public in 1941, the Mount Rushmore National Memorial features the faces of presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln carved into Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The idea for Mount Rushmore was conceived by historian Doane Robinson, who was looking for a way to attract more tourism to the state. It certainly worked: close to half a million people visited in the first year alone.

Now: Mount Rushmore, South Dakota

Today, Mount Rushmore is South Dakota’s top tourist attraction, luring more than two million visitors from around the world each year. Facilities include a visitors center, the Lincoln Borglum Museum, the President Trail and the Grand View Terrace.

Then: Yosemite Valley, California

Located in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, Yosemite Valley National Park features all manner of impressive waterfalls, rock formations, and sequoia trees. It started attracting tourists in the early 1850s, with its first hotel being built in 1879.

After officially becoming a national park in 1890, tourism increased at the turn of the 20th century. Notable visitors included President Theodore Roosevelt, pictured here at Glacier Point in 1903.

Now: Yosemite Valley, California

Nowadays, Yosemite National Park attracts more than four million visitors a year. In 2016, the park even broke its own visitation records, recording more than five million visits. Popular activities, in addition to the sensational hiking, include nature walks, stargazing and rock climbing.

Now: Disneyland, Anaheim, California

These days Disneyland employs over 36,000 'cast' members and sees around 18 million visitors pass through the gates every year. The park's newest ride, Tiana's Bayou Adventure, opened in November 2024. It's a reimagining of the old Splash Mountain log flume ride inspired by 2009 animated film The Princess and the Frog.

Then: Disneyland, Anaheim, California

Based on Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany, the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland, California is surely one of the USA's most recognizable tourist attractions. Walt Disney was inspired by his family to open the amusement park, saying: “It came about when my daughters were very young and Saturday was always daddy’s day with the two daughters.”

Disney's vision wasn't without its critics but the concept proved the doubters wrong, despite some teething problems. On opening day, July 17, 1955, 28,000 people visited; some jumped the fence without paying, and a heatwave apparently caused the new tarmac to melt.

Then: Walt Disney World Resort, Florida

In a moment that revolutionized Florida’s tourism industry, the gates to Walt Disney World were finally opened on October 1, 1971, bringing in 10,000 eager fans. Initially, the resort comprised six individually-themed lands: Main Street USA, Adventureland, Fantasyland, Frontierland, Liberty Square and Tomorrowland.

While its creator, Walt Disney, didn’t live to see its creation, the park has since expanded to include the Magic Kingdom, Disney's Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Now: Walt Disney World Resort, Florida

Walt Disney World now attracts more than 50 million annually, making it the most visited vacation resort in the world. And there’s plenty to explore: its surface area is twice the size of Manhattan.

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