Ratings

Editorial dots

• 5 — worth building a day around
• 4 — worth a special trip in the corridor
• 3 — worth it if you are already nearby
• 2 — a short stop or a niche interest
• 1 — listed for completeness

Dots change when the place changes. They do not rise because a page got traffic.

Interest tags

Each place has weights for food, beaches, caves, and the other trip interests. Those weights order a list when you are choosing by interest. They are set by editors.

Visit rank

A public label such as “most visited in the central coast” needs 28 days and 500 sessions. Until then the chip stays off. The 90-day score counts visits, time on the page, map opens, saves, and clicks through to directions. Affiliate clicks are not included.

Recommended order

Lists default to dots first. Traffic only breaks a tie, and only after a place qualifies. A sponsored story cannot sit in this order.