DULUTH – Remember the beginning of the decade, when hitching a ride meant sticking out your thumb by the side of the road instead of using it to make a few swipes on your phone?

As the 2010s draw to a close, many are chattering about how much has changed in 10 years' time, thanks to technology. In addition to bike-share programs and dockless scooters, this decade brought us the now-ubiquitous carpooling apps providing rides to airports and bars and everything in between.

In 2019, two New York City destinations — the Empire State Building and the Freedom Tower — topped the list of Uber's most popular destinations in the world. In Minnesota, the Mall of America and Minneapolis' Cowboy Jack's were the most common drop-offs for Uber users.

Uber came to Duluth in 2017, eight years after the founding of the now publicly traded San Francisco company. Since then, it's become a popular way to get around town (in rare cases, even during a blizzard).

Here's a list of the Top 10 places passengers went in Duluth this year:

1. Duluth International Airport

2. Spurs On First/Aces On First

3. Duluth Flame Nightclub

4. The Sports Garden

5. Canal Park Drive

6. Fitger's Complex

7. Lake Avenue and Superior Street intersection

8. The Reef

9. Radisson Hotel Duluth-Harborview

10. University of Minnesota Duluth

Katie Galioto • 612-673-4478