Best & Worst Cities for Staycations

Adam McCann , Financial WriterMay 20, 2020

Adam McCann , Financial Writer
May 20, 2020

If there’s any year you want to take a staycation instead of a vacation, it’s 2020. Though many states are starting to reopen some businesses after closing them due to coronavirus, it will be a long time before the travel and tourism industries are back in full gear. On top of that, many people won’t want to be around crowds until the pandemic has fully subsided, and others simply don’t have the money to take a trip with how hard COVID-19 has hit the economy. Luckily, there are certain places that offer plenty of options for entertainment and relaxation at the right price point, making those cities the perfect spots for staying local.

To determine the best places for a fun-filled yet wallet-friendly staycation, WalletHub compared more than 180 cities across 15 key metrics. Our data set ranges from parks per capita to the average home square footage and the idealness of summer weather. Read on for the full ranking, our methodology and useful staycationing tips from experts.

1Main Findings 2Ask the Experts

3Methodology

Main Findings

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Best Places for a Staycation

Overall Rank (1 = Best)	City	Total Score	‘Recreation’ Rank	‘Rest & Relaxation’ Rank
1	Plano, TX	66.88	18	2
2	Boise, ID	65.92	6	21
3	Tampa, FL	63.39	11	23
4	Charleston, SC	62.42	7	51
5	Lincoln, NE	62.12	1	72
6	Fort Smith, AR	60.87	32	20
7	Scottsdale, AZ	60.18	95	1
8	Grand Prairie, TX	59.91	57	11
9	Austin, TX	59.36	8	96
10	Orlando, FL	59.23	23	39
11	Tallahassee, FL	59.13	9	88
12	Nampa, ID	58.80	44	26
13	Huntsville, AL	58.69	35	32
14	Fort Lauderdale, FL	58.33	4	120
15	Springfield, MO	58.20	27	44
16	Peoria, AZ	58.19	66	15
17	St. Petersburg, FL	58.13	15	60
18	Overland Park, KS	57.39	76	14
19	Garland, TX	57.33	63	22
20	Salt Lake City, UT	56.81	2	145
21	Knoxville, TN	56.66	14	83
22	Little Rock, AR	56.66	21	62
23	Missoula, MT	55.81	20	82
24	Glendale, AZ	55.72	86	17
25	Houston, TX	55.52	37	57
26	Arlington, TX	55.47	77	25
27	Irving, TX	55.26	42	56
28	Montgomery, AL	55.12	41	59
29	Cape Coral, FL	55.11	72	36
30	Laredo, TX	54.97	48	54
31	Amarillo, TX	54.81	51	55
32	Portland, OR	54.80	3	170
33	Gilbert, AZ	54.61	107	5
34	Anchorage, AK	54.53	10	148
35	Corpus Christi, TX	54.37	47	61
36	Dallas, TX	54.28	62	47
37	Omaha, NE	54.25	26	99
38	Huntington, WV	54.24	33	84
39	Sioux Falls, SD	53.57	36	94
40	Atlanta, GA	53.52	31	105
41	Tulsa, OK	53.38	100	12
42	Fort Worth, TX	53.36	80	40
43	Casper, WY	53.00	29	106
44	Brownsville, TX	52.86	45	85
45	Charleston, WV	52.81	17	138
46	Bismarck, ND	52.73	16	132
47	West Valley City, UT	52.72	58	73
48	Chattanooga, TN	52.58	53	81
49	Madison, WI	52.55	19	139
50	Jacksonville, FL	52.53	49	90
51	Chicago, IL	52.49	28	123
52	Columbia, SC	52.15	56	87
53	St. Louis, MO	52.09	22	141
54	Fort Wayne, IN	51.95	38	113
55	Tempe, AZ	51.82	103	27
56	Jackson, MS	51.58	68	71
57	Lubbock, TX	51.43	74	66
58	Denver, CO	51.38	13	168
59	Seattle, WA	51.36	5	179
60	Rapid City, SD	51.36	25	144
61	Nashville, TN	51.06	52	115
62	Chandler, AZ	50.97	138	6
63	Las Vegas, NV	50.94	99	34
64	Fargo, ND	50.90	34	135
65	Indianapolis, IN	50.75	67	89
66	Cheyenne, WY	50.73	43	125
67	Pembroke Pines, FL	50.65	88	58
68	Billings, MT	50.48	55	122
69	Reno, NV	50.31	93	52
70	Memphis, TN	50.26	82	69
71	New Orleans, LA	49.91	65	112
72	Santa Clarita, CA	49.61	150	9
73	Gulfport, MS	49.59	71	109
74	Glendale, CA	49.57	145	19
75	Miami, FL	49.37	12	176
76	Kansas City, MO	49.28	87	74
77	Birmingham, AL	49.25	78	95
78	San Antonio, TX	49.20	69	119
79	Henderson, NV	49.09	151	7
80	El Paso, TX	48.88	90	76
81	Columbia, MD	48.79	124	35
82	Minneapolis, MN	48.72	50	146
83	Mobile, AL	48.58	64	126
84	Hialeah, FL	48.53	83	98
85	Colorado Springs, CO	48.46	40	163
86	Phoenix, AZ	48.35	126	28
87	Des Moines, IA	48.34	46	158
88	Port St. Lucie, FL	48.33	91	78
89	Wichita, KS	48.33	81	110
90	Tucson, AZ	48.15	113	43
91	Spokane, WA	48.09	94	75
92	Columbus, GA	47.81	97	68
93	Burlington, VT	47.69	54	157
94	Richmond, VA	47.54	70	137
95	Oklahoma City, OK	47.14	119	50
96	Mesa, AZ	47.03	134	31
97	Philadelphia, PA	47.01	59	164
98	New York, NY	47.01	24	177
99	North Las Vegas, NV	46.97	139	29
100	Baton Rouge, LA	46.96	131	41
101	Cedar Rapids, IA	46.82	39	171
102	Augusta, GA	46.67	116	65
103	Virginia Beach, VA	46.66	84	128
104	Baltimore, MD	46.39	73	151
105	Albuquerque, NM	46.31	106	77
106	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	46.13	158	4
107	Chesapeake, VA	46.09	111	70
108	Huntington Beach, CA	45.39	144	45
109	Las Cruces, NM	45.26	155	37
110	Juneau, AK	45.16	61	174
111	Wilmington, DE	45.02	92	134
112	Milwaukee, WI	45.01	102	114
113	Honolulu, HI	44.94	79	165
114	Columbus, OH	44.72	104	117
115	Durham, NC	44.34	110	107
116	Modesto, CA	44.10	167	3
117	Aurora, IL	44.01	128	92
118	San Diego, CA	43.92	118	97
119	Winston-Salem, NC	43.90	140	64
120	Salem, OR	43.87	101	130
121	Charlotte, NC	43.81	117	101
122	Lexington-Fayette, KY	43.79	146	53
123	Buffalo, NY	43.74	89	161
124	Aurora, CO	43.71	85	166
125	Raleigh, NC	43.70	147	49
126	Cincinnati, OH	43.67	115	111
127	Greensboro, NC	43.06	121	104
128	Norfolk, VA	42.85	96	150
129	Boston, MA	42.81	30	182
130	Pittsburgh, PA	42.62	98	155
131	Rochester, NY	42.43	109	142
132	Portland, ME	42.15	75	175
133	Los Angeles, CA	42.11	161	18
134	Cleveland, OH	41.94	120	129
135	San Francisco, CA	41.84	60	181
136	Grand Rapids, MI	41.76	112	140
137	Long Beach, CA	41.61	157	48
138	Detroit, MI	41.56	132	116
139	New Haven, CT	41.53	108	153
140	Irvine, CA	41.38	159	42
141	Newport News, VA	41.29	148	91
142	Akron, OH	40.96	143	108
143	St. Paul, MN	40.85	114	147
144	Manchester, NH	40.68	129	136
145	Shreveport, LA	40.42	153	103
146	Louisville, KY	40.39	142	118
147	Dover, DE	40.28	137	131
148	Bridgeport, CT	40.27	122	149
149	Fayetteville, NC	39.82	154	93
150	Toledo, OH	39.76	152	86
151	Newark, NJ	39.69	141	127
152	Vancouver, WA	39.13	127	160
152	South Burlington, VT	39.13	133	152
154	Santa Rosa, CA	38.89	156	80
155	Lewiston, ME	38.89	149	124
156	Sacramento, CA	38.87	160	63
157	Tacoma, WA	38.52	135	154
158	Jersey City, NJ	38.47	125	167
159	Nashua, NH	38.16	136	159
160	Bakersfield, CA	37.76	180	8
161	Washington, DC	37.64	105	178
162	Anaheim, CA	37.48	168	24
163	Worcester, MA	37.39	130	169
164	Moreno Valley, CA	37.18	174	16
165	Garden Grove, CA	37.01	179	33
166	Riverside, CA	36.47	172	10
167	Fresno, CA	35.58	171	13
168	Fontana, CA	34.41	173	38
169	Yonkers, NY	33.98	123	180
170	Santa Ana, CA	32.94	170	79
171	San Bernardino, CA	32.82	181	30
172	Ontario, CA	32.82	176	46
173	San Jose, CA	32.69	163	100
174	Oceanside, CA	31.79	169	102
175	Stockton, CA	31.33	177	67
176	Fremont, CA	30.56	164	156
177	Oxnard, CA	30.02	166	121
178	Oakland, CA	28.44	162	173
179	Providence, RI	28.10	165	172
180	Warwick, RI	27.08	175	143
181	Chula Vista, CA	26.42	178	133
182	Pearl City, HI	22.11	182	162

Ask the Experts

There’s a difference between a staycation and business as usual in the context of staying local. And it all has to do with how you spend your time in the city you call home. For advice on making the best of your staycation, we asked a panel of experts to share their thoughts on the following key questions:

Given the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on tourism and travel, what are the best ways to enjoy a staycation while keeping safe?
What are some tips for having a truly relaxing staycation?
What activities can families do locally without breaking the bank?
What is the best time of year to have a staycation?
In evaluating the best cities for staycations, what are the top five indicators?

Ask the Experts

: Tazim Jamal
Ph.D. – Professor Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism, Texas A&M University
Read More

: Brian E. Menaker
Ph.D. – Assistant Professor of Sport Business, Department of Health and Kinesiology, Texas A&M University, Kingsville
Read More

: Hans Vogelsong
Ph.D. – Associate Professor, Recreation Sciences, College of Health and Human Performance, East Carolina University
Read More

: Heather Burket
M.Ed. – Instructor of Therapeutic Recreation in the College of Public Health, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at Temple University
Read More

: Tom Anderson
Ed.D. – Assistant Professor, Sport Management & Recreation, Kinesiology Department, Jacksonville State University
Read More

: David L. Smiley
Ph.D. – Senior Lecturer, Coordinator Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management Curriculum, Department of Health and Wellness Design, School of Public Health – Bloomington, Indiana University
Read More

More Experts

Methodology

In order to determine the best staycation spots, WalletHub compared 182 U.S. cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across two key dimensions: 1) Recreation and 2) Rest & Relaxation.

We evaluated those dimensions using 15 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for staycationers. For metrics marked with an asterisk (*), the square root of the population was used to calculate the “Number of Residents” in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across cities. Data for metrics marked with two asterisks (**) were available only at the state level.

We then determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.

Recreation – Total Points: 60

Parks per Capita*: Full Weight (~5.22 Points)
Bike Rental Facilities per Capita*: Full Weight (~5.22 Points)
Hiking Trails per Capita*: Full Weight (~5.22 Points)
Running Trails per Capita*: Full Weight (~5.22 Points)
Walking Trails per Capita*: Full Weight (~5.22 Points)
Miles of Bicycle Lanes, Paths & Routes per Square Mile: Half Weight (~2.61 Points)
Walk Score: Full Weight (~5.22 Points)
Bike Score: Full Weight (~5.22 Points)
Strictness of “Shelter in Place” Order**: Quadruple Weight (~20.87 Points)
Note: This metric measures whether a state has imposed mandatory quarantine policies.

Rest & Relaxation – Total Points: 40

Average Price of Pizza & Burger: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
Average Beer & Wine Price: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
Average Home Square Footage: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
Share of Homes with Swimming Pool: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
Note: This metric was calculated by dividing the number of for sale homes with swimming pool to the total number of for sale homes.
Share of Homes with Lot Greater than 1,000 Square Feet: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
Note: This metric was calculated by dividing the number of for sale homes with a lot greater than 1,000 square feet to the total number of for sale homes.
Idealness of Summer Weather: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s Cities with the Best & Worst Weather ranking.

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Council for Community and Economic Research, Under Armour, Trust for Public Land, League of American Bicyclists, Walk Score, Kaiser Family Foundation, Yelp, Zillow and WalletHub research.

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