2023’s Best & Worst Cities for Staycations

Adam McCann, WalletHub Financial WriterMay 31, 2023

Adam McCann, WalletHub Financial Writer
May 31, 2023

Around 85% of Americans plan to travel this summer, but high inflation may force people to cut back on their expenses and take a less extravagant trip. Fortunately, you don’t necessarily need to travel far to have a great time. You might be surprised to find that your local cities can offer plenty of options for entertainment and relaxation at a great price point.

To determine the best places for a fun-filled yet wallet-friendly staycation, WalletHub compared more than 180 cities across 42 key metrics. Our data set ranges from parks per capita to restaurant-meal costs.

Table of Contents

Main Findings

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Best Places for a Staycation

Overall Rank	City	Total Score	Recreation	Food & Entertainment	Rest & Relaxation
1	Honolulu, HI	59.46	1	10	70
2	Orlando, FL	58.22	18	1	38
3	Las Vegas, NV	57.63	17	2	27
4	Tampa, FL	56.27	30	9	6
5	Salt Lake City, UT	55.17	8	27	12
6	Charleston, SC	54.21	27	18	15
7	Chicago, IL	53.97	9	19	31
8	San Diego, CA	53.72	11	29	19
9	Cincinnati, OH	53.67	6	7	74
10	New Orleans, LA	52.93	14	14	45
11	Atlanta, GA	52.65	21	8	46
12	Portland, ME	52.48	2	82	47
13	New York, NY	51.85	3	50	104
14	Tucson, AZ	51.50	29	13	42
15	Scottsdale, AZ	51.31	46	21	16
16	San Francisco, CA	50.58	5	6	165
17	Springfield, MO	50.05	153	28	7
18	Fort Lauderdale, FL	49.51	4	41	117
19	St. Petersburg, FL	49.12	36	44	20
20	Austin, TX	48.75	37	11	87
21	Portland, OR	48.74	32	12	95
22	Pittsburgh, PA	48.57	40	3	122
23	Billings, MT	48.31	118	59	9
24	Denver, CO	47.80	12	34	106
25	Columbia, SC	47.44	173	25	10
26	Boise, ID	47.34	60	73	14
27	Albuquerque, NM	47.25	38	22	84
28	Miami, FL	47.23	26	5	156
29	Reno, NV	47.19	71	23	33
30	Virginia Beach, VA	47.13	50	98	13
31	Tempe, AZ	46.68	35	46	63
32	St. Louis, MO	46.54	70	4	105
33	Minneapolis, MN	46.46	25	80	57
34	Seattle, WA	46.22	24	15	146
35	Norfolk, VA	46.15	33	113	29
36	Philadelphia, PA	46.07	10	30	152
37	Missoula, MT	45.81	51	103	24
38	Los Angeles, CA	45.76	31	43	101
39	Rapid City, SD	45.39	100	48	22
40	Knoxville, TN	45.26	111	35	35
41	El Paso, TX	45.11	63	42	48
42	West Valley City, UT	44.91	44	180	1
43	Modesto, CA	44.85	154	95	8
44	Birmingham, AL	44.66	146	39	32
45	Huntsville, AL	44.45	162	84	17
46	Jacksonville, FL	44.34	28	67	113
47	Las Cruces, NM	44.29	169	138	2
48	Sacramento, CA	44.23	66	36	66
49	Cleveland, OH	44.14	49	54	85
50	Shreveport, LA	44.06	167	88	11
51	Washington, DC	43.98	20	24	167
52	Houston, TX	43.87	55	17	140
53	Cape Coral, FL	43.80	43	136	26
54	Milwaukee, WI	43.77	23	61	133
55	Burlington, VT	43.55	16	92	108
56	Madison, WI	43.46	13	81	149
57	Nashville, TN	43.41	81	33	68
58	Omaha, NE	43.39	41	62	111
59	Kansas City, MO	43.39	77	57	53
60	Columbus, OH	43.35	64	45	76
61	Grand Rapids, MI	43.33	74	71	62
62	Amarillo, TX	43.17	165	63	34
63	Richmond, VA	43.04	47	20	157
64	Chattanooga, TN	42.98	62	40	120
65	Tulsa, OK	42.77	90	52	37
66	Colorado Springs, CO	42.55	79	31	86
67	San Antonio, TX	42.18	58	16	161
68	Corpus Christi, TX	42.09	87	105	23
69	Boston, MA	41.91	7	74	174
70	Overland Park, KS	41.91	132	114	28
71	Lincoln, NE	41.86	72	64	83
72	Henderson, NV	41.86	61	125	36
73	Vancouver, WA	41.74	97	97	58
74	Providence, RI	41.73	59	70	116
75	Nampa, ID	41.72	117	175	5
76	Akron, OH	41.57	120	94	44
77	Phoenix, AZ	41.55	68	47	107
78	Augusta, GA	41.48	181	100	18
79	Baltimore, MD	41.24	52	37	150
80	Wilmington, DE	41.17	106	96	59
81	Mobile, AL	40.99	164	89	43
82	Charlotte, NC	40.76	94	50	80
83	Oklahoma City, OK	40.54	135	53	40
84	Bismarck, ND	40.52	89	111	69
85	Toledo, OH	40.37	91	86	71
86	Sioux Falls, SD	40.14	166	79	41
87	Rochester, NY	40.05	76	26	168
88	Cedar Rapids, IA	39.94	149	108	49
89	Casper, WY	39.93	156	132	21
90	Fargo, ND	39.90	140	38	127
91	Buffalo, NY	39.86	45	60	162
92	Baton Rouge, LA	39.48	95	68	100
93	Plano, TX	39.35	54	115	121
94	Little Rock, AR	39.29	159	106	50
95	Fayetteville, NC	39.28	180	123	25
96	Fontana, CA	39.16	98	173	4
97	Tallahassee, FL	39.06	161	58	103
98	Salem, OR	38.96	134	85	97
99	Louisville, KY	38.94	42	66	172
100	Indianapolis, IN	38.83	105	55	125
101	Gulfport, MS	38.76	121	129	56
102	Newport News, VA	38.75	160	122	51
103	South Burlington, VT	38.50	53	137	119
104	Glendale, AZ	38.27	99	102	93
105	Raleigh, NC	38.11	92	56	141
106	Columbus, GA	38.10	177	127	30
107	Peoria, AZ	38.00	82	150	60
108	Fresno, CA	37.94	138	91	73
109	Tacoma, WA	37.92	129	75	136
110	Detroit, MI	37.83	80	117	112
111	Ontario, CA	37.81	85	166	52
112	Dallas, TX	37.75	73	65	160
113	Garden Grove, CA	37.53	15	147	144
114	Mesa, AZ	37.50	102	90	110
115	Huntington Beach, CA	37.36	22	152	134
116	St. Paul, MN	37.34	48	118	159
117	Winston-Salem, NC	37.34	142	99	75
118	Wichita, KS	37.29	145	32	124
119	Jackson, MS	37.18	179	107	77
120	Montgomery, AL	37.15	176	128	55
121	Chandler, AZ	37.15	124	87	98
122	Pembroke Pines, FL	37.12	57	156	92
123	Stockton, CA	37.09	123	124	79
124	Memphis, TN	37.01	127	109	82
125	Fort Smith, AR	36.95	139	149	54
126	Bakersfield, CA	36.92	172	72	78
127	Charleston, WV	36.90	168	141	67
128	Fort Worth, TX	36.88	125	69	128
129	Spokane, WA	36.77	88	93	139
130	Greensboro, NC	36.58	110	77	143
131	Lubbock, TX	36.27	141	110	88
132	Des Moines, IA	36.26	137	83	123
133	Long Beach, CA	36.15	65	121	151
134	Anchorage, AK	36.04	39	76	181
135	Aurora, IL	35.92	78	158	90
136	Glendale, CA	35.82	34	163	126
137	San Bernardino, CA	35.78	174	154	3
138	Fort Wayne, IN	35.75	158	78	114
139	Chesapeake, VA	35.70	103	143	96
140	Durham, NC	35.62	136	49	148
141	Port St. Lucie, FL	35.56	171	104	109
142	Worcester, MA	35.54	101	140	118
143	Moreno Valley, CA	35.29	170	174	39
144	Cheyenne, WY	35.18	147	146	91
145	Dover, DE	34.86	112	159	99
146	New Haven, CT	34.75	143	119	130
147	Grand Prairie, TX	34.69	114	168	65
148	Arlington, TX	34.64	144	116	115
149	Oceanside, CA	34.61	67	144	145
150	Riverside, CA	34.20	131	145	94
151	Lexington-Fayette, KY	34.18	119	101	154
152	Juneau, AK	34.10	19	120	179
153	Lewiston, ME	34.00	109	178	81
154	Aurora, CO	33.66	115	131	142
155	Brownsville, TX	33.24	178	162	61
156	San Jose, CA	33.08	83	135	164
157	Warwick, RI	33.00	93	161	132
158	North Las Vegas, NV	32.99	148	170	64
159	Huntington, WV	32.94	108	148	138
160	Columbia, MD	32.88	163	172	72
161	Garland, TX	32.60	126	164	102
162	Gilbert, AZ	31.65	151	134	137
163	Irvine, CA	31.57	69	153	171
164	Bridgeport, CT	31.42	56	151	166
165	Santa Clarita, CA	31.39	113	160	147
166	Anaheim, CA	31.10	155	112	155
167	Jersey City, NJ	31.04	133	139	158
168	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	31.00	175	167	89
169	Manchester, NH	30.95	127	171	131
170	Nashua, NH	30.62	96	176	129
171	Newark, NJ	30.61	116	133	170
172	Hialeah, FL	29.97	104	155	169
173	Laredo, TX	29.81	122	157	163
174	Oakland, CA	29.52	84	126	182
175	Yonkers, NY	28.35	75	181	153
176	Santa Rosa, CA	27.90	86	169	173
177	Irving, TX	27.47	149	130	175
178	Santa Ana, CA	26.58	130	142	180
179	Oxnard, CA	25.49	107	177	176
180	Fremont, CA	24.69	152	165	177
181	Pearl City, HI	24.41	182	182	135
182	Chula Vista, CA	23.02	157	179	178

Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.

Swimming Pools per Capita

Most

Most
T-1. Cleveland, OH
T-1. Philadelphia, PA
3. Chicago, IL
4. Atlanta, GA
5. Cincinnati, OH

Fewest

Fewest
96. Chula Vista, CA
97. Fort Worth, TX
98. Fremont, CA
99. Madison, WI
100. Anaheim, CA

Tennis Courts per Capita

Most

Most
T-1. Norfolk, VA
T-1. Omaha, NE
3. Atlanta, GA
4. New York, NY
5. Dallas, TX

Fewest

Fewest
97. Los Angeles, CA
98. Houston, TX
99. Seattle, WA
100. Portland, OR
101. Bakersfield, CA

Public Golf Courses per Capita

Most

Most
T-1. Peoria, AZ
T-1. Gilbert, AZ
T-1. Tempe, AZ
T-1. Glendale, AZ
T-1. Scottsdale, AZ

Fewest

Fewest
175. Corpus Christi, TX
176. Houston, TX
177. Bakersfield, CA
178. New York, NY
179. Laredo, TX

Zoos & Aquariums per Capita

Most

Most
T-1. Las Vegas, NV
T-1. Miami, FL
T-1. Tampa, FL
T-1. Orlando, FL
T-1. Gulfport, MS

Fewest

Fewest
105. Jacksonville, FL
106. San Jose, CA
107. Phoenix, AZ
108. Philadelphia, PA
109. New York, NY

Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Shops per Capita

Most

Most
T-1. Orlando, FL
T-1. Las Vegas, NV
T-1. Miami, FL
T-1. Tampa, FL
T-1. San Antonio, TX

Fewest

Fewest
177. Charleston, WV
178. Casper, WY
179. Burlington, VT
180. Wilmington, DE
181. Lewiston, ME

Beer Gardens per Capita

Most

Most
T-1. Portland, OR
T-1. Washington, DC
T-1. Austin, TX
T-1. New York, NY
T-1. Milwaukee, WI

Fewest

Fewest
107. Tulsa, OK
108. Minneapolis, MN
109. Virginia Beach, VA
110. Fresno, CA
111. Oklahoma City, OK

Coffee & Tea Shops per Capita

Most

Most
1. Salt Lake City, UT
2. Richmond, VA
3. Spokane, WA
4. Orlando, FL
5. Pittsburgh, PA

Fewest

Fewest
178. Lewiston, ME
179. Fort Smith, AR
180. Columbus, GA
181. West Valley City, UT
182. Pearl City, HI

Museums per Capita

Most

Most
T-1. New Orleans, LA
T-1. Charleston, SC
3. San Francisco, CA
4. Miami, FL
5. Washington, DC

Fewest

Fewest
171. Columbia, MD
172. Glendale, CA
173. Garland, TX
174. Chula Vista, CA
175. Aurora, CO

Spas per Capita

Most

Most
T-1. Honolulu, HI
T-1. Las Vegas, NV
T-1. New York, NY
T-1. Orlando, FL
T-1. Los Angeles, CA

Fewest

Fewest
172. Jackson, MS
173. Grand Prairie, TX
174. Toledo, OH
175. Newark, NJ
176. Stockton, CA

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:

What are the best ways to enjoy a 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?
Are staycations becoming more popular amidst the inflation?

Ask the Experts

Jukka M. Laitamaki
Ph.D. – Clinical Professor, School of Professional Studies, Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality – New York University
Read More

Gail C. Lamberta
Ph.D. – Associate Dean, Community Development; Professor and Chair; Coordinator of Experiential Learning – St. Joseph's University, New York
Read More

Stephen Pratt
Department Chair – Tourism, Events and Attractions, Rosen College of Hospitality Management – University of Central Florida
Read More

Ira L. Rosen
MA, CFEE – Associate Professor of Event Management – Temple University School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management
Read More

Sotiris Hji-Avgoustis
Ph.D. – Professor of Hospitality Innovation and Leadership, Miller College of Business – Ball State University
Read More

Kathleen Richard
Assistant Professor, School of Business – Madonna 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 three key dimensions: 1) Recreation, 2) Food & Entertainment and 3) Rest & Relaxation.

We evaluated those dimensions using 42 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.

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: 33.33

Public Golf Courses per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Tennis Courts per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Swimming Pools per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Basketball Hoops per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Baseball & Softball Diamonds per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Parks per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Playgrounds per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Walk Score: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Bike Score: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Bike Rental Facilities per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Hiking Trails per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Shopping Centers per Capita*: (~2.30 Points)
Water & Amusement Parks per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Boat Tours & Water Sports per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Miles of Bicycle Lanes, Paths & Routes per Square Mile: Half Weight (~1.15 Points)

Food & Entertainment – Total Points: 33.33

Movie Costs: Full Weight (~1.63 Points)
Average Price for Two Tickets to the Theater: Full Weight (~1.63 Points)
Bowling Costs: Full Weight (~1.63 Points)
Average Price of Party Ticket: Full Weight (~1.63 Points)
Average Cocktail Price: Full Weight (~1.63 Points)
Nightlife Options per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.63 Points)
Casinos per Capita*: Half Weight (~0.81 Points)
Festivals per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.63 Points)
Museums per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.63 Points)
Zoos & Aquariums per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.63 Points)
Paintball Fields per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.63 Points)
Arcades per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.63 Points)
Presence on TripAdvisor’s “Top 25 Amusement Parks or Water Parks” List: Full Weight (~1.63 Points)
Note: This metric measures the presence and prevalence of a city in TripAdvisor’s “Top 25 Amusement Parks or Water Parks” List.
Theaters & Concert Halls per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.63 Points)
Coffee & Tea Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.63 Points)
Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.63 Points)
Beer Gardens per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.63 Points)
Restaurants per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.63 Points)
Restaurant-Meal Costs: Full Weight (~1.63 Points)
Prevalence of Affordable Restaurants with 4.5+ Stars: Full Weight (~1.63 Points)
Diversity of Restaurants: Full Weight (~1.63 Points)

Rest & Relaxation – Total Points: 33.33

Cost of House-Cleaning Service: Full Weight (~5.56 Points)
Spas & Wellness Centers per Capita*: Full Weight (~5.56 Points)
Massage Costs: Full Weight (~5.56 Points)
Beauty-Salon Costs: Full Weight (~5.56 Points)
Public Beaches per Capita*: Full Weight (~5.56 Points)
Idealness of Summer Weather: Full Weight (~5.56 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, The Trust for Public Land, League of American Bicyclists, Walk Score, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Expatistan, Eventbrite, Numbeo, MessageBook, GolfLink, Areavibes, Thumbtack and WalletHub research.

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