Best & Worst Cities for Staycations

Adam McCann, Financial WriterJun 1, 2022

Adam McCann, Financial Writer
Jun 1, 2022

This summer, the U.S. will be far more open than it was the past two years during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. But even though the COVID-19 vaccines have made summer travel safer, some people may not be ready to venture far from home yet. Others simply don’t have the money to take a trip as their wallets are still recovering from COVID-19’s impact on 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 44 key metrics. Our data set ranges from parks per capita to restaurant-meal costs to the share of residents who are vaccinated.

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	59.40	1	26	5
2	Orlando, FL	57.45	19	1	18
3	Chicago, IL	54.75	5	23	11
4	Fort Lauderdale, FL	54.16	3	42	2
5	Portland, ME	54.00	2	47	8
6	Las Vegas, NV	53.14	14	2	39
7	San Francisco, CA	52.90	6	3	57
8	New York, NY	52.16	4	44	25
9	San Diego, CA	51.83	11	29	7
10	Seattle, WA	51.17	8	14	35
11	Tampa, FL	50.72	31	12	9
12	Charleston, SC	50.46	24	11	20
13	Salt Lake City, UT	50.13	10	27	19
14	Portland, OR	49.31	21	5	66
15	New Orleans, LA	49.20	18	10	52
16	Miami, FL	48.93	29	4	48
17	Cincinnati, OH	48.75	12	16	85
18	Tucson, AZ	47.54	25	17	55
19	Atlanta, GA	47.32	37	7	59
20	Denver, CO	46.85	22	28	50
21	Austin, TX	46.36	40	9	71
22	Pittsburgh, PA	46.26	39	8	83
23	Washington, DC	46.09	9	24	158
24	Minneapolis, MN	45.97	26	56	22
25	Los Angeles, CA	45.65	23	64	27
26	Philadelphia, PA	45.57	7	33	150
27	St. Louis, MO	45.51	49	6	117
28	Albuquerque, NM	45.09	32	21	87
29	Scottsdale, AZ	45.09	59	30	15
30	Madison, WI	44.99	16	70	49
31	Boston, MA	43.78	13	69	111
32	Reno, NV	43.76	80	22	23
33	St. Petersburg, FL	43.59	36	73	28
34	Houston, TX	43.33	47	13	157
35	Tempe, AZ	43.21	45	39	58
36	Nashville, TN	43.17	68	18	51
37	West Valley City, UT	43.17	44	174	1
38	Boise, ID	42.87	57	57	24
39	Rochester, NY	42.78	72	20	119
40	Burlington, VT	42.76	17	98	36
41	Omaha, NE	42.21	30	66	97
42	Milwaukee, WI	41.92	28	43	148
43	Norfolk, VA	41.91	38	97	30
44	Sacramento, CA	41.80	69	36	45
45	San Antonio, TX	41.55	67	19	131
46	Virginia Beach, VA	41.54	65	84	16
47	Columbia, SC	41.44	154	15	69
48	El Paso, TX	41.42	81	68	13
49	Jacksonville, FL	41.38	34	59	123
50	Chattanooga, TN	41.08	71	35	101
51	Cleveland, OH	40.99	41	67	99
52	Springfield, MO	40.42	145	34	56
53	Missoula, MT	40.17	53	127	21
54	Knoxville, TN	40.13	107	31	88
55	Baltimore, MD	40.04	35	49	167
56	Columbus, OH	39.95	70	50	79
57	Garden Grove, CA	39.82	20	151	14
58	Colorado Springs, CO	39.59	79	37	93
59	Sioux Falls, SD	39.58	164	79	12
60	Fargo, ND	38.85	141	38	86
61	Cape Coral, FL	38.79	43	144	26
62	Wilmington, DE	38.72	109	91	31
63	Lincoln, NE	38.62	77	71	68
64	Grand Rapids, MI	38.50	73	78	102
65	Louisville, KY	38.45	46	48	180
66	Buffalo, NY	38.41	48	58	174
67	South Burlington, VT	38.40	54	145	32
68	Providence, RI	38.33	58	62	155
69	Overland Park, KS	38.28	130	115	17
70	Akron, OH	38.25	116	93	33
71	Raleigh, NC	38.11	96	46	73
72	Lexington-Fayette, KY	38.08	117	81	29
73	Huntington Beach, CA	38.01	27	157	37
74	Phoenix, AZ	37.86	75	63	129
75	Tacoma, WA	37.81	127	53	98
76	Richmond, VA	37.78	55	25	182
77	Rapid City, SD	37.70	112	61	72
78	Cedar Rapids, IA	37.62	126	102	38
79	Charlotte, NC	37.55	85	52	106
79	Billings, MT	37.55	122	83	64
81	Kansas City, MO	37.54	88	76	76
82	Las Cruces, NM	37.38	148	146	3
83	St. Paul, MN	37.19	52	112	141
84	Spokane, WA	37.16	86	75	84
85	Glendale, CA	37.06	33	149	47
86	Gulfport, MS	37.03	110	101	43
87	Tulsa, OK	36.98	120	51	63
88	Dallas, TX	36.93	74	60	162
89	Huntsville, AL	36.81	152	94	41
90	Amarillo, TX	36.41	161	65	120
91	Toledo, OH	36.31	97	85	75
92	Glendale, AZ	36.09	76	114	78
93	Juneau, AK	36.08	15	138	159
94	Oklahoma City, OK	36.00	140	40	92
95	Corpus Christi, TX	35.90	93	108	61
96	Durham, NC	35.80	133	45	103
97	Plano, TX	35.79	62	121	128
98	Anchorage, AK	35.78	50	87	181
99	Pembroke Pines, FL	35.70	61	147	60
100	Aurora, IL	35.69	51	162	34
101	Aurora, CO	35.62	56	129	134
102	Oceanside, CA	35.60	63	133	80
103	Chandler, AZ	35.44	123	74	77
104	Henderson, NV	35.41	78	141	44
105	Long Beach, CA	35.34	66	131	114
106	Indianapolis, IN	35.30	103	41	175
107	Irvine, CA	35.23	42	150	146
108	Bismarck, ND	35.01	87	118	109
109	Laredo, TX	35.00	121	172	4
110	Birmingham, AL	34.91	147	54	164
111	Shreveport, LA	34.81	166	89	95
112	Columbia, MD	34.77	165	170	6
113	Vancouver, WA	34.70	113	90	145
114	Greensboro, NC	34.55	125	77	126
115	Mesa, AZ	34.52	102	92	115
115	Baton Rouge, LA	34.52	105	55	173
117	Worcester, MA	34.22	89	119	133
118	Huntington, WV	34.18	94	152	46
119	Salem, OR	34.00	132	96	136
120	San Jose, CA	33.82	83	125	135
121	Des Moines, IA	33.78	143	72	132
122	Jackson, MS	33.67	181	100	82
123	Wichita, KS	33.57	150	32	168
124	Mobile, AL	33.56	174	88	138
125	Modesto, CA	33.48	155	117	89
126	Lewiston, ME	33.35	101	164	42
127	Peoria, AZ	33.22	82	161	67
128	Augusta, GA	33.21	176	110	94
129	Winston-Salem, NC	33.18	151	103	65
130	Fresno, CA	33.18	139	95	122
131	Fayetteville, NC	33.12	173	122	91
132	Fort Worth, TX	33.12	135	80	156
133	New Haven, CT	32.93	144	124	100
134	Charleston, WV	32.84	162	135	74
135	Brownsville, TX	32.70	180	171	10
136	Stockton, CA	32.68	138	123	96
137	Oakland, CA	32.68	92	105	176
138	Nampa, ID	32.66	111	168	40
139	Detroit, MI	32.47	98	106	170
139	Little Rock, AR	32.47	158	111	140
141	Jersey City, NJ	32.47	129	126	105
142	Port St. Lucie, FL	32.25	171	107	113
143	Fort Smith, AR	32.22	137	156	54
144	Bakersfield, CA	32.09	172	82	125
145	Tallahassee, FL	32.01	175	86	166
146	Hialeah, FL	31.85	106	154	81
147	Nashua, NH	31.77	115	159	70
148	Manchester, NH	31.77	124	140	121
149	Anaheim, CA	31.73	159	99	104
150	Newport News, VA	31.27	168	116	154
151	Santa Ana, CA	31.10	128	142	108
152	Memphis, TN	30.99	136	109	165
153	Yonkers, NY	30.99	64	178	53
154	Santa Rosa, CA	30.97	95	164	110
155	Bridgeport, CT	30.91	60	158	144
156	Chesapeake, VA	30.83	90	143	163
157	Grand Prairie, TX	30.80	108	176	62
158	Warwick, RI	30.79	91	166	127
159	Columbus, GA	30.75	179	128	112
160	Santa Clarita, CA	30.72	118	163	107
161	Casper, WY	30.67	156	148	118
162	Lubbock, TX	30.59	134	113	172
163	Riverside, CA	29.97	131	137	149
164	Dover, DE	29.96	99	153	161
165	Arlington, TX	29.92	157	120	160
166	Gilbert, AZ	29.88	146	130	147
167	Fort Wayne, IN	29.72	167	104	169
168	Cheyenne, WY	29.63	119	139	171
169	Montgomery, AL	29.59	177	134	151
170	Ontario, CA	29.55	84	177	116
171	Newark, NJ	29.49	114	136	177
172	San Bernardino, CA	28.62	169	159	90
173	Fremont, CA	27.87	160	155	139
174	Garland, TX	27.84	142	173	124
175	Irving, TX	27.75	153	132	178
176	Fontana, CA	27.16	100	179	142
177	North Las Vegas, NV	27.04	149	175	137
178	Oxnard, CA	26.51	104	181	152
179	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	26.30	178	167	143
180	Moreno Valley, CA	26.16	170	180	130
181	Chula Vista, CA	24.17	163	169	179
182	Pearl City, HI	21.93	182	182	153

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. Cincinnati, OH
5. Washington, DC

Fewest

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

Tennis Courts per Capita

Most

Most
T-1. Honolulu, HI
T-1. Chicago, IL
3. Norfolk, VA
4. Omaha, NE
5. Washington, DC

Fewest

Fewest
97. Mesa, AZ
98. Irving, TX
99. Gilbert, AZ
100. North Las Vegas, NV
101. Bakersfield, CA

Public Golf Courses per Capita

Most

Most
T-1. Peoria, AZ
T-1. Gilbert, AZ
T-1. Glendale, AZ
T-1. Tempe, AZ
T-1. Fort Lauderdale, FL

Fewest

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

Zoos & Aquariums per Capita

Most

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

Fewest

Fewest
107. Jacksonville, FL
108. San Jose, CA
109. Philadelphia, PA
110. Phoenix, AZ
111. 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
5. San Antonio, TX

Fewest

Fewest
177. Fremont, CA
178. New Haven, CT
179. Burlington, VT
180. Casper, WY
181. Lewiston, ME

Beer Gardens per Capita

Most

Most
T-1. Portland, OR
T-1. Austin, TX
T-1. New York, NY
T-1. Washington, DC
5. Seattle, WA

Fewest

Fewest
102. Aurora, CO
103. Minneapolis, MN
104. Virginia Beach, VA
105. Fresno, CA
106. El Paso, TX

Coffee & Tea Shops per Capita

Most

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

Fewest

Fewest
178. Columbus, GA
179. Laredo, TX
180. West Valley City, UT
181. Lewiston, ME
182. Pearl City, HI

Museums per Capita

Most

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

Fewest

Fewest
170. Stockton, CA
171. Glendale, CA
172. Garland, TX
173. Chula Vista, CA
174. Aurora, CO

Spas per Capita

Most

Most
T-1. Honolulu, HI
T-1. New York, NY
T-1. Las Vegas, NV
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:

Given the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on tourism and travel, what are the best ways to enjoy a staycation and keeping safe?
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?
Does a high vaccination rate make Americans feel it’s safe to engage in travel and leisure activities again?

Ask the Experts

Jack Samuels
Ed.D., M.B.A. – Senior Professor, Montclair State University and President, Tourism and Leisure Consultants, LLC
Read More

Dipra Jha
Assistant Director & Scholarly Associate Professor, School of Hospitality Business Management – Washington State University Carson College of Business
Read More

Gary L. Deel
Ph.D., JD, CHSE, CHIA, CHE, SHRM-CP, CFE, APP – Adjunct Professor, Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management (THEM) Program – University of Florida
Read More

Andrew O. Coggins
Clinical Professor, Management and Management Science, Lubin School of Business – Pace University
Read More

Neville Bhada
Adjunct Professor, Hospitality and Food Industry Management Program – University of Georgia and Founder & CEO, Applied Strategies and Principles – Tourism Skills Group
Read More

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 44 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 & Municipal 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” List: Full Weight (~1.63 Points)
Note: This metric measures the presence and prevalence of a city in TripAdvisor’s “Top 25 Amusement 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 (~3.70 Points)
Spas & Wellness Centers per Capita*: Full Weight (~3.70 Points)
Massage Costs: Full Weight (~3.70 Points)
Beauty-Salon Costs: Full Weight (~3.70 Points)
Public Beaches per Capita*: Full Weight (~3.70 Points)
Presence on TripAdvisor’s “Top 25 Beaches” List: Full Weight (~3.70 Points)
Note: This metric measures the presence and prevalence of a city in TripAdvisor’s “Top 25 Beaches” List.
Idealness of Summer Weather: Full Weight (~3.70 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Cities with the Best & Worst Weather” ranking.
Percentage of Residents Who Are Fully Vaccinated: Double Weight (~7.41 Points)

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, GolfLink, TripAdvisor, Expatistan, Eventbrite, Numbeo, Areavibes, ImproveNet, MassageBook, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and WalletHub research.

Supporting Video Files:

Questions & Answers(3 questions)

where is San Diego in your calculations?!!!

Upvotes

Beaches is given too much weight (2 categories in R&R) , big bias on coastline states- Should be 'geo features' - what about mountains?

Upvotes

Why is war-torn Seattle on the list? Hasn't the city become dangerous because of Antifa and BLM?

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