While the COVID-19 pandemic put many Americans’ summer travel plans on hold during the past two years, travel is much safer and much more feasible this year due to vaccines and the lack of restrictions. In fact, nearly 80% of American travelers plan to take a trip in 2022. The only question is: Where should you go? You might have a few destinations already in mind, but your travel budget might not agree, especially after the financial difficulties of the pandemic. Regardless, it’s ideal to have fun while keeping your spending in check.
So which places offer the most bang for the buck? To find out, WalletHub developed a ranking of the cheapest U.S. destinations that are also the easiest to reach. In total, we analyzed 100 of the largest metro areas across 43 key indicators. Our data set ranges from the cost of the cheapest flight to the number of attractions to COVID-19 cases.
Compared with other rankings that focus on each destination’s scenic quality, this report focuses primarily on the cost and convenience of traveling to each location as well as its affordability. However, it does take into account the number of attractions and variety of activities in each destination to ensure visitors will stay busy and entertained throughout the trip. As you plan your trip, make sure to check out WalletHub’s Best Travel Credit Cards and Currency Exchange reports.
Main Findings
Best Places to Visit in Summer
Rank | Destination (Metro Area) |
Total Score | Travel Costs & Hassles | Local Costs | Attractions | Weather | Activities | Safety |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL Metro Area | 69.97 | 35 | 25 | 6 | 62 | 1 | 8 |
2 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metro Area | 67.10 | 9 | 76 | 13 | 19 | 12 | 15 |
3 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL Metro Area | 66.84 | 18 | 50 | 25 | 40 | 10 | 2 |
4 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX Metro Area | 64.37 | 32 | 27 | 11 | 21 | 23 | 38 |
5 | Salt Lake City, UT Metro Area | 63.85 | 5 | 72 | 32 | 11 | 31 | 32 |
6 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area | 63.51 | 28 | 94 | 2 | 49 | 9 | 18 |
7 | Urban Honolulu, HI Metro Area | 63.16 | 11 | 98 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 33 |
8 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metro Area | 62.97 | 3 | 59 | 31 | 75 | 20 | 14 |
9 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Metro Area | 62.95 | 2 | 28 | 34 | 48 | 13 | 72 |
10 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX Metro Area | 62.06 | 29 | 6 | 20 | 38 | 38 | 55 |
11 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL Metro Area | 61.94 | 55 | 77 | 14 | 67 | 3 | 10 |
12 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC Metro Area | 61.84 | 66 | 16 | 61 | 3 | 14 | 37 |
13 | Raleigh-Cary, NC Metro Area | 61.43 | 49 | 18 | 41 | 22 | 59 | 23 |
14 | Jacksonville, FL Metro Area | 61.14 | 60 | 19 | 29 | 61 | 25 | 16 |
15 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metro Area | 61.10 | 12 | 69 | 18 | 42 | 19 | 51 |
16 | Oklahoma City, OK Metro Area | 60.91 | 27 | 4 | 44 | 17 | 80 | 48 |
17 | Tulsa, OK Metro Area | 59.67 | 51 | 2 | 60 | 18 | 78 | 44 |
18 | Knoxville, TN Metro Area | 59.65 | 36 | 7 | 75 | 36 | 50 | 54 |
19 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA Metro Area | 59.58 | 30 | 96 | 7 | 80 | 5 | 6 |
20 | St. Louis, MO-IL Metro Area | 59.56 | 63 | 21 | 28 | 12 | 24 | 66 |
21 | El Paso, TX Metro Area | 59.42 | 76 | 13 | 73 | 10 | 76 | 12 |
22 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR Metro Area | 59.32 | 31 | 12 | 65 | 9 | 83 | 74 |
23 | Columbia, SC Metro Area | 59.11 | 42 | 9 | 68 | 28 | 63 | 64 |
24 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA Metro Area | 58.87 | 50 | 85 | 4 | 66 | 7 | 77 |
25 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA Metro Area | 58.62 | 62 | 60 | 15 | 39 | 18 | 49 |
26 | Springfield, MO Metro Area | 58.52 | 8 | 38 | 64 | 27 | 69 | 82 |
27 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA Metro Area | 58.45 | 15 | 32 | 17 | 15 | 11 | 98 |
28 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL Metro Area | 58.43 | 33 | 29 | 99 | 45 | 79 | 7 |
29 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA Metro Area | 58.38 | 16 | 92 | 63 | 7 | 73 | 13 |
30 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL Metro Area | 58.22 | 34 | 74 | 70 | N/A | 15 | 9 |
31 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metro Area | 58.15 | 67 | 22 | 21 | 41 | 32 | 47 |
32 | Pittsburgh, PA Metro Area | 58.05 | 26 | 66 | 37 | 71 | 27 | 25 |
33 | Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area | 57.89 | 13 | 57 | 54 | 76 | 52 | 31 |
34 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN Metro Area | 57.86 | 80 | 36 | 40 | 16 | 36 | 28 |
35 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area | 57.51 | 7 | 46 | 45 | 79 | 39 | 41 |
36 | Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA Metro Area | 57.29 | 68 | 43 | 69 | 44 | 37 | 20 |
37 | Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metro Area | 57.23 | 21 | 58 | 16 | 70 | 21 | 76 |
38 | Lafayette, LA Metro Area | 57.04 | 19 | 37 | 83 | 47 | 87 | 43 |
39 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN Metro Area | 57.00 | 81 | 42 | 22 | 6 | 42 | 53 |
40 | Wichita, KS Metro Area | 56.91 | 47 | 5 | 78 | 33 | 89 | 60 |
41 | Richmond, VA Metro Area | 56.80 | 25 | 47 | 47 | 32 | 30 | 89 |
42 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC Metro Area | 56.68 | 54 | 3 | 66 | 29 | 99 | 78 |
43 | Fresno, CA Metro Area | 56.47 | 52 | 82 | 72 | 2 | 85 | 21 |
44 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI Metro Area | 56.24 | 93 | 83 | 1 | 55 | 4 | 59 |
45 | Dayton-Kettering, OH Metro Area | 55.69 | 6 | 14 | 88 | 65 | 67 | 90 |
46 | Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC Metro Area | 55.67 | 53 | 80 | 59 | 26 | 34 | 36 |
47 | Columbus, OH Metro Area | 55.46 | 74 | 31 | 56 | 20 | 57 | 39 |
48 | San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA Metro Area | 55.44 | 10 | 95 | 5 | 95 | 8 | 27 |
49 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA Metro Area | 55.24 | 72 | 89 | 30 | 31 | 45 | 11 |
50 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metro Area | 54.87 | 85 | 41 | 26 | 23 | 47 | 40 |
51 | Greenville-Anderson, SC Metro Area | 54.87 | 24 | 24 | 55 | N/A | 17 | 85 |
52 | Kansas City, MO-KS Metro Area | 54.84 | 61 | 8 | 35 | 37 | 68 | 80 |
53 | Albuquerque, NM Metro Area | 54.71 | 38 | 17 | 36 | 5 | 41 | 99 |
54 | Tucson, AZ Metro Area | 54.24 | 22 | 61 | 23 | 57 | 33 | 94 |
55 | Madison, WI Metro Area | 54.09 | 14 | 53 | 49 | 87 | 40 | 70 |
56 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Metro Area | 54.02 | 70 | 48 | 27 | 43 | 49 | 61 |
57 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN Metro Area | 54.00 | 83 | 35 | 38 | 52 | 54 | 26 |
58 | Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area | 53.98 | 92 | 11 | 9 | 50 | 28 | 73 |
59 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL Metro Area | 53.84 | 69 | 34 | 100 | 59 | 91 | 4 |
60 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI Metro Area | 53.40 | 58 | 33 | 52 | 56 | 62 | 69 |
61 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY Metro Area | 53.36 | 20 | 55 | 57 | 82 | 46 | 58 |
62 | Corpus Christi, TX Metro Area | 53.27 | 59 | 23 | 81 | 34 | 70 | 79 |
63 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR Metro Area | 53.24 | 41 | 20 | 90 | 25 | 92 | 92 |
64 | Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV Metro Area | 53.23 | 86 | 79 | 3 | 77 | 6 | 86 |
65 | Akron, OH Metro Area | 53.22 | 39 | 49 | 79 | 74 | 96 | 42 |
66 | Toledo, OH Metro Area | 52.86 | 43 | 30 | 76 | 63 | 90 | 67 |
67 | Chattanooga, TN-GA Metro Area | 52.80 | 82 | 40 | 51 | 14 | 51 | 83 |
68 | Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT Metro Area | 52.64 | 40 | 62 | 92 | 68 | 74 | 50 |
69 | Greensboro-High Point, NC Metro Area | 52.23 | 65 | 45 | 77 | 35 | 88 | 65 |
70 | Boise City, ID Metro Area | 51.15 | 78 | 75 | 48 | 30 | 64 | 57 |
71 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metro Area | 50.68 | 37 | 93 | 43 | 88 | 56 | 19 |
72 | Colorado Springs, CO Metro Area | 50.64 | 46 | 71 | 33 | 78 | 66 | 71 |
73 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA Metro Area | 50.63 | 75 | 56 | 80 | N/A | 77 | 22 |
74 | Portland-South Portland, ME Metro Area | 50.61 | 23 | 84 | 42 | 93 | 22 | 34 |
75 | North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL Metro Area | 50.38 | 79 | 73 | 91 | N/A | 71 | 5 |
76 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA Metro Area | 50.27 | 73 | 87 | 10 | 90 | 16 | 46 |
77 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area | 50.23 | 71 | 44 | 46 | 13 | 82 | 95 |
78 | Cleveland-Elyria, OH Metro Area | 50.14 | 91 | 54 | 39 | 51 | 44 | 52 |
79 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL Metro Area | 49.83 | 95 | 67 | 98 | 64 | 43 | 1 |
80 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metro Area | 49.69 | 87 | 63 | 87 | 60 | 61 | 29 |
81 | Rochester, NY Metro Area | 49.53 | 64 | 68 | 50 | 85 | 35 | 68 |
82 | Baton Rouge, LA Metro Area | 49.04 | 98 | 15 | 62 | 46 | 53 | 56 |
83 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA Metro Area | 48.65 | 1 | 100 | 89 | 91 | 60 | 17 |
84 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA Metro Area | 48.33 | 17 | 70 | 53 | 89 | 81 | 87 |
85 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA Metro Area | 48.19 | 57 | 86 | 95 | 81 | 93 | 24 |
86 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metro Area | 48.19 | 77 | 91 | 12 | 73 | 29 | 75 |
87 | Syracuse, NY Metro Area | 47.93 | 48 | 65 | 67 | 84 | 55 | 91 |
88 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area | 47.89 | 4 | 97 | 8 | 94 | 26 | 81 |
89 | Bakersfield, CA Metro Area | 47.08 | 90 | 90 | 82 | 4 | 98 | 30 |
90 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Metro Area | 46.93 | 97 | 39 | 86 | 53 | 95 | 35 |
91 | Lexington-Fayette, KY Metro Area | 45.40 | 89 | 51 | 58 | 54 | 84 | 88 |
92 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX Metro Area | 44.85 | 100 | 1 | 94 | 58 | 97 | 84 |
93 | Jackson, MS Metro Area | 44.82 | 84 | 10 | 97 | 8 | 100 | 96 |
94 | Birmingham-Hoover, AL Metro Area | 44.09 | 88 | 78 | 71 | 24 | 72 | 93 |
95 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY Metro Area | 43.61 | 96 | 64 | 74 | 86 | 75 | 45 |
96 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT Metro Area | 42.38 | 94 | 88 | 84 | 69 | 58 | 62 |
97 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI Metro Area | 42.12 | 99 | 26 | 93 | 82 | 94 | 63 |
98 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA Metro Area | 41.59 | 56 | 81 | 85 | 72 | 65 | 97 |
99 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA Metro Area | 41.37 | 45 | 99 | 96 | 95 | 86 | 3 |
100 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ Metro Area | 41.29 | 44 | 52 | 24 | 92 | 48 | 100 |
Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that metro area, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.

- Lowest Costs & Fewest Hassles
- 1. Santa Rosa, CA
- 2. Cincinnati, OH
- 3. Minneapolis, MN
- 4. Seattle, WA
- 5. Salt Lake City, UT

- Highest Costs & Most Hassles
- 96. Albany, NY
- 97. Des Moines, IA
- 98. Baton Rouge, LA
- 99. Lansing, MI
- 100. McAllen, TX

- Lowest Costs
- 1. McAllen, TX
- 2. Tulsa, OK
- 3. Augusta, GA
- 4. Oklahoma City, OK
- 5. Wichita, KS

- Highest Costs
- 96. San Diego, CA
- 97. Seattle, WA
- 98. Honolulu, HI
- 99. Oxnard, CA
- 100. Santa Rosa, CA

- Most
- 1. Chicago, IL
- 2. Los Angeles, CA
- 3. Las Vegas, NV
- 4. New York, NY
- 5. San Francisco, CA

- Fewest
- 96. Oxnard, CA
- 97. Jackson, MS
- 98. Cape Coral, FL
- 99. Palm Bay, FL
- 100. Deltona, FL

- Most
- 1. Orlando, FL
- 2. Honolulu, HI
- 3. Miami, FL
- 4. Chicago, IL
- 5. San Diego, CA

- Fewest
- 96. Akron, OH
- 97. McAllen, TX
- 98. Bakersfield, CA
- 99. Augusta, GA
- 100. Jackson, MS

- Most Safe
- 1. Cape Coral, FL
- 2. Tampa, FL
- 3. Oxnard, CA
- 4. Deltona, FL
- 5. North Port, FL

- Least Safe
- 96. Jackson, MS
- 97. Providence, RI
- 98. Atlanta, CA
- 99. Albuquerque, NM
- 100. Phoenix, AZ
Ask the Experts: Tips for Saving on Summer Travel
You shouldn’t have to wipe out your savings just to enjoy a nice summer vacation. For budget-friendly advice and other useful travel insight, we asked a panel of experts to share their thoughts on the following key questions:
- What are your predictions for the 2022 summer travel season (percent of Americans traveling; most popular destinations; busiest travel times)?
- Do you think the federal government should block airlines from overbooking flights?
- What are the most costly travel mistakes?
- In evaluating the best summer travel destinations, what are the top five indicators?
- How will the vaccine rollout help traveling this summer?
Ask the Experts
Ph.D. – Associate Professor, Academic Program Coordinator of Tourism and Events Management, School of Sport, Recreation, and Tourism Management – George Mason University
Read More
Lecturer, School of Community Resources & Development, Watts College of Public Service & Community Solutions – Arizona State University
Read More
Ph.D. – Lecturer, Coordinator for Hospitality and Tourism Management, Hospitality & Tourism Department, Pompea College of Business – University of New Haven
Read More
Ph.D., CHIA – Director of Tourism & Hospitality Studies – Central Connecticut State University
Read More
M.S. – Instructor, Department of Hospitality, Recreation & Tourism – California State University - East Bay
Read More
Ph.D. – Clinical Professor – New York University, School of Professional Studies, Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality
Read More
Methodology
In order to determine the best summer vacation spots, WalletHub compared 100 of the most populated metro areas (or Metropolitan Statistical Areas, as identified by the U.S. Census Bureau) across six key categories: 1) Travel Costs & Hassles, 2) Local Costs, 3) Attractions, 4) Weather, 5) Activities and 6) Safety.
We evaluated those categories using 43 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 summer travel. Metrics marked with an asterisk (*) were measured by the square root of the population.
For our flight analysis, we collected data on March 4 and selected July 8 as the departure date and July 18 as the return date for the following reasons: 1) July is the most popular month for summer travel, according to an AYTM vacations survey, and 2) the average American considers 10 days to be the perfect length for a vacation, according to American Express data.
Finally, we determined each metro area’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.
Travel Costs & Hassles - Total Points: 16
- Cost of Cheapest Flight: 30% (~4.80 Points)
- Duration of Cheapest Flight: 10% (~1.60 Points)
- Number of Connections on Cheapest Flight: 5% (~0.80 Points)
- Cost of Shortest Flight: 30% (~4.80 Points)
- Duration of Shortest Flight: 10% (~1.60 Points)
- Number of Connections on Shortest Flight: 5% (~0.80 Points)
- Share of Delayed Flights: 10% (~1.60 Points)
To determine the cheapest flight, we compared the cost of a round-trip flight between each of the 100 destinations and the six largest U.S. airport hubs in the following cities:
- Atlanta
- Chicago
- Dallas
- Denver
- Los Angeles
- New York
To determine the shortest flight, we compared the departure and return flights and chose the longer of the two. For instance, if a departure flight from Washington to Los Angeles took five hours, whereas the return flight from Los Angeles to Washington lasted six, we chose the latter.
Considering the disparities in flight costs and travel times, we also chose the best deals for each metric within a $30 range or one-hour window. For example, if the cheapest round-trip flight from Washington to Los Angeles cost $700, whereas the second-cheapest flight cost $25 more but reduced the total travel time by two hours, we chose the latter. Similarly, if the shortest round-trip flight from Washington to Los Angeles took six hours each way, whereas the second-shortest took 25 minutes longer but saved the traveler $200, we again chose the latter.
Local Costs - Total Points: 16
- Cost of Living: 26.77% (~4.28 Points)
- Average Gas Prices: 26.77% (~4.28 Points)
- Lowest Nightly Rate for Three-Star Hotel Room: 26.77% (~4.28 Points)
- Average Price of Two-Person Meal: 19.69% (~3.17 Points)
Attractions - Total Points: 16
- Number of Attractions: 50% (~8.00 Points)
- Diversity of Attractions: 50% (~8.00 Points)
Note: This metric was calculated using the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index, which is a commonly accepted measure of market concentration that also works effectively as a general-purpose measure of diversity.
Weather - Total Points: 16
Note: Based on WalletHub’s “Cities with the Best & Worst Weather” ranking, penalizing the metro areas with extreme weather.
Activities - Total Points: 16
- Restaurants per Capita*: 4.08% (~0.65 Points)
- Prevalence of Affordable Restaurants with Ratings of 4.5+ Stars: 4.08% (~0.65 Points)
- Amusement Parks per Capita*: 4.08% (~0.65 Points)
- Presence on TripAdvisor’s “Top 25 Amusement Parks” List: 4.08% (~0.65 Points)
Note: Binary metric:
1 – City is present on Top 25 TripAdvisor Amusement Parks
0 – City is not present on Top 25 TripAdvisor Amusement Parks - Wellness & Spa Centers per Capita*: 4.08% (~0.65 Points)
- Retail Shopping Centers per Capita*: 4.08% (~0.65 Points)
- Music Venues per Capita*: 4.08% (~0.65 Points)
- Coffee & Tea Shops per Capita*: 4.08% (~0.65 Points)
- Ice-Cream & Frozen-Yogurt Shops per Capita*: 4.08% (~ 0.65 Points)
- Tennis Courts per Capita*: 4.08% (~0.65 Points)
- Golf Courses and Country Clubs per Capita*: 4.08% (~0.65 Points)
- Baseball & Softball Diamonds per Capita*: 4.08% (~0.65 Points)
- Basketball Hoops per Capita*: 4.08% (~0.65 Points)
- Bike-Rental Facilities per Capita*: 4.08% (~0.65 Points)
- Food Festivals per Capita*: 4.08% (~0.65 Points)
- Quality of Parks: 4.08% (~0.65 Points)
Note: Based on WalletHub’s “Best & Worst Cities for Recreation” ranking. - Public Beaches per Capita*: 4.08% (~0.65 Points)
- Presence on TripAdvisor’s “Top 25 Beaches” or “Top 25 Water Parks” List: 2.04% (~0.33 Points)
Note: Binary metric:
1 – City is present on Top 25 TripAdvisor Beaches or Water Parks
0 – City is not present on Top 25 TripAdvisor Beaches or Water Parks - Water Temperature: 4.08% (~0.65 Points)
Note: This metric was used as a proxy for cities located along a sea, ocean or lake. - Swimming Pools per Capita*: 4.08% (~0.65 Points)
- Water Parks per Capita*: 4.08% (~0.65 Points)
- Boat Tours & Water Sports per Capita*: 4.08% (~0.65 Points)
- Hiking Trails per Capita*: 4.08% (~0.65 Points)
- Beer Gardens per Capita*: 4.08% (~0.65 Points)
- Time of Last Call: 4.08% (~0.65 Points)
Safety - Total Points: 20
- Average Daily COVID-19 Deaths in the Past Week per Capita: 33.33% (~6.67 Points)
- Average Daily COVID-19 Cases in the Past Week per Capita: 33.33% (~6.67 Points)
- Violent-Crime Rate: 16.67% (~3.33 Points)
- Property-Crime Rate: 16.67% (~3.33 Points)
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Council for Community and Economic Research, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Numbeo, Kayak, TripAdvisor, Yelp, The Trust for Public Land, World Sea Temperature, Carnegie Mellon University – Delphi Group, the American Automobile Association, and WalletHub research.