Best Summer Travel Destinations

Adam McCann, Financial WriterMay 18, 2021

Adam McCann, Financial Writer
May 18, 2021

Last year, Americans’ summer travel plans were squashed by the COVID-19 pandemic. But with all Americans now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine and states reopening, people who are fully vaccinated should be able to enjoy a safe getaway. 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 42 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.

Table of Contents

Main Findings Ask the Experts: Tips for Saving on Summer Travel Methodology

Main Findings

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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	72.95	24	3	2	62	1	46
2	Urban Honolulu, HI Metro Area	72.89	5	99	14	1	2	1
3	New Orleans-Metairie, LA Metro Area	72.51	19	32	13	39	16	2
4	Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX Metro Area	70.40	31	19	12	21	15	22
5	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA Metro Area	67.81	20	13	19	15	11	63
6	Salt Lake City, UT Metro Area	67.63	32	67	37	11	31	3
7	Tulsa, OK Metro Area	65.99	28	14	62	18	73	5
8	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area	65.89	44	90	3	49	10	11
9	Oklahoma City, OK Metro Area	65.71	25	2	48	17	80	24
10	Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR Metro Area	65.41	38	16	69	9	81	13
11	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metro Area	65.40	10	91	17	19	22	14
12	Springfield, MO Metro Area	64.81	13	60	67	27	71	8
13	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX Metro Area	64.30	11	27	21	38	45	59
14	Wichita, KS Metro Area	64.13	12	7	81	33	89	17
15	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL Metro Area	62.73	43	41	24	40	9	56
16	Tucson, AZ Metro Area	62.53	27	33	23	57	33	42
17	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL Metro Area	61.46	15	57	9	67	5	89
18	Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA Metro Area	61.42	7	85	72	7	70	19
19	Albuquerque, NM Metro Area	61.20	68	6	33	5	38	73
20	Raleigh-Cary, NC Metro Area	60.97	52	30	43	22	56	30
21	Knoxville, TN Metro Area	60.78	71	4	65	36	43	33
22	Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC Metro Area	60.78	42	8	79	29	99	54
23	St. Louis, MO-IL Metro Area	60.70	74	28	26	12	25	55
24	Columbia, SC Metro Area	60.61	50	9	64	28	69	62
25	Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI Metro Area	60.31	90	51	1	55	3	68
26	Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Metro Area	59.72	61	69	34	48	12	25
27	Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR Metro Area	59.61	46	11	95	25	93	41
28	Dayton-Kettering, OH Metro Area	59.45	1	24	88	65	78	66
29	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metro Area	59.43	76	45	22	41	34	26
30	San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA Metro Area	59.28	6	95	5	95	8	16
31	Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area	59.28	63	21	45	13	82	27
32	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN Metro Area	59.20	82	43	20	6	37	50
33	Lafayette, LA Metro Area	59.14	56	20	83	47	88	20
34	Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN Metro Area	58.73	84	18	39	16	51	29
35	Jacksonville, FL Metro Area	58.70	51	23	29	61	26	69
36	Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metro Area	58.44	40	64	18	70	21	76
37	Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV Metro Area	58.41	99	35	4	77	6	21
38	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA Metro Area	58.28	69	88	10	90	13	9
39	San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA Metro Area	58.10	21	96	8	80	4	79
40	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metro Area	57.87	33	56	30	75	20	48
41	Charleston-North Charleston, SC Metro Area	57.86	80	79	31	3	18	43
42	Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA Metro Area	57.77	77	86	36	31	42	4
43	Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC Metro Area	57.63	58	74	54	26	32	32
44	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metro Area	57.52	18	76	16	42	17	96
45	Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ Metro Area	57.48	30	22	25	92	61	12
46	Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area	57.43	94	5	11	50	30	75
47	New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA Metro Area	57.28	45	83	6	66	7	92
48	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metro Area	57.25	73	40	28	23	49	61
49	Madison, WI Metro Area	57.09	54	62	56	87	40	7
50	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metro Area	56.86	60	89	15	73	28	37
51	El Paso, TX Metro Area	56.75	49	36	73	10	75	70
52	Syracuse, NY Metro Area	56.53	8	78	71	84	63	28
53	Richmond, VA Metro Area	56.49	17	44	47	32	29	93
54	Chattanooga, TN-GA Metro Area	56.46	75	34	51	14	48	67
55	Columbus, OH Metro Area	56.06	81	29	49	20	62	38
56	Fresno, CA Metro Area	55.79	72	42	74	2	92	47
57	Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area	55.65	3	73	41	79	44	72
58	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metro Area	55.59	39	87	46	88	52	6
59	Akron, OH Metro Area	55.23	47	15	85	74	96	49
60	Boise City, ID Metro Area	55.13	78	70	53	30	59	23
61	Kansas City, MO-KS Metro Area	55.08	79	38	42	37	66	39
62	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area	54.73	9	98	7	94	14	44
63	Rochester, NY Metro Area	54.61	59	53	52	85	36	35
64	Corpus Christi, TX Metro Area	54.38	37	55	76	34	60	82
65	Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL Metro Area	54.33	48	82	63	N/A	24	31
66	Birmingham-Hoover, AL Metro Area	53.70	93	17	68	24	68	57
67	Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA Metro Area	53.69	70	26	61	44	35	83
68	Bakersfield, CA Metro Area	53.29	86	52	82	4	95	36
69	Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA Metro Area	53.28	16	81	59	89	74	34
70	Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area	53.18	14	47	60	76	53	87
71	Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY Metro Area	53.17	2	12	57	82	47	98
72	Greenville-Anderson, SC Metro Area	52.96	36	39	58	N/A	27	85
73	Lexington-Fayette, KY Metro Area	52.72	91	37	55	54	84	18
74	Pittsburgh, PA Metro Area	52.71	35	68	35	71	23	91
75	Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT Metro Area	52.44	22	77	91	68	97	51
76	Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN Metro Area	51.90	83	49	38	52	55	64
77	Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL Metro Area	51.62	26	80	99	45	86	60
78	North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL Metro Area	51.20	53	65	90	N/A	50	52
79	Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA Metro Area	50.79	57	58	80	N/A	77	53
80	Jackson, MS Metro Area	50.70	96	31	96	8	100	40
81	Cleveland-Elyria, OH Metro Area	50.66	89	59	40	51	41	71
82	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Metro Area	50.20	67	75	27	43	46	90
83	Toledo, OH Metro Area	49.77	62	48	77	63	90	81
84	Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA Metro Area	49.13	4	100	84	91	67	10
85	Colorado Springs, CO Metro Area	48.27	66	66	32	78	58	86
86	Greensboro-High Point, NC Metro Area	47.86	65	61	78	35	83	95
87	Providence-Warwick, RI-MA Metro Area	47.85	55	94	70	72	65	58
88	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI Metro Area	47.44	41	46	50	56	57	100
89	Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Metro Area	47.28	85	50	86	53	98	74
90	Baton Rouge, LA Metro Area	46.41	98	54	66	46	54	80
91	Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA Metro Area	45.94	29	93	93	81	87	77
92	Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL Metro Area	45.70	64	10	100	59	79	97
93	McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX Metro Area	45.12	100	1	94	58	94	88
94	Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY Metro Area	45.07	97	63	75	86	76	45
95	Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT Metro Area	45.01	87	84	87	69	72	65
96	Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metro Area	44.92	88	72	89	60	64	84
97	Portland-South Portland, ME Metro Area	44.56	23	92	44	93	19	94
98	Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL Metro Area	44.49	92	71	98	64	39	78
99	Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA Metro Area	43.22	34	97	97	95	85	15
100	Lansing-East Lansing, MI Metro Area	36.29	95	25	92	82	91	99

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.

artwork 2021 best worst summer spots

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 2021 summer travel season in terms of, for instance, the percentage of Americans traveling, the most popular destinations and the busiest travel times?
Do you think the federal government should block airlines from overbooking flights?
What are the best travel strategies for families with young children on a budget?
What are the costliest travel mistakes?
In evaluating the best summer travel destinations, what are the top five indicators?
How will the vaccine rollout help travel this summer?

Ask the Experts

: Arch G. Woodside
Professor of Marketing (Retired) – Boston College
Read More

: Thilo Kunkel
Ph.D. – Associate Professor, Director, Sport Industry Research Center, School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management – Temple University
Read More

: Jack Samuels
Professor, Hospitality and Tourism, School of Business – Montclair State University
Read More

: Sotiris Hji-Avgoustis
Ph.D. – Professor, Miller College of Business – Ball State University
Read More

: Chay Runnels
Ph.D., CMP – Interim Director, School of Human Sciences and Professor – Stephen F. Austin State University
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 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 summer travel. Metrics marked with an asterisk (*) were measured by the square root of the population.

For our flight analysis, we collected data on April 19 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: 40% (~6.40 Points)
Lowest Nightly Rate for Three-Star Hotel Room: 40% (~6.40 Points)
Average Price of Two-Person Meal: 20% (~3.20 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 and WalletHub research.

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Questions & Answers (1 question)

How did you determine safest cities? I looked at crime rates and you're so wrong!

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