Summer is the perfect time to hit the open road: School’s out, the weather’s warm, and the possibilities are endless. This summer, nearly 75% of American adults plan to take some sort of road trip, with around 33% planning to travel more than 250 miles from home.
Deciding to take a trip is the easy part, though. Picking a destination and affording everything you want to pack into your itinerary is harder. Gas prices might be one thing to worry about, for example. They’ve remained high this year, with the national average at over $3.20 per gallon now. On top of that, you’ll need to consider accommodations, activities and dining, all of which continue to be impacted by inflation.
With road warriors in mind, WalletHub compared the 50 U.S. states based on 32 key metrics to find the most fun, scenic and wallet-friendly road-trip destinations — plus those that’ll have travelers pulling a quick U-turn. Our data set ranges from the number of attractions to road conditions to costs.
Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst
Main Findings
Best Road-Trip Destinations for Summer
| Overall Rank | State | Total Score | Costs Rank | Safety Rank | Activities Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | 59.84 | 22 | 3 | 20 |
| 2 | New York | 59.66 | 37 | 18 | 3 |
| 3 | Ohio | 58.46 | 12 | 23 | 13 |
| 4 | Utah | 58.03 | 30 | 10 | 10 |
| 5 | Louisiana | 57.91 | 1 | 46 | 11 |
| 6 | Florida | 57.89 | 19 | 43 | 2 |
| 7 | Idaho | 57.62 | 29 | 1 | 21 |
| 8 | Texas | 57.60 | 10 | 39 | 4 |
| 9 | North Carolina | 57.41 | 15 | 35 | 6 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 55.65 | 28 | 19 | 16 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | 54.88 | 20 | 9 | 31 |
| 12 | Georgia | 53.87 | 7 | 34 | 23 |
| 13 | Tennessee | 53.75 | 2 | 48 | 22 |
| 14 | Nevada | 53.32 | 21 | 38 | 12 |
| 15 | Maine | 53.29 | 34 | 2 | 32 |
| 16 | Illinois | 53.15 | 33 | 22 | 19 |
| 17 | Michigan | 52.78 | 17 | 27 | 27 |
| 18 | Virginia | 52.51 | 35 | 24 | 17 |
| 19 | Nebraska | 52.41 | 13 | 15 | 37 |
| 20 | Iowa | 51.97 | 25 | 4 | 41 |
| 21 | Indiana | 51.84 | 14 | 12 | 38 |
| 22 | Arizona | 51.50 | 23 | 41 | 14 |
| 23 | Oklahoma | 50.90 | 6 | 31 | 36 |
| 24 | Oregon | 50.86 | 42 | 26 | 9 |
| 25 | Wyoming | 50.73 | 38 | 17 | 26 |
| 26 | Colorado | 50.64 | 27 | 45 | 8 |
| 27 | Kansas | 50.46 | 8 | 16 | 45 |
| 28 | South Carolina | 50.33 | 4 | 49 | 28 |
| 29 | Alaska | 50.22 | 45 | 30 | 7 |
| 30 | Missouri | 50.20 | 11 | 42 | 25 |
| 31 | Kentucky | 49.50 | 16 | 28 | 35 |
| 32 | South Dakota | 49.48 | 26 | 20 | 34 |
| 33 | Alabama | 49.07 | 9 | 29 | 39 |
| 34 | New Jersey | 48.98 | 40 | 13 | 30 |
| 35 | West Virginia | 48.67 | 24 | 14 | 44 |
| 36 | Washington | 48.42 | 48 | 32 | 5 |
| 37 | North Dakota | 48.06 | 31 | 7 | 47 |
| 38 | New Hampshire | 47.97 | 39 | 6 | 40 |
| 39 | Mississippi | 47.88 | 5 | 37 | 42 |
| 40 | Massachusetts | 47.42 | 47 | 11 | 24 |
| 41 | Maryland | 47.03 | 41 | 36 | 18 |
| 42 | Arkansas | 45.85 | 3 | 44 | 43 |
| 43 | New Mexico | 45.58 | 18 | 50 | 29 |
| 44 | California | 45.06 | 50 | 40 | 1 |
| 45 | Hawaii | 44.20 | 49 | 21 | 15 |
| 46 | Montana | 43.74 | 36 | 33 | 33 |
| 47 | Vermont | 42.40 | 46 | 5 | 50 |
| 48 | Rhode Island | 40.74 | 43 | 8 | 49 |
| 49 | Connecticut | 38.81 | 44 | 25 | 46 |
| 50 | Delaware | 36.08 | 32 | 47 | 48 |
Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that state, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.
- Lowest
- 1. Mississippi
- 2. Oklahoma
- 3. Kentucky
- 4. Tennessee
- 5. Louisiana
- Highest
- 46. Oregon
- 47. Nevada
- 48. Washington
- 49. Hawaii
- 50. California
- Lowest
- 1. Maine
- 2. Ohio
- 3. Michigan
- 4. Iowa
- 5. Wisconsin
- Highest
- 46. North Carolina
- 47. Georgia
- 48. California
- 49. Colorado
- 50. Connecticut
- Lowest
- 1. Mississippi
- 2. Nevada
- 3. Wyoming
- 4. Arkansas
- 5. Georgia
- Highest
- 44. Maryland
- 45. Connecticut
- 46. Rhode Island
- 47. Vermont
- 48. California
- Most
- 1. New Hampshire
- 2. Idaho
- 3. Maine
- 4. Vermont
- 5. West Virginia
- Fewest
- 46. New Mexico
- 47. Maryland
- T-48. Colorado
- T-48. Nevada
- T-48. Washington
- Highest %
- T-1. Alaska
- T-1. Hawaii
- T-1. California
- T-1. Florida
- T-1. Washington
- Lowest %
- 46. Alabama
- 47. Oklahoma
- 48. Kansas
- 49. Iowa
- 50. Illinois
- Most
- 1. Oregon
- 2. California
- 3. Utah
- 4. North Carolina
- 5. Washington
- Fewest
- 46. Wisconsin
- 47. Rhode Island
- 48. Hawaii
- 49. Delaware
- 50. Connecticut
In-Depth Look at the Best States for Summer Road Trips
Minnesota
Minnesota is the best state for summer road trips, and it’s great for people who want to be outdoors because it has the fourth-highest spendings per capita on parks and recreation. In addition, Minnesota has the third-most fairs and festivals per capita during the summer, so there’s always something unique to check out.
Driving in Minnesota is very safe, too. The state has the third-fewest vehicle fatalities per million miles traveled, along with the fourth-best bridge quality in the country and the ninth-lowest prevalence of speeding.
To top things off, taking a road trip isn’t overly expensive in Minnesota. The state has the 12th-lowest camping costs, and 15th-lowest 3-star hotel cost during mid-July. Its car repair costs also rank as the 13th-lowest in the nation.
New York
New York is the second-best state for summer road trips, due to having an extremely large number of attractions and nightlife activities. It also is at the top of the country when it comes to accommodations and restaurants per capita.
One especially unique thing about New York is that it has the second most National Historic Landmarks per capita, so it’s easy to plan a fun road trip exploring the rich history of the state and how it has impacted our country, from George Washington’s headquarters in Newburgh to the Empire State Building in NYC.
Finally, New York has the 15th-lowest share of uninsured motorists. It also has the third-most protective driving laws and the fourth-lowest prevalence of using a phone while driving, which helps make the roads safer for road-trippers.
Ohio
Ohio is the third-best state for summer road trips, faring well when it comes to the number of available attractions, especially things like zoos, botanical gardens and amusement parks. There are plenty of things to make stops at for a day or even just a few hours while taking a road trip.
If you don’t plan on just passing by, consider spending a couple of days, as Ohio boasts the second-highest number of fairs and festivals in the country during the summer months.
Accommodations and food are very important during road trips as well, and the Buckeye State has those things covered. Ohio is at the top of the country when it comes to accommodations and restaurants per capita, where road- trippers can enjoy the midwestern cuisine and other fare.
Ask the Experts
You can enjoy a summer road trip without breaking the bank or compromising your safety. For advice, we asked a panel of experts to share their travel wisdom. Click on the experts’ profiles below to read their bios and responses to the following key questions:
- Do you have any budget saving tips for those looking to hit the open road?
- Do you think more people will take road trips this summer than in previous years?
- In evaluating the best states for summer road trips, which are the top 5 factors?
- Are summer road trips becoming a more popular option than flying? Why?
- How can local officials enhance safety and promote tourism during the busy summer road trip season?
Ask the Experts
Ph.D., Professor of Hospitality Innovation and Leadership, Ball State University, Miller College of Business
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MA, CFEE, CED, Adjunct Assistant Professor - Temple University School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management and President and CEO - Ira L Rosen LLC. Festival and Event Consulting
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Assistant Professor of Hospitality and Tourism Management - Davis & Elkins College
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Associate Professor, Graduate Coordinator, Department of Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management, College of Health and Human Performance - University of Florida
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Ph.D., CHIA, Director of Tourism & Hospitality Studies, Central Connecticut State University
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Ph.D., CHA, TMP, Assistant Professor of Business Administration - William Carey University
Read More
Methodology
To find the best road-trip destinations for summer, WalletHub compared the 50 states across three key dimensions: 1) Costs, 2) Safety and 3) Activities.
We evaluated those dimensions using 32 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 road trips. For metrics marked with an asterisk (*), we used the square root of the population to calculate the population size in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across states.
We then determined each state’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.
Costs – Total Points: 33.33
- Average Gas Prices: Double Weight (~10.26 Points)
- Average Cost of Car Repairs: Half Weight (~2.56 Points)
- Lowest Price of Three-Star Hotel Room: Full Weight (~5.13 Points)
- Lowest Price of Camping: Full Weight (~5.13 Points)
- Vacation Rentals per Capita: Full Weight (~5.13 Points)
- Cost of Living Index: Full Weight (~5.13 Points)
Safety – Total Points: 33.33
- Vehicle Miles Traveled per Capita: Full Weight (~2.34 Points)
- Population Density: Full Weight (~2.34 Points)
- Share of Urban Interstates Congested during Peak Hours: Full Weight (~2.34 Points)
- Increase in Vehicle Travel on Roads (2024 vs 2000): Full Weight (~2.34 Points)
- Driving Laws Score: Full Weight (~2.34 Points)
Note: The scoring is based on the ratings in the six issue areas from the Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety’s 2025 Roadmap to Safety report: occupant protection, child passenger safety, teen driving (GDL programs), impaired driving, distracted driving, and automated enforcement to curb speed. States are only given credit if the state law meets the optimal safety provisions. - Traffic Indiscipline: Full Weight (~2.34 Points)
Note: This is a composite metric that measures incidents due to poor behavior: phone use, speeding, aggressive, acceleration, harsh braking, and poor turning. - Quality of Roads: Full Weight (~2.34 Points)
- Quality of Bridges: Quarter Weight (~0.58 Points)
- Traffic-related Fatalities per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled: Triple Weight (~7.02 Points)
- Share of Uninsured Drivers: Full Weight (~2.34 Points)
- Car Thefts per 1,000 Residents: Full Weight (~2.34 Points)
- Rate of Larceny: Full Weight (~2.34 Points)
- Violent Crimes per 1,000 Residents: Full Weight (~2.34 Points)
Activities – Total Points: 33.33
- Share of Total Area Designated as National Parkland: Full Weight (~2.08 Points)
- National Parks Recreation Visitors per Capita: Full Weight (~2.08 Points)
- Zoos and Botanical Gardens per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.08 Points)
- Amusement & Theme Parks per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.08 Points)
- Fairs and Festivals per Capita over Summer Time*: Full Weight (~2.08 Points)
- Number of Attractions: Double Weight (~4.17 Points)
Note: Nightlife options excluded. - Nightlife Options per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.08 Points)
- Access to Scenic Byways: Triple Weight (~6.25 Points)
Note: This metric takes into account both the number of scenic byways and the length of scenic byways. - Historical Sites per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.08 Points)
- Miles of Shoreline: Full Weight (~2.08 Points)
- Idealness of Summer Weather: Full Weight (~2.08 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Cities with the Best & Worst Weather” ranking. - Accommodation & Food Services Establishments per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.08 Points)
- State & Local Direct General Expenditures on Parks & Recreation per Capita: Full Weight (~2.08 Points)
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected as of May 26, 2025 from the U.S. Census Bureau, Council for Community and Economic Research, Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Federal Highway Administration, National Park Service, The Insurance Research Council, American Automobile Association, The Road Information Program, America’s Scenic Byways, NOAA Office for Coastal Management, CarMD, Kayak.com, Kampgrounds of America, TripAdvisor, EverQuote, FairsandFestivals.net, Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety and WalletHub research.
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