With inflation forcing many Americans to forgo summer vacation traveling, WalletHub considered the appeal of spending time off closer to home with its newly published list of 2024’s Best & Worst Cities for Staycations.
WalletHub compared more than 180 cities across 42 key indicators, spanning various staycation considerations including parks and museums per capita and the costs of restaurant meals. The survey placed Orlando as the best city for residents planning a summer staycation.
WalletHub praised the Florida city’s staycation cred, noting how “there are so many different things to do in the city. Orlando has an extremely high number of amusement parks, water parks, nightlife activities, festivals, zoos and arcades per capita, so it’s easy to fill a week with different fun outings every day. Orlando is also a great place to eat out, with plenty of affordable restaurants rated at least 4.5 stars out of 5 and very diverse restaurant types. There are also lots of ice cream shops for dessert during the hot summer.”
Honolulu placed second on the list, with WalletHub observing how the Hawaiian capital “is especially great for people who love being outside. The city offers plenty of opportunities to play tennis or baseball, swim, hike or rent bikes, so you can enjoy the beautiful outdoor scenery while staying active. Honolulu also has a lot of spas, which are a great day trip idea during a staycation. The average cost of a massage is relatively now, too, at around $74.”
The third spot on the staycation list might be a surprise to many people, considering it is not commonly associated with resort-style vacations.
“Cincinnati is the third-best city for staycations, and it’s especially good for outdoor activities,” noted WalletHub, citing the city’s “large number of parks, swimming pools and baseball fields to keep people entertained and active,” along with “the prevalence of affordable restaurants with at least 4.5 out of 5 stars … [and] many beer gardens and ice cream shops for those looking to get their alcohol and dessert fixes. Finally, Cincinnati has a relatively low cost of hiring a maid for a house cleaning, at around $87, so after you’re done with a fun day trip, you can come home to a clean house without having to do any of the work.”
Rounding out the top 10 staycation locations were Las Vegas, Tampa, Chicago, San Diego, Atlanta, New Orleans and Tucson. At the far end of the spectrum, the California city Fremont ranked as the worst staycation site.
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