This summer, the U.S. will be far more open than it was last year during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. But even though the COVID-19 vaccines have made summer travel possible, some people may not be ready to venture far from home yet, and others simply don’t have the money to take a trip with how hard COVID-19 has hit 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 46 key metrics. Our data set ranges from parks per capita to restaurant-meal costs to the share of residents who are vaccinated.
Best Places for a Staycation
Overall RankCityTotal ScoreRecreationFood & EntertainmentRest & Relaxation
1
Honolulu, HI
65.80
1
15
5
2
Orlando, FL
60.87
23
1
91
3
San Francisco, CA
59.41
7
8
25
4
Charleston, SC
57.40
12
14
17
5
Las Vegas, NV
57.13
13
2
114
6
Portland, ME
57.11
2
68
31
7
Chicago, IL
57.03
5
19
74
8
Seattle, WA
56.54
9
11
64
9
San Diego, CA
56.53
10
24
19
10
Cincinnati, OH
56.33
11
12
51
11
Salt Lake City, UT
55.68
8
21
58
12
New Orleans, LA
54.73
21
18
33
13
Portland, OR
54.17
18
4
127
14
Tucson, AZ
54.15
25
22
27
15
Los Angeles, CA
53.56
17
47
13
16
New York, NY
53.52
4
61
128
17
Madison, WI
52.91
14
62
15
18
Atlanta, GA
52.50
33
3
133
19
Austin, TX
52.41
43
7
79
20
Minneapolis, MN
51.46
27
38
37
21
Washington, DC
51.40
16
23
139
22
Fort Lauderdale, FL
51.39
3
49
154
23
Burlington, VT
51.14
19
92
20
24
Tampa, FL
51.08
49
10
95
25
Pittsburgh, PA
51.06
40
9
132
26
Springfield, MO
50.80
144
35
6
27
St. Louis, MO
50.34
44
5
147
28
Omaha, NE
50.28
24
53
75
29
Knoxville, TN
50.00
101
26
28
30
Tempe, AZ
49.72
50
41
49
31
Fargo, ND
49.67
112
58
12
32
Denver, CO
49.65
22
28
151
33
Miami, FL
49.54
28
6
166
34
Albuquerque, NM
49.53
30
32
103
35
Reno, NV
49.39
79
20
29
36
Boston, MA
49.09
15
73
113
37
Columbia, SC
48.95
146
17
56
38
Missoula, MT
48.86
52
120
4
39
Houston, TX
48.65
55
13
141
40
Garden Grove, CA
48.42
56
135
3
41
Philadelphia, PA
48.33
6
31
179
42
Chattanooga, TN
48.25
73
37
52
43
Scottsdale, AZ
48.14
53
66
26
44
South Burlington, VT
48.13
66
149
10
45
Boise, ID
48.09
54
67
30
46
Billings, MT
48.00
114
55
35
47
West Valley City, UT
47.71
37
168
2
48
St. Petersburg, FL
47.66
31
94
54
49
Virginia Beach, VA
47.64
59
76
8
50
Milwaukee, WI
47.48
29
52
137
51
Columbus, OH
47.32
60
44
46
52
Nashville, TN
47.03
64
29
73
53
Huntington Beach, CA
46.99
26
150
14
54
Cleveland, OH
46.55
38
56
135
55
Sacramento, CA
46.27
70
33
90
56
Juneau, AK
46.14
20
147
66
57
Buffalo, NY
46.08
47
43
143
58
Norfolk, VA
46.08
32
90
108
59
Lincoln, NE
45.94
74
64
42
60
Spokane, WA
45.69
88
83
50
61
Glendale, CA
45.39
35
151
39
62
Rochester, NY
45.15
61
27
163
63
El Paso, TX
45.14
87
50
70
64
Bismarck, ND
44.89
84
110
43
65
Raleigh, NC
44.82
96
40
63
66
Cedar Rapids, IA
44.82
151
107
11
67
San Antonio, TX
44.74
80
16
158
68
Sioux Falls, SD
44.59
160
79
23
69
Wilmington, DE
44.41
92
77
98
70
Kansas City, MO
44.38
76
63
99
71
Akron, OH
44.27
117
84
68
72
Dallas, TX
44.23
69
57
109
73
Overland Park, KS
44.14
126
109
41
74
Anchorage, AK
44.02
45
96
136
75
Plano, TX
43.99
62
127
47
76
Casper, WY
43.58
174
140
9
77
Baltimore, MD
43.56
34
39
175
78
Gulfport, MS
43.47
166
119
22
79
Louisville, KY
43.29
46
42
167
80
Charlotte, NC
43.08
95
46
110
81
Richmond, VA
43.05
75
25
170
82
Huntsville, AL
43.00
165
87
59
83
St. Paul, MN
42.96
48
100
146
84
Rapid City, SD
42.93
102
74
129
85
Salem, OR
42.90
124
85
112
T-86
Jackson, MS
42.84
180
116
21
T-86
Columbia, MD
42.84
161
174
1
88
Jacksonville, FL
42.81
39
54
174
89
Lexington-Fayette, KY
42.62
129
71
57
90
Vancouver, WA
42.62
111
82
118
91
Oceanside, CA
42.56
78
131
84
92
Long Beach, CA
42.48
67
124
61
93
Amarillo, TX
42.39
155
65
138
94
Irvine, CA
42.32
41
144
125
95
Indianapolis, IN
42.27
128
34
155
96
Little Rock, AR
42.11
127
104
92
97
Tulsa, OK
42.00
104
81
94
98
Glendale, AZ
41.98
71
129
87
99
Mobile, AL
41.91
152
88
134
100
Grand Rapids, MI
41.88
68
60
164
101
Bridgeport, CT
41.85
51
154
69
102
Oklahoma City, OK
41.68
143
48
85
103
Shreveport, LA
41.68
159
101
82
104
Santa Rosa, CA
41.61
86
160
38
105
Baton Rouge, LA
41.51
120
45
140
106
Phoenix, AZ
41.39
81
106
106
107
Greensboro, NC
41.33
118
72
107
108
Chandler, AZ
41.31
122
80
93
109
Cape Coral, FL
41.28
36
152
119
110
San Jose, CA
41.24
82
117
76
111
Durham, NC
41.23
132
78
86
112
Corpus Christi, TX
41.18
90
115
89
113
Des Moines, IA
41.14
147
69
67
114
Toledo, OH
40.92
94
108
96
115
Providence, RI
40.92
57
70
171
116
New Haven, CT
40.91
142
118
81
117
Santa Clarita, CA
40.90
107
157
48
118
Henderson, NV
40.79
65
123
121
119
Wichita, KS
40.70
148
36
130
120
Las Cruces, NM
40.49
179
141
36
121
Fort Smith, AR
40.48
136
163
16
122
Tallahassee, FL
40.37
168
91
126
123
Yonkers, NY
40.33
58
178
24
124
Aurora, IL
40.32
42
164
105
125
Warwick, RI
40.30
91
162
77
126
Nampa, ID
40.29
137
170
60
127
Mesa, AZ
40.26
113
99
101
128
Stockton, CA
40.20
135
121
65
129
Peoria, AZ
40.12
83
172
40
130
Fresno, CA
40.04
141
97
78
131
Port St. Lucie, FL
40.02
169
103
111
132
Fort Worth, TX
40.02
133
75
122
133
Winston-Salem, NC
39.99
140
93
88
134
Modesto, CA
39.87
154
125
97
135
Cheyenne, WY
39.81
115
138
120
136
Riverside, CA
39.50
131
114
83
137
Anaheim, CA
39.48
153
102
71
138
Colorado Springs, CO
39.47
72
30
181
139
Fontana, CA
39.46
97
176
34
140
Worcester, MA
39.39
89
155
115
141
Bakersfield, CA
39.38
172
98
55
142
Santa Ana, CA
39.26
130
143
53
143
Laredo, TX
39.24
121
158
32
144
Brownsville, TX
39.05
181
173
7
145
Lubbock, TX
38.97
139
111
102
146
Tacoma, WA
38.94
134
51
177
147
Memphis, TN
38.85
109
89
153
148
Birmingham, AL
38.63
145
59
168
149
Huntington, WV
38.58
119
153
123
150
Charleston, WV
38.52
162
139
124
151
Fort Wayne, IN
38.47
171
86
148
152
Jersey City, NJ
38.05
123
113
144
153
Nashua, NH
38.04
110
145
145
154
Manchester, NH
38.00
125
128
157
155
Oxnard, CA
37.92
103
179
45
156
San Bernardino, CA
37.86
167
161
18
157
Ontario, CA
37.52
85
180
100
158
Newport News, VA
37.16
164
112
159
159
Fayetteville, NC
37.15
173
134
150
160
Dover, DE
36.88
93
142
162
161
Lewiston, ME
36.83
116
169
142
162
Grand Prairie, TX
36.79
100
181
80
163
Moreno Valley, CA
36.68
170
182
44
164
Arlington, TX
36.34
156
130
131
165
Augusta, GA
36.22
176
132
156
166
Irving, TX
36.04
150
146
117
167
Gilbert, AZ
35.97
149
148
116
168
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
35.95
177
166
72
169
Pembroke Pines, FL
35.91
63
156
165
170
Pearl City, HI
35.86
182
177
62
171
Oakland, CA
35.83
106
95
178
172
Detroit, MI
35.09
77
105
182
173
Columbus, GA
34.98
178
122
160
174
Garland, TX
34.35
138
175
104
175
Newark, NJ
34.12
105
137
169
176
Chesapeake, VA
34.04
98
136
173
177
Montgomery, AL
33.10
175
133
172
178
Aurora, CO
32.73
108
126
180
179
North Las Vegas, NV
32.69
157
171
149
180
Hialeah, FL
31.97
99
159
176
181
Chula Vista, CA
31.51
163
165
152
182
Fremont, CA
30.58
158
167
161
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.