Reprinted with permission from WalletHub
Summer is the perfect time to hit the open road: School’s out, the weather’s warm, and the possibilities are endless. While travel was very limited last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination has allowed states to open up a lot more this year. This summer, over two-thirds of Americans plan to take a vacation, and 59% of U.S. families say they are more likely to drive than fly.
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 been growing this year, with the national average at over $3 per gallon now. On top of that, you’ll need to consider accommodations, activities and dining. All of these certainly contribute to the more than $792 billion we spend on leisure travel each year.
With road warriors in mind, WalletHub compared the 50 U.S. states based on 33 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.
| Overall Rank | State | Total Score | Costs | Safety | Activities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | 59.86 | 38 | 3 | 3 |
| 2 | Texas | 58.25 | 9 | 34 | 4 |
| 3 | Louisiana | 57.66 | 1 | 41 | 11 |
| 4 | Maine | 57.46 | 17 | 1 | 29 |
| 5 | North Carolina | 56.00 | 12 | 30 | 7 |
| 6 | Minnesota | 55.95 | 21 | 4 | 21 |
| 7 | Utah | 54.06 | 34 | 12 | 13 |
| 8 | Illinois | 53.31 | 36 | 15 | 10 |
| 9 | Michigan | 53.06 | 10 | 25 | 23 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | 52.41 | 23 | 8 | 28 |
| 11 | Washington | 52.33 | 45 | 21 | 5 |
| 12 | Idaho | 52.20 | 35 | 9 | 20 |
| 13 | Nevada | 51.98 | 28 | 40 | 6 |
| 13 | Vermont | 51.98 | 7 | 2 | 49 |
| 15 | Florida | 51.67 | 30 | 50 | 2 |
| 16 | Georgia | 51.51 | 4 | 31 | 30 |
| 17 | Ohio | 51.16 | 31 | 27 | 17 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | 50.99 | 39 | 11 | 15 |
| 19 | Colorado | 50.25 | 27 | 37 | 12 |
| 20 | Nebraska | 49.92 | 5 | 24 | 36 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | 49.56 | 25 | 6 | 38 |
| 22 | Wyoming | 49.36 | 33 | 23 | 22 |
| 23 | Iowa | 49.03 | 26 | 5 | 39 |
| 24 | Oregon | 49.03 | 47 | 20 | 8 |
| 25 | Virginia | 48.91 | 40 | 19 | 16 |
| 26 | Massachusetts | 48.54 | 43 | 7 | 24 |
| 27 | Arizona | 48.37 | 18 | 47 | 18 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | 48.32 | 3 | 32 | 37 |
| 29 | North Dakota | 47.85 | 16 | 10 | 45 |
| 30 | West Virginia | 47.44 | 13 | 17 | 46 |
| 31 | California | 47.33 | 50 | 38 | 1 |
| 32 | South Dakota | 46.61 | 32 | 16 | 34 |
| 33 | Missouri | 46.40 | 11 | 45 | 27 |
| 34 | Indiana | 46.26 | 20 | 26 | 40 |
| 35 | Alaska | 46.02 | 48 | 29 | 9 |
| 36 | Kentucky | 45.98 | 19 | 28 | 35 |
| 37 | Maryland | 45.94 | 44 | 35 | 14 |
| 38 | Tennessee | 45.48 | 8 | 46 | 32 |
| 39 | South Carolina | 44.90 | 15 | 49 | 26 |
| 40 | Kansas | 44.60 | 24 | 22 | 44 |
| 41 | New Jersey | 44.58 | 46 | 13 | 31 |
| 42 | Mississippi | 43.93 | 2 | 43 | 42 |
| 43 | New Mexico | 43.41 | 22 | 48 | 25 |
| 44 | Alabama | 42.65 | 14 | 42 | 41 |
| 45 | Montana | 42.48 | 37 | 36 | 33 |
| 46 | Arkansas | 41.49 | 6 | 44 | 43 |
| 47 | Hawaii | 40.94 | 49 | 33 | 19 |
| 48 | Connecticut | 40.56 | 41 | 14 | 47 |
| 49 | Delaware | 38.78 | 29 | 39 | 50 |
| 50 | Rhode Island | 38.76 | 42 | 18 | 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.
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When the best road trip article shows California, Illinois, and New York, being safer than Texas you know this article there’s something wrong with it. Someone didn’t do proper research or took some type of kickback. You can’t have crime waves into 533% or above 1000% yoy in some of these cities in these states and believe the “safety “ number in this article.