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Austin ranked 4th best summer travel destination

Reprinted with permission from WalletHub

While the COVID-19 pandemic put many Americans’ summer travel plans on hold during the past two years, travel is much safer and much more feasible this year due to vaccines and the lack of restrictions. In fact, nearly 80% of American travelers plan to take a trip in 2022. 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 43 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.

Source: WalletHub

 

Main Findings

 
City Rank
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL Metro Area 1
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metro Area 2
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL Metro Area 3
Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX Metro Area 4
Salt Lake City, UT Metro Area 5
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area 6
Urban Honolulu, HI Metro Area 7
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metro Area 8
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Metro Area 9
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX Metro Area 10
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL Metro Area 11
Charleston-North Charleston, SC Metro Area 12
Raleigh-Cary, NC Metro Area 13
Jacksonville, FL Metro Area 14
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metro Area 15
Oklahoma City, OK Metro Area 16
Tulsa, OK Metro Area 17
Knoxville, TN Metro Area 18
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA Metro Area 19
St. Louis, MO-IL Metro Area 20
El Paso, TX Metro Area 21
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR Metro Area 22
Columbia, SC Metro Area 23
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA Metro Area 24
New Orleans-Metairie, LA Metro Area 25
Springfield, MO Metro Area 26
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA Metro Area 27
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL Metro Area 28
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA Metro Area 29
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL Metro Area 30
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metro Area 31
Pittsburgh, PA Metro Area 32
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area 33
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN Metro Area 34
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area 35
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA Metro Area 36
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metro Area 37
Lafayette, LA Metro Area 38
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN Metro Area 39
Wichita, KS Metro Area 40
Richmond, VA Metro Area 41
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC Metro Area 42
Fresno, CA Metro Area 43
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI Metro Area 44
Dayton-Kettering, OH Metro Area 45
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC Metro Area 46
Columbus, OH Metro Area 47
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA Metro Area 48
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA Metro Area 49
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metro Area 50
Greenville-Anderson, SC Metro Area 51
Kansas City, MO-KS Metro Area 52
Albuquerque, NM Metro Area 53
Tucson, AZ Metro Area 54
Madison, WI Metro Area 55
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Metro Area 56
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN Metro Area 57
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area 58
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL Metro Area 59
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI Metro Area 60
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY Metro Area 61
Corpus Christi, TX Metro Area 62
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR Metro Area 63
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV Metro Area 64
Akron, OH Metro Area 65
Toledo, OH Metro Area 66
Chattanooga, TN-GA Metro Area 67
Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT Metro Area 68
Greensboro-High Point, NC Metro Area 69
Boise City, ID Metro Area 70
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metro Area 71
Colorado Springs, CO Metro Area 72
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA Metro Area 73
Portland-South Portland, ME Metro Area 74
North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL Metro Area 75
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA Metro Area 76
Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area 77
Cleveland-Elyria, OH Metro Area 78
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL Metro Area 79
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metro Area 80
Rochester, NY Metro Area 81
Baton Rouge, LA Metro Area 82
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA Metro Area 83
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA Metro Area 84
Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA Metro Area 85
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metro Area 86
Syracuse, NY Metro Area 87
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area 88
Bakersfield, CA Metro Area 89
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Metro Area 90
Lexington-Fayette, KY Metro Area 91
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX Metro Area 92
Jackson, MS Metro Area 93
Birmingham-Hoover, AL Metro Area 94
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY Metro Area 95
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT Metro Area 96
Lansing-East Lansing, MI Metro Area 97
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA Metro Area 98
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA Metro Area 99
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ Metro Area 100
 

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 69.97 35 25 6 62 1 8
2 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metro Area 67.10 9 76 13 19 12 15
3 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL Metro Area 66.84 18 50 25 40 10 2
4 Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX Metro Area 64.37 32 27 11 21 23 38
5 Salt Lake City, UT Metro Area 63.85 5 72 32 11 31 32
6 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area 63.51 28 94 2 49 9 18
7 Urban Honolulu, HI Metro Area 63.16 11 98 19 1 2 33
8 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metro Area 62.97 3 59 31 75 20 14
9 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Metro Area 62.95 2 28 34 48 13 72
10 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX Metro Area 62.06 29 6 20 38 38 55
11 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL Metro Area 61.94 55 77 14 67 3 10
12 Charleston-North Charleston, SC Metro Area 61.84 66 16 61 3 14 37
13 Raleigh-Cary, NC Metro Area 61.43 49 18 41 22 59 23
14 Jacksonville, FL Metro Area 61.14 60 19 29 61 25 16
15 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metro Area 61.10 12 69 18 42 19 51
16 Oklahoma City, OK Metro Area 60.91 27 4 44 17 80 48
17 Tulsa, OK Metro Area 59.67 51 2 60 18 78 44
18 Knoxville, TN Metro Area 59.65 36 7 75 36 50 54
19 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA Metro Area 59.58 30 96 7 80 5 6
20 St. Louis, MO-IL Metro Area 59.56 63 21 28 12 24 66
21 El Paso, TX Metro Area 59.42 76 13 73 10 76 12
22 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR Metro Area 59.32 31 12 65 9 83 74
23 Columbia, SC Metro Area 59.11 42 9 68 28 63 64
24 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA Metro Area 58.87 50 85 4 66 7 77
25 New Orleans-Metairie, LA Metro Area 58.62 62 60 15 39 18 49
26 Springfield, MO Metro Area 58.52 8 38 64 27 69 82
27 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA Metro Area 58.45 15 32 17 15 11 98
28 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL Metro Area 58.43 33 29 99 45 79 7
29 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA Metro Area 58.38 16 92 63 7 73 13
30 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL Metro Area 58.22 34 74 70 N/A 15 9
31 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metro Area 58.15 67 22 21 41 32 47
32 Pittsburgh, PA Metro Area 58.05 26 66 37 71 27 25
33 Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area 57.89 13 57 54 76 52 31
34 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN Metro Area 57.86 80 36 40 16 36 28
35 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area 57.51 7 46 45 79 39 41
36 Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA Metro Area 57.29 68 43 69 44 37 20
37 Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metro Area 57.23 21 58 16 70 21 76
38 Lafayette, LA Metro Area 57.04 19 37 83 47 87 43
39 Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN Metro Area 57.00 81 42 22 6 42 53
40 Wichita, KS Metro Area 56.91 47 5 78 33 89 60
41 Richmond, VA Metro Area 56.80 25 47 47 32 30 89
42 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC Metro Area 56.68 54 3 66 29 99 78
43 Fresno, CA Metro Area 56.47 52 82 72 2 85 21
44 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI Metro Area 56.24 93 83 1 55 4 59
45 Dayton-Kettering, OH Metro Area 55.69 6 14 88 65 67 90
46 Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC Metro Area 55.67 53 80 59 26 34 36
47 Columbus, OH Metro Area 55.46 74 31 56 20 57 39
48 San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA Metro Area 55.44 10 95 5 95 8 27
49 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA Metro Area 55.24 72 89 30 31 45 11
50 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metro Area 54.87 85 41 26 23 47 40
51 Greenville-Anderson, SC Metro Area 54.87 24 24 55 N/A 17 85
52 Kansas City, MO-KS Metro Area 54.84 61 8 35 37 68 80
53 Albuquerque, NM Metro Area 54.71 38 17 36 5 41 99
54 Tucson, AZ Metro Area 54.24 22 61 23 57 33 94
55 Madison, WI Metro Area 54.09 14 53 49 87 40 70
56 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Metro Area 54.02 70 48 27 43 49 61
57 Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN Metro Area 54.00 83 35 38 52 54 26
58 Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area 53.98 92 11 9 50 28 73
59 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL Metro Area 53.84 69 34 100 59 91 4
60 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI Metro Area 53.40 58 33 52 56 62 69
61 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY Metro Area 53.36 20 55 57 82 46 58
62 Corpus Christi, TX Metro Area 53.27 59 23 81 34 70 79
63 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR Metro Area 53.24 41 20 90 25 92 92
64 Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV Metro Area 53.23 86 79 3 77 6 86
65 Akron, OH Metro Area 53.22 39 49 79 74 96 42
66 Toledo, OH Metro Area 52.86 43 30 76 63 90 67
67 Chattanooga, TN-GA Metro Area 52.80 82 40 51 14 51 83
68 Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT Metro Area 52.64 40 62 92 68 74 50
69 Greensboro-High Point, NC Metro Area 52.23 65 45 77 35 88 65
70 Boise City, ID Metro Area 51.15 78 75 48 30 64 57
71 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metro Area 50.68 37 93 43 88 56 19
72 Colorado Springs, CO Metro Area 50.64 46 71 33 78 66 71
73 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA Metro Area 50.63 75 56 80 N/A 77 22
74 Portland-South Portland, ME Metro Area 50.61 23 84 42 93 22 34
75 North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL Metro Area 50.38 79 73 91 N/A 71 5
76 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA Metro Area 50.27 73 87 10 90 16 46
77 Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area 50.23 71 44 46 13 82 95
78 Cleveland-Elyria, OH Metro Area 50.14 91 54 39 51 44 52
79 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL Metro Area 49.83 95 67 98 64 43 1
80 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metro Area 49.69 87 63 87 60 61 29
81 Rochester, NY Metro Area 49.53 64 68 50 85 35 68
82 Baton Rouge, LA Metro Area 49.04 98 15 62 46 53 56
83 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA Metro Area 48.65 1 100 89 91 60 17
84 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA Metro Area 48.33 17 70 53 89 81 87
85 Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA Metro Area 48.19 57 86 95 81 93 24
86 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metro Area 48.19 77 91 12 73 29 75
87 Syracuse, NY Metro Area 47.93 48 65 67 84 55 91
88 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area 47.89 4 97 8 94 26 81
89 Bakersfield, CA Metro Area 47.08 90 90 82 4 98 30
90 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Metro Area 46.93 97 39 86 53 95 35
91 Lexington-Fayette, KY Metro Area 45.40 89 51 58 54 84 88
92 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX Metro Area 44.85 100 1 94 58 97 84
93 Jackson, MS Metro Area 44.82 84 10 97 8 100 96
94 Birmingham-Hoover, AL Metro Area 44.09 88 78 71 24 72 93
95 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY Metro Area 43.61 96 64 74 86 75 45
96 Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT Metro Area 42.38 94 88 84 69 58 62
97 Lansing-East Lansing, MI Metro Area 42.12 99 26 93 82 94 63
98 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA Metro Area 41.59 56 81 85 72 65 97
99 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA Metro Area 41.37 45 99 96 95 86 3
100 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ Metro Area 41.29 44 52 24 92 48 100

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.

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