Other cities in the top five included Las Vegas and St. Louis
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- Orlando, Fla., ranked as the top staycation city due to its theme parks and affordable dining options
- Cincinnati, Ohio, and Las Vegas, Nev., also scored high for parks, pools, live entertainment, and casinos
- Domestic travel is surging with U.S. travelers amid rising costs
Summer travel season is here, but you don't have to go far to get some R&R.
A new study from WalletHub breaks down the best — and worst — staycation cities in the country, and Orlando, Fla., takes the top spot. To make their ranking, the personal finance company analyzed more than 180 cities using 41 key indicators, including factors such as parks per capita and average restaurant meal prices.
Orlando ranked number one largely due to its many popular amusement parks, including Disney World and Universal Studios. Last year, Universal introduced Epic Universe, the first major theme park to open in the U.S. in more than two decades.
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The city also ranks high for its affordable restaurants.
“It's fun to visit an exotic location on vacation, but during rougher economic times, a staycation can save you a lot of money while being just as memorable," said Chip Lubo, a WalletHub analyst, in the study.
"Not only do you avoid the cost of overnight accommodations and minimize travel costs, but you can also discover all kinds of fun activities close to home that you might not have tried out otherwise," he continued. "Plus, you'll feel more rested if you spend less time in transit and more time sleeping in your own bed.”
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Just behind Orlando is Cincinnati, Ohio, with the outlet noting the city's large number of parks, swimming pools, and baseball fields. Las Vegas comes in third place for its live entertainment and many casinos. Rounding out the top 5 are St. Louis, Mo. and Honolulu, Hawaii.
New York City comes in at No. 22 on the list, while Los Angeles ranks at 36.
The ranking is made up of the 150 most populous cities in the U.S., plus at least two of the most populous cities in each state. They were scored across three main dimensions, each weighing equally: recreation, entertainment, rest and relaxation.
At the bottom of the list is Pearl City, Hawaii, which also had the fewest coffee shops per capita. Other cities ranked among the worst were Yonkers, N.Y., Fremont, Calif., Irving, Texas, and Chula Vista, Calif., which has the lowest museums per capita.
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A new report from Expedia indicates that staycations will be popular this year. According to the report, social conversation about domestic vacations has increased by 77% year-over-year globally and has doubled in the U.S., with 63% of U.S. travelers planning a domestic trip this summer.
The travel company says searches for Florida and California beaches are up 50% this summer, and interest in local destinations like lakes, mountains, and national parks has spiked 65% year-over-year.
“This summer, travel isn't slowing down; it's being reshaped,” Melanie Fish, Vice President of Global Public Relations at Expedia, said in the report. “As major global events and rising costs influence decisions, travelers are either staying closer to home or seeking out destinations where they can get more for their money.”
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