2018’s Best & Worst Cities for Staycations

You don’t have to go away to really “get away” if you’re in need of a summer escape. And we don’t mean getting lost in your imagination or a gripping novel, however far those things can transport you. Rather, a “staycation” might be in order, especially if you aren’t inclined to drive or fly long distances or simply can’t afford to use your vacation time, the unfortunate reality for nearly a third of us who work.

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 help you decide whether to leave home or bring the vacation to your front door, WalletHub compared more than 180 cities based on 40 key indicators of a fun-filled yet wallet-friendly staycation. Read on for the full ranking, our methodology and useful staycationing tips from experts.

You don’t have to go away to really “get away” if you’re in need of a summer escape. And we don’t mean getting lost in your imagination or a gripping novel, however far those things can transport you. Rather, a “staycation” might be in order, especially if you aren’t inclined to drive or fly long distances or simply can’t afford to use your vacation time, the unfortunate reality for nearly a third of us who work.

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 help you decide whether to leave home or bring the vacation to your front door, WalletHub compared more than 180 cities based on 40 key indicators of a fun-filled yet wallet-friendly staycation. Read on for the full ranking, our methodology and useful staycationing tips from experts.

Overall Rank
(1 = Best)		 City Total Score ‘Recreation’ Rank ‘Food & Entertainment’ Rank ‘Rest & Relaxation’ Rank
1 Orlando, FL 56.95 20 1 26
2 Honolulu, HI 55.97 9 8 4
3 Chicago, IL 55.23 1 7 31
4 Seattle, WA 54.60 7 3 44
5 Portland, OR 53.61 8 4 63
6 Tampa, FL 53.37 22 12 2
7 Las Vegas, NV 53.11 45 2 41
8 San Francisco, CA 52.91 4 5 98
9 San Diego, CA 52.86 3 19 23
10 Charleston, SC 50.71 26 28 5
11 Atlanta, GA 49.75 21 11 29
12 Minneapolis, MN 48.73 17 24 20
13 New York, NY 48.28 10 10 122
14 Virginia Beach, VA 47.57 25 63 6
15 Fort Lauderdale, FL 47.56 6 79 14
16 Scottsdale, AZ 47.46 42 41 3
17 Washington, DC 46.94 2 13 167
18 Philadelphia, PA 46.69 5 17 154
19 Salt Lake City, UT 46.62 47 18 53
20 Boise, ID 46.39 34 36 13
21 Austin, TX 46.27 23 9 103
22 Portland, ME 46.14 11 35 72
23 Denver, CO 46.05 19 21 90
24 Cape Coral, FL 45.67 60 105 1
25 Boston, MA 45.44 12 56 58
26 Miami, FL 45.15 43 6 135
27 Glendale, CA 45.12 16 69 36
28 Pittsburgh, PA 44.83 35 14 104
29 Madison, WI 44.27 14 92 39
30 Tucson, AZ 43.58 51 15 77
31 Springfield, MO 43.29 124 44 12
32 Los Angeles, CA 43.23 61 23 45
33 Richmond, VA 43.12 31 29 93
34 Cleveland, OH 42.99 36 48 51
35 Nashville, TN 42.74 57 32 32
36 Rapid City, SD 42.69 98 58 11
37 North Las Vegas, NV 42.66 75 26 17
38 Reno, NV 42.25 58 20 94
39 Cincinnati, OH 41.96 28 27 137
40 Sacramento, CA 41.95 53 37 47
41 St. Petersburg, FL 41.87 38 82 42
42 St. Louis, MO 41.86 56 16 115
43 Spokane, WA 41.83 76 65 24
44 Tempe, AZ 41.71 71 57 34
45 Overland Park, KS 41.34 121 53 22
46 South Burlington, VT 41.15 48 74 68
47 Milwaukee, WI 41.09 33 40 117
48 Peoria, AZ 41.04 13 153 33
49 Columbia, SC 40.78 145 39 40
50 Jacksonville, FL 40.38 30 54 119
51 Burlington, VT 40.35 18 83 116
52 Omaha, NE 40.28 24 67 123
53 New Orleans, LA 40.23 46 22 161
54 Knoxville, TN 40.21 84 43 75
55 Colorado Springs, CO 40.11 52 49 70
56 Henderson, NV 39.05 82 89 18
57 Houston, TX 39.05 59 25 144
58 Santa Clarita, CA 38.70 15 135 99
59 Columbus, OH 38.47 73 45 92
60 Sioux Falls, SD 38.35 156 61 35
61 Albuquerque, NM 38.26 69 33 110
62 Kansas City, MO 38.10 89 64 60
63 Huntington Beach, CA 38.02 29 121 100
64 Tallahassee, FL 37.90 63 77 105
65 Baltimore, MD 37.86 32 70 155
66 Glendale, AZ 37.83 50 160 30
67 Long Beach, CA 37.81 88 123 16
68 Raleigh, NC 37.74 68 34 133
69 Nampa, ID 37.70 154 166 8
70 Lincoln, NE 37.70 41 107 101
71 Wilmington, DE 37.67 105 86 56
72 Chattanooga, TN 37.55 120 68 66
73 Norfolk, VA 37.41 27 119 134
74 Fargo, ND 37.39 137 129 10
75 San Antonio, TX 37.32 85 30 129
76 Grand Rapids, MI 37.16 102 62 118
77 Rochester, NY 37.15 107 31 150
78 Tacoma, WA 37.05 163 42 81
79 Mesa, AZ 37.02 70 80 80
80 Phoenix, AZ 36.81 91 73 76
81 Amarillo, TX 36.79 162 102 25
82 Charlotte, NC 36.79 78 60 96
83 Vancouver, WA 36.60 131 96 57
84 Hialeah, FL 36.52 122 103 21
85 Buffalo, NY 36.40 49 51 168
86 Missoula, MT 36.39 44 90 146
87 Dallas, TX 36.32 83 46 127
88 Las Cruces, NM 36.29 178 115 19
89 Tulsa, OK 36.11 97 122 38
90 Greensboro, NC 36.05 66 78 126
91 Jackson, MS 36.01 177 147 9
92 Akron, OH 35.97 111 134 48
93 Indianapolis, IN 35.90 72 52 141
94 Casper, WY 35.87 182 141 7
95 Lexington-Fayette, KY 35.67 101 100 71
96 Des Moines, IA 35.64 132 87 102
97 Chandler, AZ 35.61 99 113 50
98 Salem, OR 35.57 159 72 74
99 Louisville, KY 35.47 79 47 148
100 Birmingham, AL 35.35 171 55 113
101 Oklahoma City, OK 35.12 135 66 62
102 Little Rock, AR 35.07 112 97 91
103 Columbia, MD 35.05 87 139 79
104 Bismarck, ND 34.98 158 131 28
105 Columbus, GA 34.95 148 124 54
106 Garden Grove, CA 34.75 37 114 158
107 Baton Rouge, LA 34.70 103 59 130
107 Modesto, CA 34.70 170 144 37
109 Shreveport, LA 34.58 180 91 55
110 Rancho Cucamonga, CA 34.44 55 178 49
111 Gulfport, MS 34.43 157 136 27
112 Moreno Valley, CA 34.33 138 167 46
113 Winston-Salem, NC 34.32 77 137 88
114 Aurora, CO 34.30 96 85 124
115 El Paso, TX 34.27 129 88 78
116 Augusta, GA 34.21 175 146 52
117 Chesapeake, VA 34.16 62 110 136
118 Garland, TX 34.16 143 111 43
119 Billings, MT 33.85 118 50 166
120 Cedar Rapids, IA 33.79 161 138 64
121 Huntsville, AL 33.60 130 118 86
122 St. Paul, MN 33.54 40 76 180
123 Gilbert, AZ 33.42 80 171 59
124 Detroit, MI 33.40 74 120 131
125 Montgomery, AL 33.27 168 126 82
126 Anchorage, AK 33.26 54 94 169
127 Providence, RI 33.11 95 81 170
128 West Valley City, UT 32.99 128 133 65
129 Juneau, AK 32.84 65 117 159
130 Memphis, TN 32.81 100 93 142
131 Fort Smith, AR 32.78 172 159 15
132 Oceanside, CA 32.67 117 132 107
133 Newport News, VA 32.63 160 130 84
134 Pembroke Pines, FL 32.61 106 155 89
135 Mobile, AL 32.60 179 84 125
136 Corpus Christi, TX 32.45 90 145 108
137 Toledo, OH 32.18 153 104 97
138 Fayetteville, NC 32.03 174 148 95
139 Manchester, NH 32.01 149 127 111
140 Plano, TX 31.96 93 152 106
141 Charleston, WV 31.83 92 149 143
142 Jersey City, NJ 31.80 166 38 147
143 Stockton, CA 31.76 144 150 67
144 Durham, NC 31.73 81 106 156
145 Fort Wayne, IN 31.64 94 116 151
146 Grand Prairie, TX 31.33 109 170 109
147 Bakersfield, CA 30.98 167 109 83
148 Huntington, WV 30.94 126 156 121
149 Irvine, CA 30.73 39 157 178
150 Wichita, KS 30.66 136 71 162
151 Fresno, CA 30.63 152 101 120
152 Santa Rosa, CA 30.58 64 168 149
153 Fort Worth, TX 30.57 140 99 138
154 Cheyenne, WY 30.41 169 151 114
155 San Jose, CA 30.21 123 98 157
156 Irving, TX 30.14 110 95 172
157 Riverside, CA 30.04 127 140 132
158 Laredo, TX 29.57 141 169 86
159 Chula Vista, CA 29.55 113 108 164
160 Dover, DE 29.31 173 175 85
161 Newark, NJ 29.16 150 142 139
162 Lewiston, ME 29.11 151 173 128
163 Port St. Lucie, FL 28.83 155 112 171
164 Arlington, TX 28.81 142 165 112
165 New Haven, CT 28.68 147 162 140
166 Brownsville, TX 28.67 181 180 61
167 Ontario, CA 28.66 164 174 73
168 Worcester, MA 28.52 116 125 176
169 Fontana, CA 28.26 146 181 69
170 Oakland, CA 28.09 115 75 182
171 Santa Ana, CA 27.87 108 163 160
172 Pearl City, HI 27.86 125 164 163
173 Lubbock, TX 27.82 134 154 145
174 Warwick, RI 27.22 86 143 181
175 Aurora, IL 26.97 104 179 152
176 Anaheim, CA 26.87 133 128 173
177 Nashua, NH 26.35 114 158 177
178 Yonkers, NY 26.11 67 172 179
179 Fremont, CA 24.89 139 161 175
180 San Bernardino, CA 24.46 176 177 153
181 Bridgeport, CT 23.88 165 176 174
182 Oxnard, CA 23.36 119 182 165