Best Summer Travel Destinations

Inflation may be putting a strain on people’s finances, but it’s not dampening their summer plans. In fact, around 82% of Americans plan to travel this summer, and 42% expect to take more than one trip. The only question is: Where’s the best place to go? You might have a few destinations already in mind, but your travel budget might not agree, especially with how pricey gas and airline tickets can be. 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 easiest to reach. In total, we analyzed 100 of the largest metro areas across 41 key indicators. Our data set ranges from the cost of the cheapest flight to the number of attractions to the average price of a two-person meal. 

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.

“When picking a summer travel destination, it’s easy to focus just on the types of activities you want to do or certain cities you’ve always wanted to see. However, choosing a destination that’s not only entertaining but also affordable is important when travel, dining and activity costs have surged so much in recent years. It can also allow you to have a longer, more relaxing trip.”

Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst

In-Depth Look at the Best Summer Travel Destinations

Orlando, FL

Orlando, FL is the best metro area for summer travel, known for attractions like its huge theme parks. The shortest flights to Orlando from other major cities have zero connections and cost as little as $322.

Surprisingly, the lowest nightly rate for a three-star hotel room in Orlando is only $42, which is very reasonable. The metro area has plenty of affordable, high-quality restaurants to choose from, too.

Orlando also ranks highly when it comes to the prevalence of water parks, boat tours, ice cream shops, coffee shops, shopping centers and spas, providing venues to both get thrills and relax.

Atlanta, GA

The Atlanta metro area is the second-best summer travel destination, in part because the shortest flights from major cities don’t require any connections and can cost as little as $219.

In addition, Atlanta has a lot of diversity when it comes to attractions. The city also ranks very well when it comes to the prevalence of amusement parks, shopping centers, ice cream shops and swimming pools, so there are plenty of places to have fun and cool off.

For those who enjoy drinking during their vacations, Atlanta also has one of the latest “last call” times in the country, at 4:00 a.m.

Washington, D.C.

The Washington, D.C., metro area is the third-best summer travel destination. The shortest flights from other major cities tend to have zero connections, though you’ll have to pay out at least $321 to fly in.

One reason why D.C. is a great destination is that it’s really easy to find affordable restaurants that are rated at least 4.5 stars out of 5 on Yelp.

D.C. is known for having many museums, such as the Smithsonian, but it also has a very high number of swimming pools, parks, basketball hoops and tennis courts, so it’s great for people interested in history and physical activity alike. It’s also a safe place to travel, with one of the lowest crime rates in the U.S.