Best & Worst Cities for Staycations (2026)

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Best & Worst Cities for Staycations

Best & Worst Cities for Staycations

Source: WalletHub

About 72% of Americans are planning to travel this summer, but inflation may lead many to scale back spending and choose more budget-friendly vacations. The good news is that you don’t have to go far to enjoy a memorable getaway. Many nearby cities offer affordable options for entertainment, dining, and relaxation.

To identify the best destinations for an enjoyable and cost-effective staycation, WalletHub analyzed more than 180 cities using 41 key indicators, including factors such as parks per capita and average restaurant meal prices.

chip lupo

“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. 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. Plus, you’ll feel more rested if you spend less time in transit and more time sleeping in your own bed.”

Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst

Main Findings

Source: WalletHub

Best Places for a Staycation

Overall Rank	City	Total Score	Recreation Rank	Food & Entertainment Rank	Rest & Relaxation Rank
1	Orlando, FL	65.13	20	1	7
2	Cincinnati, OH	63.97	9	7	8
3	Las Vegas, NV	63.01	14	4	12
4	St. Louis, MO	61.46	32	2	14
5	Honolulu, HI	60.29	1	22	117
6	Salt Lake City, UT	60.13	7	19	26
7	Atlanta, GA	59.80	13	10	58
8	Tampa, FL	58.63	30	13	20
9	Chicago, IL	58.42	6	20	70
10	Portland, ME	58.36	2	37	86
11	San Diego, CA	58.00	17	16	36
12	New Orleans, LA	57.94	40	5	39
13	Denver, CO	57.14	12	24	51
14	Portland, OR	56.98	25	3	90
15	Tucson, AZ	56.74	21	28	18
16	Pittsburgh, PA	56.37	38	9	61
17	Albuquerque, NM	56.00	28	18	33
18	Scottsdale, AZ	55.66	47	39	3
19	San Francisco, CA	55.58	5	8	166
20	Charleston, SC	55.53	34	29	25
21	Philadelphia, PA	54.07	11	23	115
22	New York, NY	53.66	4	44	146
23	Fort Lauderdale, FL	53.60	3	70	97
24	Columbia, SC	53.38	152	21	10
25	Shreveport, LA	52.33	131	65	2
26	Houston, TX	52.27	36	12	125
27	Richmond, VA	52.21	26	25	98
28	Austin, TX	51.81	39	11	132
29	Reno, NV	51.33	75	38	11
30	Milwaukee, WI	51.22	19	17	135
31	Miami, FL	50.93	29	6	163
32	Chattanooga, TN	50.90	59	54	42
33	Louisville, KY	50.76	50	41	66
34	Springfield, MO	50.61	153	77	6
35	Seattle, WA	50.43	22	15	152
36	Los Angeles, CA	50.12	16	51	126
37	Knoxville, TN	50.03	89	42	50
38	Minneapolis, MN	49.95	33	49	94
39	Boise, ID	49.95	48	73	52
40	Omaha, NE	49.89	43	50	75
41	Virginia Beach, VA	49.86	54	98	15
42	St. Petersburg, FL	49.82	42	52	85
43	Washington, DC	49.78	8	26	175
44	Henderson, NV	49.73	68	94	5
45	Tulsa, OK	49.66	93	59	4
46	Tempe, AZ	49.56	27	46	112
47	Kansas City, MO	49.46	74	27	69
48	Fort Smith, AR	49.25	130	150	1
49	Sacramento, CA	49.21	61	31	88
50	Overland Park, KS	49.02	94	105	22
51	Wilmington, DE	48.92	72	63	54
52	Burlington, VT	48.68	18	80	104
53	Birmingham, AL	48.33	129	33	76
54	Rochester, NY	48.09	52	40	128
55	San Antonio, TX	48.01	83	14	119
56	Missoula, MT	47.84	58	123	37
57	El Paso, TX	47.53	98	48	24
58	Billings, MT	47.44	110	69	62
59	Columbus, OH	47.37	69	62	60
60	Amarillo, TX	47.19	171	92	13
61	Norfolk, VA	47.15	44	112	77
62	Cleveland, OH	46.91	57	35	129
63	Vancouver, WA	46.86	104	79	49
64	Phoenix, AZ	46.71	65	57	91
65	Grand Rapids, MI	46.58	70	76	89
66	Plano, TX	46.54	60	97	73
67	Jacksonville, FL	46.54	37	61	133
68	Dallas, TX	46.38	45	64	120
69	Sioux Falls, SD	46.35	144	88	47
70	Modesto, CA	46.28	150	84	35
71	Nashville, TN	46.28	71	34	111
72	Ontario, CA	46.27	81	138	46
73	Oklahoma City, OK	46.19	116	53	23
74	Fayetteville, NC	46.11	179	103	16
75	Mobile, AL	45.95	143	78	65
76	Rapid City, SD	45.87	97	81	71
77	Huntsville, AL	45.60	151	107	34
78	Colorado Springs, CO	45.35	78	43	105
79	Spokane, WA	45.15	92	86	41
80	Fargo, ND	45.07	140	96	44
81	Boston, MA	44.93	10	45	180
82	Akron, OH	44.83	108	121	43
83	Baton Rouge, LA	44.76	95	47	93
84	Jackson, MS	44.32	180	128	9
85	Buffalo, NY	44.22	51	56	155
86	Gulfport, MS	44.03	103	126	57
87	Lincoln, NE	43.94	79	111	53
88	Providence, RI	43.94	55	71	147
89	Nampa, ID	43.92	139	160	17
90	Las Cruces, NM	43.86	121	143	28
91	St. Paul, MN	43.68	49	67	156
92	Indianapolis, IN	43.55	102	36	130
93	Bakersfield, CA	43.43	168	75	19
94	Glendale, AZ	43.39	105	100	63
95	Augusta, GA	43.28	176	115	27
96	Madison, WI	43.20	23	89	171
97	Riverside, CA	42.99	132	102	31
98	Salem, OR	42.96	157	95	79
99	Fort Worth, TX	42.94	136	90	29
100	Bismarck, ND	42.94	90	114	95
101	Cape Coral, FL	42.76	62	166	67
102	San Bernardino, CA	42.67	170	142	21
103	Casper, WY	42.48	126	99	106
104	Charlotte, NC	42.42	100	32	145
105	Chandler, AZ	42.39	133	87	59
106	Cedar Rapids, IA	42.27	147	116	80
107	Raleigh, NC	42.22	101	55	127
108	Winston-Salem, NC	42.16	146	104	38
109	Columbus, GA	42.14	178	119	48
110	Lexington-Fayette, KY	42.12	128	82	72
111	Mesa, AZ	42.06	91	101	87
112	Tacoma, WA	42.03	117	83	121
113	South Burlington, VT	41.70	56	152	122
114	Glendale, CA	41.66	35	148	124
115	Corpus Christi, TX	41.59	109	120	82
116	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	41.46	174	137	45
117	Toledo, OH	41.05	115	108	81
118	Pembroke Pines, FL	40.99	67	155	107
119	Fontana, CA	40.66	138	157	64
120	Newport News, VA	40.43	165	141	78
121	Durham, NC	40.41	118	66	123
122	Arlington, TX	40.36	106	106	99
123	Lubbock, TX	40.13	172	118	32
124	Anchorage, AK	40.12	46	74	179
125	Montgomery, AL	39.88	173	127	92
126	Dover, DE	39.84	86	163	100
127	Moreno Valley, CA	39.79	175	167	30
128	Greensboro, NC	39.77	141	72	103
129	Baltimore, MD	39.77	63	60	176
130	Wichita, KS	39.68	148	30	149
131	Detroit, MI	39.68	111	68	151
132	Huntington Beach, CA	39.66	31	134	162
133	Brownsville, TX	39.56	177	161	40
134	Cheyenne, WY	39.46	142	140	102
135	Stockton, CA	39.43	135	146	56
135	Peoria, AZ	39.43	88	158	101
137	Memphis, TN	39.37	122	58	153
138	Fresno, CA	39.35	162	110	55
139	Fort Wayne, IN	39.17	163	93	96
140	Irvine, CA	39.12	41	136	172
141	Tallahassee, FL	39.03	167	91	141
142	North Las Vegas, NV	38.63	96	165	68
143	Aurora, IL	38.42	80	162	118
144	West Valley City, UT	38.27	53	180	74
145	Long Beach, CA	38.15	73	85	174
146	Garden Grove, CA	38.00	24	147	165
147	Nashua, NH	37.92	87	171	108
148	Charleston, WV	37.88	159	124	140
149	Gilbert, AZ	37.76	160	129	84
150	Chesapeake, VA	37.70	85	149	134
151	Santa Rosa, CA	37.63	84	144	143
152	Aurora, CO	37.47	114	109	150
153	Bridgeport, CT	37.43	64	174	116
154	Little Rock, AR	37.19	164	122	136
155	Worcester, MA	36.91	112	154	131
156	San Jose, CA	36.00	76	135	167
157	Port St. Lucie, FL	35.91	181	130	83
158	Grand Prairie, TX	35.85	119	176	113
159	Anaheim, CA	35.58	145	117	138
160	Oxnard, CA	35.46	113	170	110
161	Oceanside, CA	35.37	66	151	169
162	Des Moines, IA	35.29	134	125	154
163	Lewiston, ME	35.25	137	177	109
164	Warwick, RI	34.75	77	168	157
165	Garland, TX	34.41	155	145	144
166	New Haven, CT	34.37	149	132	158
167	Columbia, MD	34.37	166	175	114
168	Manchester, NH	34.28	161	164	137
169	Huntington, WV	34.24	99	169	148
170	Jersey City, NJ	33.74	120	131	168
171	Santa Clarita, CA	32.97	154	153	142
172	Juneau, AK	32.52	15	133	182
173	Oakland, CA	32.42	82	113	181
174	Santa Ana, CA	32.33	127	139	173
175	Newark, NJ	32.26	125	156	164
176	Hialeah, FL	32.08	107	179	139
177	Laredo, TX	31.83	124	173	159
178	Irving, TX	30.08	169	159	161
179	Chula Vista, CA	28.61	158	178	160
180	Fremont, CA	27.71	156	172	178
181	Yonkers, NY	26.23	123	182	170
182	Pearl City, HI	23.47	182	181	177

Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.

In-Depth Look at the Best Cities for Staycations

Orlando, FL

Orlando, FL, is the best city for a staycation, due to the fact that there are so many different things to do in the city. Orlando has an extremely high number of amusement parks, water parks, nightlife activities, festivals, zoos and arcades per capita, so it’s easy to fill a week with different fun outings every day.

Orlando is also a great place to eat out, with plenty of affordable restaurants rated at least 4.5 stars out of 5 and very diverse restaurant types. There are also lots of ice cream shops for dessert during the hot summer.

Cincinnati, OH

Cincinnati is the second-best city for staycations, and it's especially good for outdoor activities. The city has a large number of parks, swimming pools, and baseball fields to keep people entertained and active.

In addition, Cincinnati ranks among the best cities when it comes to the prevalence of affordable restaurants with at least 4.5 out of 5 stars. After all, most people don’t want to cook for themselves or do dishes while taking a staycation. The city also has many beer gardens and ice cream shops for those looking to get their alcohol and dessert fixes.

To top things off, Cincinnati has a relatively low cost of hiring a maid for a house cleaning, at $92, so after you’re done with a fun day trip, you can come home to a clean house without having to do any of the work.

Las Vegas, NV

Las Vegas is the third-best city for a staycation. The city offers plenty of opportunities to play golf or basketball, swim, hike, or rent bikes, so you can enjoy the outdoor scenery while staying active.

It is also no surprise that Las Vegas has a large number of casinos, if you're willing to try your luck, and plenty of arcades, making it an exciting destination for both adventure seekers and those looking to indulge in some nostalgic fun.

Finally, Las Vegas has a lot of affordable, good-quality restaurants, and it boasts a high number of spas, which are a great day trip idea during a staycation.

Methodology

In order to determine the best staycation spots, WalletHub compared 182 U.S. cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across three key dimensions: 1) Recreation, 2) Food & Entertainment and 3) Rest & Relaxation.

We evaluated those dimensions using 41 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for staycationers. For metrics marked with an asterisk (*), the square root of the population was used to calculate the “Number of Residents” in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across cities.

We then determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.

Recreation – Total Points: 33.33

Public Golf Courses per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Tennis Courts per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Swimming Pools per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Basketball Hoops per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Baseball & Softball Diamonds per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Parks per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Playgrounds per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Walk Score: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Bike Score: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Bike Rental Facilities per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Hiking Trails per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Shopping Centers per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Water & Amusement Parks per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Boat Tours & Water Sports per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Miles of Bicycle Lanes, Paths & Routes per Square Mile: Half Weight (~1.15 Points)

Food & Entertainment – Total Points: 33.33

Movie Costs: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
Average Price for Two Tickets to the Theater: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
Bowling Costs: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
Average Cocktail Price: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
Nightlife Options per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
Casinos per Capita*: Half Weight (~0.85 Points)
Festivals per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
Museums per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
Zoos & Aquariums per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
Paintball Fields per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
Arcades per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
Presence on TripAdvisor’s “Top 25 Amusement Parks or Water Parks” List: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
Note: This metric measures the presence and prevalence of a city in TripAdvisor’s “Top 25 Amusement Parks or Water Parks” List.
Theaters & Concert Halls per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
Coffee & Tea Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
Beer Gardens per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
Restaurants per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
Restaurant-Meal Costs: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
Prevalence of Affordable Restaurants with 4.5+ Stars: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
Diversity of Restaurants: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)

Rest & Relaxation – Total Points: 33.33

Cost of House-Cleaning Service: Full Weight (~5.56 Points)
Spas & Wellness Centers per Capita*: Full Weight (~5.56 Points)
Massage Costs: Full Weight (~5.56 Points)
Beauty-Salon Costs: Full Weight (~5.56 Points)
Public Beaches per Capita*: Full Weight (~5.56 Points)
Idealness of Summer Weather: Full Weight (~5.56 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Cities with the Best & Worst Weather” ranking.

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected as of May 11, 2026 from the U.S. Census Bureau, Council for Community and Economic Research, The Trust for Public Land, League of American Bicyclists, Walk Score, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Expatistan, Numbeo, MassageBook, GolfLink, Areavibes, Thumbtack and WalletHub research.

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