100 Best U.S. Summer Travel Destinations

“The world is a book,” observed St. Augustine, “and those who do not travel read only a page.”

One of the few good things about this past crazy year is that it’s allowed us more time to read literal books, but it sure has robbed us of the edifying benefits of travel.

Fortunately, we do seem to be turning a corner, and we’re ready to travel again, especially via that quintessential American journey, the road trip.

If you’re wondering where to wander, the personal-finance site WalletHub has put together a list of the best U.S. cities for summer travel, based on 42 factors ranging from water temperature to number of restaurants.  Here’s what they came up with:

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1. Orlando, Florida
2. Honolulu, Hawaii
3. New Orleans, Louisiana
4. Austin, Texas
5. Atlanta, Georgia
6. Salt Lake City, Utah
7. Tulsa, Oklahoma
8. Los Angeles, California
9. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
10. Little Rock, Arkansas
11. Washington, D.C.
12. Springfield, Missouri
13. San Antonio, Texas
14. Wichita, Kansas
15. Tampa, Florida
16. Tucson, Arizona
17. Miami, Florida
18. Riverside, California
19. Albuquerque, New Mexico
20. Raleigh, North Carolina
21. Knoxville, Tennessee
22. Augusta, Georgia
23. St. Louis, Missouri
24. Columbia, South Carolina
25. Chicago, Illinois
26. Cincinnati, Ohio
27. Fayetteville, Arkansas
28. Dayton, Ohio
29. Dallas, Texas
30. San Francisco, California
31. Memphis, Tennessee
32. Nashville, Tennessee
33. Lafayette, Louisiana
34. Louisville, Kentucky
35. Jacksonville, Florida
36. Denver, Colorado
37. Las Vegas, Nevada
38. Portland, Oregon
39. San Diego, California
40. Minneapolis, Minnesota
41. Charleston, South Carolina
42. Sacramento, California
43. Virginia Beach, Virginia
44. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
45. Phoenix, Arizona
46. Houston, Texas
47. New York, New York
48. Charlotte, North Carolina
49. Madison, Wisconsin
50. Boston, Massachusetts
51. El Paso, Texas
52. Syracuse, New York
53. Richmond, Virginia
54. Chattanooga, Tennessee
55. Columbus, Ohio
56. Fresno, California
57. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
58. San Jose, California
59. Akron, Ohio
60. Boise, Idaho
61. Kansas City, Missouri/Kansas
62. Seattle, Washington
63. Rochester, New York
64. Corpus Christi, Texas
65. Pensacola, Florida
66. Birmingham, Alabama
67. Omaha, Nebraska
68. Bakersfield, California
69. Spokane, Washington
70. Grand Rapids, Michigan
71. Buffalo, New York
72. Greenville, South Carolina
73. Lexington, Kentucky
74. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
75. Hartford, Connecticut
76. Indianapolis, Indiana
77. Palm Bay, Florida
78. Sarasota, Florida
79. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
80. Jackson, Mississippi
81. Cleveland, Ohio
82. Baltimore, Maryland
83. Toledo, Ohio
84. Santa Rosa, California
85. Colorado Springs, Colorado
86. Greensboro, North Carolina
87. Providence, Rhode Island
88. Detroit, Michigan
89. Des Moines, Iowa
90. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
91. Scranton, Pennsylvania
92. Daytona Beach, Florida
93. McAllen, Texas
94. Albany, New York
95. Bridgeport, Connecticut
96. Allentown, Pennsylvania
97. Portland, Maine
98. Cape Coral, Florida
99. Oxnard, California
100. Lansing, Michigan

Bon voyage!

Leslie Carbone

After my misspent youth as a wage worker, I’m having so much more fun as a blogger, helping other discerning travellers plan fun and fascinating journeys.  Read more …