10 Best U.S. Cities for a Staycation

Are the travel challenges of sold-out summer leading you to consider a staycation at home?  I’m with you.  After the multiple miseries of my recent trip to the northeast, I’ve suspended all non-family travel until autumn.

The personal-finance site WalletHub recently ranked U.S. cities by their suitability for a staycation.  Analysts evaluated the cities on 44 metrics ranging from number of casinos per capita to “idealness” of summer weather.

The ten best U.S. cities for a staycation are:

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Honolulu, Hawaii

Hawaii’s capital city has something for everyone–unique history, yummy food, and miles of waterfront.

Orlando, Florida

The so-called City Beautiful ranked first for number of spas, zoos and aquariums, and ice-cream and frozen-yogurt shops per capita, but of course its main draw is Walt Disney World.

Chicago, Illinois

The Windy City boasts lots of parks, Lake Michigan, and the Art Institute of Chicago, home to one of the finest collections of Impressionist paintings in America.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

The so-called Venice of America offers an eclectic range of cuisines from Cuban to Mediterranean, miles of beachfront, and year-round summer weather.

Portland, Maine

The Pine Tree State’s biggest city has classic New England seafood, a thriving arts district, and the Wadsworth-Longfellow House, childhood home of the great 19th-century poet.

Las Vegas, Nevada

The desert playground offers gambling in casinos that range from elegant to dive-y, but so much more.  You can dine at world-class restaurants, enjoy shows from pop concerts to Rat Pack tributes, and ride the High Roller, the tallest Ferris wheel in America.

San Francisco, California

The city by the Bay hosts iconic sites like the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street, and Alcatraz Island, where some of the most notorious gangsters in history were imprisoned.

New York, New York

There’s no shortage of things to experience in the Big Apple — world-class dining and shopping, Central Park, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the largest art museum in America.

San Diego, California

America’s Finest City boasts an intriguing Old Town, fabulous Mexican food, and near-perfect weather for enjoying its beaches.

Seattle, Washington

The Emerald City offers fabulous seafood and iconic attractions like the Space Needle and Pike Place Market, home of the first Starbucks.

Bon voyage à la maison!