2024’s best and worst cities for staycations by Wallet Hub | North Texas

TEXAS, Texas. — With around 82% of Americans planning to travel this summer, high expenses are forcing many to stay home. The personal-finance website WalletHub released its report on 2024’s Best & Worst Cities for Staycations.

WalletHub compared more than 180 cities across 42 key indicators of an exciting yet wallet-friendly staycation. The data set ranges from parks and museums per capita to restaurant-meal costs.

Best Cities for Staycations:
1. Orlando, FL
2. Honolulu, HI
3. Cincinnati, OH
4. Las Vegas, NV
5. Tampa, FL
6. Chicago, IL
7. San Diego, CA
8. Atlanta, GA
9. New Orleans, LA
10. Tucson, AZ

Worst Cities for Staycations:
173. Moreno Valley, CA
174. Santa Ana, CA
175. Hialeah, FL
176. Laredo, TX
177. Santa Clarita, CA
178. Yonkers, NY
179. Chula Vista, CA
180. Pearl City, HI
181. Irving, TX
182. Fremont, CA

Best vs. Worst:
– St. Louis, Missouri, has the most zoos and aquariums per square root of population, which is 23.2 times more than in Phoenix, Arizona, the city with the fewest.
– New York has the most parks per square root of population, which is 49.9 times more than in San Francisco, California, the city with the fewest.
– Des Moines, Iowa, has the lowest cost of house-cleaning services, which is 4.1 times less expensive than in Juneau, Alaska, the city with the highest.

“Its 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,” said Cassandra Happe, WalletHub Analyst. “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.”

“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,” Happe added.