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Americans love to take road trips and travel to places for vacations during the summer. This summer, 75% of American adults plan on taking a road trip with 33% planning on traveling more than 250 miles from home according to WalletHub. With so many Americans planning on going somewhere this summer, it would be interesting to know what states ranked at the top of the list for the best places to go.
The top three states to visit this summer are Texas, Minnesota, and New York according to WalletHub. The sample compared the 50 U.S. states based on 32 key metrics to find the most fun, scenic, and wallet-friendly road-trip destinations. The data set ranges from the number of attractions to road conditions to gas and accommodation costs. WalletHub released its Best & Worst States for Summer Road Trips for 2024. WalletHub compared the 50 states across three key dimensions: Costs, Safety, and Activities.
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WalletHub evaluated those dimensions using 32 relevant metrics and was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for summer road trips. WalletHub determined each state’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order the sample.
#3 New York
New York is the third-best state for summer road trips and it should not be a surprise that it made the top three on the list. There are plenty of attractions in New York City with the Empire State Building, the Freedom Tower, the Statue of Liberty, and great places to eat you will only find in NYC.
If you love the outdoors, New York offers the Catskill and Adirondack Mountains which are located north of New York City. The Adirondack Mountains are home to Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, and Tupper Lake which offers more than 6 million acres for people to explore. Lake Placid is also home to the Olympic Venues for those who appreciate winter sports and history.
There are Four Lake Placid Legacy Sites: the Olympic Center, Olympic Jumping Complex, Mt. Van Hoevenberg, and Whiteface Mountain. These iconic venues represent the spirit of the Olympic Games, welcome visitors, host events, and serve as training facilities for multiple sports. All have recently undergone renovations and enhancements and can all be visited under the Lake Placid Legacy Sites Passport.
Niagra Falls is also a must-see destination spot for anyone who has never had the opportunity to see it in person. Niagra Falls State Park is open 365 days a year and has some of the world’s most amazing views of a waterfall. For those wishing to get an up-close view from the water, the Maid of the Mist will take your tour boat as close as you can to seeing the 600,000 gallons of water cascading over the falls.
#2 Minnesota
It is no wonder why the Land of 10,000 Lakes is a great option to plan on making a vacation this summer. All those lakes mean there are plenty of opportunities for swimming, fishing, boating, camping, and picnics on the shore. A great place to check out nature at its best is the town of Grand Marais, which is located off of the south shore of Lake Superior and features waterfalls and lighthouses. There are hiking and biking trails, beaches, and museums to check out—something for everyone in the family. Minnesota also ranks eighth-lowest in camping cost in the country which is great for people who want to get away from the city. Grand Marais is not all outdoor recreation. In town, there are plenty of options for great food as well like The World’s Best Donut Shop. It has been a local tradition since 1969 and the family-owned donut shop offers almost 30 different donut recipes.
For those who like a more urban setting, St. Paul and Minneapolis, known as the Twin Cities, are the places to go in Minnesota. There are plenty of opportunities during summer in the Twin Cities to check out great outdoor restaurants, check out Sommerfest, a three-week-long music festival featuring the Minnesota Orchestra, and visit the Como Park Zoo. Visitors can choose to take a boat ride on the Mississippi River and have the opportunity to spot bald eagles, herons, egrets, and falcons as they travel from St. Paul’s bustling downtown harbor through the Mississippi National Great River Park. You cannot leave the twin cities before you check out the Mall of America. It hosts more than 400 events a year which range from concerts to celebrity appearances and fashion shows. Each year, 40 million people from around the world visit the mall.
#1 TEXAS
There is a lot to do when it comes to a state with the size of Texas, and therefore it is the best place to go on a road trip this summer. There are great cities like Dallas, Houston, Austin, and more to visit. There are over 9,500 miles of scenic byways that offer great views and national parks. Big Bend National Park is one of those parks and is visited by more than 500,000 people a year. Guests can visit the Chihuahuan Desert, the Chisos Mountains, and the Rio Grande, and at night, camp under the moonlight to see one of the best dark sky parks in the country.
If you love great food, Texas has to be on your bucket list to go check out. Texas is famous for its food like pecan pie, chicken-fried steak, cowboy chili, and its world-renowned barbecue. The city of Austin is the epicenter of oak-smoked barbecue and the home of Tex-Mex fare. Some believe there are actually more restaurants and food trucks in Austin than residents! Austin is known as the Live Music Capital of the World and offers many chances to listen to live music acts.
If you are in Texas during the summer, you are going to have to deal with that Texas Sun, and hitting the beach to get the chance to cool off and take a swim is paramount. Texas is home to more than 350 miles of coastline along the Gulf of Mexico’s teal and emerald waters and has plenty of beach vacation options.
South Padre Island is one of those beaches that should be on your list to check out in Texas. It used to be considered the place to go for spring breakers, but do not worry: there are plenty of activities for the whole family. South Padre Island is a tropical oasis located off the southern tip of Texas. This barrier island offers great views and atmosphere of Laguna Madre Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Calm waters and more than 300 days of sunshine make South Padre Island a great place to live and visit all year.
Overall State Rankings of Best Places For Summer Road Trips (2024)
| Overall Rank | State | Total Score | Costs Rank | Safety Rank | Activities Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 58.59 | 11 | 39 | 5 |
| 2 | Minnesota | 58.48 | 12 | 7 | 20 |
| 3 | New York | 58.44 | 40 | 12 | 3 |
| 4 | Louisiana | 57.62 | 1 | 46 | 9 |
| 5 | Florida | 57.11 | 23 | 50 | 2 |
| 6 | Ohio | 56.98 | 21 | 24 | 13 |
| 7 | North Carolina | 56.66 | 17 | 34 | 7 |
| 8 | Wyoming | 56.44 | 26 | 5 | 22 |
| 9 | Maine | 56.27 | 29 | 1 | 30 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 55.73 | 32 | 14 | 14 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | 54.76 | 18 | 11 | 31 |
| 12 | Utah | 54.49 | 36 | 13 | 11 |
| 13 | Idaho | 54.10 | 30 | 9 | 21 |
| 14 | Iowa | 53.70 | 14 | 3 | 39 |
| 15 | Illinois | 53.27 | 34 | 22 | 19 |
| 16 | Virginia | 52.89 | 35 | 23 | 15 |
| 17 | Colorado | 52.85 | 22 | 41 | 12 |
| 18 | Georgia | 52.66 | 7 | 32 | 29 |
| 19 | Michigan | 52.07 | 13 | 31 | 25 |
| 20 | Nebraska | 51.99 | 15 | 8 | 38 |
| 21 | Arizona | 51.76 | 25 | 40 | 16 |
| 22 | Nevada | 51.72 | 33 | 38 | 8 |
| 23 | Alabama | 51.43 | 10 | 29 | 33 |
| 24 | Alaska | 51.17 | 48 | 21 | 4 |
| 25 | Oregon | 50.37 | 42 | 28 | 10 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | 50.27 | 3 | 33 | 37 |
| 27 | Missouri | 49.96 | 9 | 44 | 26 |
| 28 | Tennessee | 49.90 | 6 | 45 | 27 |
| 29 | South Dakota | 49.88 | 19 | 26 | 35 |
| 30 | North Dakota | 49.54 | 24 | 6 | 46 |
| 31 | Kansas | 49.50 | 8 | 16 | 47 |
| 32 | South Carolina | 49.35 | 5 | 48 | 24 |
| 33 | Indiana | 48.84 | 27 | 17 | 40 |
| 34 | Kentucky | 48.60 | 28 | 25 | 36 |
| 35 | New Hampshire | 48.50 | 37 | 2 | 41 |
| 36 | Mississippi | 48.24 | 2 | 42 | 42 |
| 37 | Massachusetts | 48.11 | 46 | 10 | 23 |
| 38 | West Virginia | 48.07 | 20 | 19 | 45 |
| 39 | Maryland | 47.85 | 43 | 30 | 17 |
| 40 | New Mexico | 47.04 | 16 | 49 | 28 |
| 41 | Washington | 46.32 | 49 | 35 | 6 |
| 42 | New Jersey | 46.22 | 44 | 15 | 32 |
| 43 | California | 46.10 | 50 | 43 | 1 |
| 44 | Hawaii | 45.39 | 47 | 27 | 18 |
| 45 | Arkansas | 44.88 | 4 | 47 | 43 |
| 46 | Vermont | 44.84 | 38 | 4 | 49 |
| 47 | Montana | 44.72 | 31 | 37 | 34 |
| 48 | Connecticut | 40.73 | 45 | 18 | 44 |
| 49 | Rhode Island | 40.36 | 39 | 20 | 50 |
| 50 | Delaware | 36.67 | 41 | 36 | 48 |
Graph Credit: WalletHub
