[category]
[title]
Plane tickets are absurdly expensive and hotel rates are stubbornly high. But yet, Americans are still determined to take a summer break.
According to a new WalletHub study, about 72 percent of Americans plan to travel this summer—but not everyone is boarding a flight. For plenty of travelers, the smartest vacation may be the one that doesn't require TSA, checked luggage or an hours-long delay in Atlanta.
WalletHub's annual ranking of the best and worst U.S. cities for staycations looked at more than 180 cities across 41 different metrics, including everything from parks, restaurants and entertainment options to affordability and opportunities to relax. The goal was to identify the places where you can feel like you're on vacation without venturing very far from home.
Orlando, Florida, takes the top spot for 2026, scoring particularly well thanks to its abundance of attractions. Beyond its famous theme parks, the city ranked highly for food, entertainment and recreation, giving locals plenty of ways to fill a long weekend (or even an entire week) without running out of things to do. WalletHub points out that Orlando has exceptionally high numbers of amusement parks, water parks, festivals, nightlife venues, zoos and arcades relative to its population. (It also happens to have more ice cream and frozen yogurt shops than any other city in the study.)
The rest of the top 10 offers a surprisingly eclectic mix: Cincinnati came in second, followed by Las Vegas, St. Louis and Honolulu. Chicago landed at No. 9, while Portland, Maine, rounded out the top 10. Several of the highest-ranked cities balance strong entertainment options with relatively affordable dining and recreation costs, making them especially appealing when travel budgets are tight.
The study also highlights some interesting superlatives about cities. Boston has the highest concentration of parks, according to the study, but Honolulu has the most tennis courts. Amarillo, Texas, meanwhile, offers the country's cheapest house-cleaning services—a surprisingly useful metric if your idea of a staycation involves outsourcing chores.
At the opposite end of the ranking, several large suburban cities struggled due to limited entertainment options and fewer recreation opportunities. Pearl City, Hawaii, ranked last overall, preceded by Yonkers, New York; Fremont, California; Chula Vista, California; and Irving, Texas. Oakland, California, was the lowest-ranked major city in the study.
Whether your dream vacation involves roller coasters, museums, beaches, parks or simply sleeping in your own bed every night, the results suggest you might not need to travel very far to find it.
The Best U.S. Cities for Staycations
- Orlando, FL
- Cincinnati, OH
- Las Vegas, NV
- St. Louis, MO
- Honolulu, HI
- Salt Lake City, UT
- Atlanta, GA
- Tampa, FL
- Chicago, IL
- Portland, ME
The Worst U.S. Cities for Staycations
- Oakland, CA
- Santa Ana, CA
- Newark, NJ
- Hialeah, FL
- Laredo, TX
- Irving, TX
- Chula Vista, CA
- Fremont, CA
- Yonkers, NY
- Pearl City, HI