Did all the revenge travel of 2023 tucker you out? We get it, and lot of others feel the same way and are electing to do a staycation this year. Radical Storage crunched the numbers to find out where people are planning to staycation in 2024, surveying 2,069 Americans about their plans and also gathering information to understand why some stay in the U.S. instead of going abroad. Here’s what they found out.
First, and most impressively from a water-gushing standpoint, Niagara Falls is Americans' most popular domestic bucket list. The iconic destination with roaring waterfalls got a newish update with access to a tunnel system and a lower viewing platform in 2022. There’s even a nighttime light show called Falls Illumination, which can mimic the Northern Lights or be adjusted to show other themed light displays.
Another important staycation? New York City. Here, where year-round excitement reigns, you’ll find incredible museums, a great food scene, historic sites, nightlife, natural beauty and more. The study found that 30.7 percent of Americans have visited.
The most-visited landmark for Americans is Disney World Resort in Orlando, CA. Besides that outlay of vintage magic, Orlando offers lush gardens, a science center, upscale dining—and access to beaches. The Kennedy Space Center, where you can spend the day with an astronaut, is just a one-hour drive away.
Here's some other fun data from the study. A significant 44.4 percent of people choose a domestic staycation over an international vacation, with 87.7 percent having done that in 2023. They reported that they think food, people’s friendliness and weather are better here, but that they “see better culture” abroad. Staycationers in the U.S. most often choose a beach as their destination, spending an average of $928.11 per person. We’re trying to figure out what that 11 cents went towards.