Posted by: Richie Bernardo

Summer is the perfect time to hit the open road: School’s out, the weather’s balmy, and the possibilities are endless. The only dilemmas? Deciding on a destination and somehow affording everything you want to pack into your itinerary.

Fuel, at least, is one expense that won’t drain your wallet. Gas prices are down from a year ago, possibly marking this summer as the cheapest to fill up since 2005, according to GasBuddy. But you’ll still need to consider accommodations, activities and dining. All of these certainly contribute to the more than $683 billion we spend on leisure travel each year.

None of the expense and hassle, however, seems to discourage Americans from traveling. In fact, 79 percent of families traveling this summer still plan to take road trips, a 10 percent increase since the previous year, according to AAA.

With road warriors in mind, WalletHub compared the 50 U.S. states based on 22 key metrics to find the most fun, scenic and wallet-friendly road-trip destinations — plus those that’ll have travelers pulling a quick U-turn. Our data set ranges from the number of attractions to road conditions to costs. Read on for the full ranking, our methodology and expert road-trip advice.

1. Main Findings
2. Ask the Experts
3. Methodology

Main Findings Embed on your website<iframe src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/embed/4648/geochart-roadtrips.html" width="556" height="347" frameBorder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <div style="width:556px;font-size:12px;color:#888;">Source: <a href="http://ift.tt/2rMoPBf;

 

Overall Rank	State	Total Score	“Driving & Lodging Costs” Rank	“Road Conditions & Safety” Rank	“Fun & Scenic Attractions” Rank
47	North Dakota	39.65	36	38	36
48	Mississippi	39.18	6	47	49
49	Alaska	36.56	44	41	34
50	Connecticut	35.89	49	21	46

Ask the Experts

You can enjoy a summer road trip without breaking the bank or compromising your safety. For advice, we asked a panel of experts to share their travel wisdom. Click on the experts’ profiles below to read their bios and responses to the following key questions:

1. What is the number one threat faced by summer road trip travelers?
2. Do you have any budget saving tips for those looking to hit the open road?
3. Do you think more people will take road trips this summer than in previous years?
4. In evaluating the best states for summer road trips, which are the top five factors?
5. How can local officials enhance safety and promote tourism during the busy summer road trip season?

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• Steven G. Shapiro Director of the Hospitality and Tourism Law Program in the Washington College of Law at American University
• Stefanie Benjamin Assistant Professor in the Department of Retail, Hospitality and Tourism Management at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Frank Juge Professor in the Rosen College at University of Central Florida
• Donetta Kay Poisson Clinical Assistant Professor at Georgia State University
• David Rivera, Jr. Associate Professor in the Hospitality & Retail Management Department at Texas Tech University
• David W. Knight Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources at Colorado State University
• Betty Jean Hebel Professor of Marketing at Madonna University

Steven G. Shapiro Director of the Hospitality and Tourism Law Program in the Washington College of Law at American University Do you have any budget saving tips for those looking to hit the open road? Start a hotel search with Expedia, Orbitz and TripAdvisor. Once you have found a hotel, definitely check the brand reservation website and even call the hotel. Check on any additional charges like resort fees or Wi-Fi fees. Do you think more people will take road trips this summer than in previous years? Hard to say, but the economy is strong and gas prices are stable, so travelers are likely to find time for trips. In evaluating the best states for summer road trips, which are the top 5 factors? Weather, activities (family friendly for kids), regional dining selections, distance from home, and something special (bucket list adventure). How can local officials enhance safety and promote tourism during the busy summer road trip season? Local officials can help with having a text messaging systems available to travelers with weather or related danger alerts and helpful websites. Stefanie Benjamin Assistant Professor in the Department of Retail, Hospitality and Tourism Management at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Do you have any budget saving tips for those looking to hit the open road? I’m a big proponent of using Airbnb, Couch Surfing, or other applications where you can feel like a “local” and maintain low costs. I encourage travelers to “live amongst the locals” and by doing so, they can suggest restaurants, activities, and shopping areas that don’t hurt your wallet. Do you think more people will take road trips this summer than in previous years? Perhaps. I know that more and more people are choosing a road trip versus a plane ride. Specifically, millennials, they want to experience authentic places and spaces and traveling by car helps achieve that. You truly get an intimate feel of what a place offers, through face-to-face interactions and conversations with the residents and business owners. In evaluating the best states for summer road trips, which are the top 5 factors? Depends on the person traveling -- race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, socio-economic status, everything plays a role in evaluating the best states for summer road trips. For myself, I’m looking for these top 5 factors: local craft breweries; summer festivals/events unique to that state; low cost of activities (including farmer’s markets); easy and low cost of accessibility to unique nature settings (lakes -- paddle board rentals; hiking); food (restaurant/festivals) that are unique to that state. How can local officials enhance safety and promote tourism during the busy summer road trip season? For promotion of tourism, social media is such an incredible tool. Photos and “Instagram stories” of things to do and places to see (using specific hashtags) is a wonderful way of promoting a place. Having social media contests as well, e.g., “show us how you experience CA by car, by using #CAcarAdventure” can help promote a place as well. Frank Juge Professor in the Rosen College at University of Central Florida Do you have any budget saving tips for those looking to hit the open road? The road trips I recommend would be in the north and central coast of California (Napa, Sonoma, Santa Barbara), the Willamette Valley of Oregon, the Columbia River Valley of Washington, and the beautiful Finger Lakes region of New York. It is possible to do wonderful road trips in each of these. My tip would be to plan and call ahead to wineries you plan to visit. You can also find excellent B&B's in these areas that are economical and the hosts often can make reservations at hard to get into wineries. These states promote wine tourism with excellent wine tour maps. The best time for this type of tourism is late summer and early fall when grapes are ripe. Winter is cheaper but vines are barren, not very pretty. Donetta Kay Poisson Clinical Assistant Professor at Georgia State University Do you have any budget saving tips for those looking to hit the open road? Budgeting is key, whether traveling internationally or within the U.S. Plan your itinerary and develop a plan based on what you have budgeted for your excursion. What is your desire, your focus? Are you wanting to see the Grand Canyon, tour the museums in Washington DC, enjoy true Louisiana cooking or visit several National Parks? The internet can supply so many choices for lodging, food, tourist attractions, etc. For example, if lodging isn’t a main focus but food is, I would look at sites such as “Couch Surf” or “Airbnb.” When considering these alternate forms of lodging, be sure to choose one that is well reviewed and established. If camping is your thing, National Parks are less expensive than Private campgrounds. For international trips, the same basic factors apply: decide on your budget, develop a plan and do your research. Rick Steves is one of my favorite travel gurus and he provides several travel tips when going abroad. Do you think more people will take road trips this summer than in previous years? Assuming you mean domestic travel, I would say yes for a few reasons. I feel we are pulling out of an economic slump and citizens may still feel the sting from 2008, but the U.S. dollar is showing strength (an extra bonus for those travelling internationally). According to PR Newswire U.S., the growth in domestic trips has been slow but steady. Statistics project an increase of 1.7% domestic travel annually. Of course, in 2016, gas prices were fairly low and the job market was good; everything is relevant. In evaluating the best states for summer road trips, which are the top 5 factors? Obviously, one of the most important factors is what does the state have to offer its potential tourist? Consumer wants are as varied; how the consumer defines themselves will determine what they are looking for in a leisure trip. Other factors to consider would be the distance to travel, accessibility to the area, time of season (is it peak or off-peak: this plays into cost) and what is the climate like during the time of travel. How can local officials enhance safety and promote tourism during the busy summer road trip season? Enhancing safety: Unfortunately, terrorism is something we have to consider when traveling. When visiting overseas with my GSU Study Abroad class, one of speakers made a pointed statement. “We cannot only target large groups, as the acts of terrorism have been most recently committed by “lone wolfs” which are difficult to predict. Lone wolfs are single operators who act on their own. We cannot let them intimidate us; we must continue to live our lives.” In Europe, armed guards walked the streets. There was not a day that passed that I did not see a law enforcement officer on the 10 day long trip through 4 countries. In short, yes promote your state, yes, tighten security for major events however, responsibility for safety lies in the hands of the traveler to be aware of their surroundings and to watch for the unusual. To allow any person to cause fear is to give them control. Enjoy your life and see the world. David Rivera, Jr. Associate Professor in the Hospitality & Retail Management Department at Texas Tech University Do you have any budget saving tips for those looking to hit the open road? One of the biggest budget saving tips I have is plan ahead, especially when it comes to making hotel reservations. Check multiple websites and do not hesitate to contact the property directly via a quick phone call to try and get the best possible rate. Another area where you can save some money when taking a road trip is taking advantage of the many rest stops and picnic areas located along many interstates. Have a small cooler and prepare a light lunch and that can save you money on food expenditures. As a father of four, when my family travels we are looking at feeding six individuals and that can add up quickly when taking a road trip, even at establishments that offer value for lunch. My wife and I will often prepare a cooler with drinks, snacks, and a lunch so that we can save anywhere from $30 - $50 on a lunch tab. A third area where individuals can save is by planning their route and stops ahead of time to cut down on fuel costs. I have several cards that offer discounts on fuel from various places. When looking at our road trips as a family, my wife and I will look at our discount gas cards and see if any are along our route. Some may only save us a few cents a gallon, but when you add that up over a road trip you could have cut down $6 in fuel costs over 10 fill-ups if your discount card gives you a reduction of three cents per gallon. Another way to cut down fuel costs may be to purchase gift cards to certain fuel stations before your trip. Sometimes a discount is offered at the pump for using a gift card associated with the fuel company. Another budget saving tip is to slow down and enjoy the scenery. Driving at the speed limit can reduce fuel costs and it may also give you an opportunity to enjoy the scenery on your trip. Do you think more people will take road trips this summer than in previous years? I feel that many more people will be taking road trips this summer than in previous years as the consumer confidence in the economy is back and some that may have hesitated in past years may feel a bit more comfortable with their economic situations and hit the road. Some that have thought about flying may opt to drive as the cost of a plane ticket continues to rise and may be cost prohibitive. As with me, I would have to buy 6 plane tickets to get my family from point A to point B. The airline industry has had a few customer service mishaps and this has caused concern among individuals looking at flying to their summer vacation destination of choice. Many people are worried they may be the random passenger asked to get off the plane. Also with the increased security requirements at some airports and the rising cost associated with being a pre checked passenger, many may decide it would be easier to drive to their summer vacation location, than take a plane. In evaluating the best states for summer road trips, which are the top 5 factors? Overall, I think this is a very difficult question to answer because so many people look for so many different things when they choose a state for a summer road trip. I will give factors that impact my families decision:

• Variety. Is there something that everyone could enjoy together? As I stated earlier, I am part of a family of 6. We range in ages from 9 to 44. For us, it is important that we choose a state that has things along our trip route that we can all enjoy together.

• Are there things that we have never experienced before? Part of the fun of a road trip is gaining new experiences. As a family, we look for things that we have never done or seen before and if a certain state has different terrain, for example we currently live in West Texas, which is dry, brown, and windy so now we are looking for areas and road trips that are different from where we live.

• Cultural enhancement. Are there cultural museums, art, reenactments, etc. that exist on these road trips that would be fun to experience?

• Safety for the time of year you are traveling. An example would be if someone was looking at traveling along the southeastern coast of the U.S., they may try and avoid peak hurricane season.

• Suggested information available online. Often when planning a road trip, my family and I will look online to see if certain routes are suggested that provide us with a chance to see as much of the area as possible.

How can local officials enhance safety and promote tourism during the busy summer road trip season? Officials should be very engaging and get on the news and do interviews regarding the upcoming summer tourism season in their area, especially with regard to road trippers. These FYI’s should come before the road trip season and continue through the season. Information that could be provided includes:

• Discussing certain travel routes that may be better suited to locals because less tourist travel these roads.

• Feature various law enforcement officers and have them discuss what they are doing to try and keep everyone in the area safe.

David W. Knight Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources at Colorado State University Do you think more people will take road trips this summer than in previous years? I think we will see an uptick in the number of road trippers in the USA this summer. While people may be discouraged from road-tripping due to busier-than-before lifestyles and rising concerns about natural catastrophes (e.g., recent mudslides in California), I don't see their desire to get away being more negatively swayed by these factors compared to previous years. Rather, I think people's interest in visiting sites by car will generally increase due to the combined influence of constant photo- and experience-sharing on social media; increases in money spent for destination marketing; and, of course, relatively low gas prices. We will see an increase in road trips taken by in-bound (international) tourists, as well. Through my current position teaching tourism for Colorado State University both in Fort Collins, CO and in Wuhan, China, I know that many Chinese, in particular, are currently opting for American-style road trips over the more common fly-in and fly-out experiences of previous years. In evaluating the best states for summer road trips, which are the top 5 factors?

• Food options (breweries and barbecue are a must).

• Natural beauty (water, mountains, or both).

• Educational elements (rich histories and modern innovations have strong rejuvenation potential).

• Events (keep an eye out for festivals, races and fairs).

• Sustainability (enjoy local ways and minimize environmental footprints).

How can local officials enhance safety and promote tourism during the busy summer road trip season? Local officials should work closely with tourism planners and businesses to make sure that those overseeing tourism industry events, marketing, and operations are keenly aware of local law enforcement and safety efforts, and to ensure that local emphasis and approaches to safety are shared with the traveling public. Betty Jean Hebel Professor of Marketing at Madonna University Do you have any budget saving tips for those looking to hit the open road? Budget saving tips include knowing that “many star” hotels/motels may be fun and interesting, however, if you are only planning to stay the night and leave early the next day, the “fewer star” places may help you save and are generally clean and located near local restaurants and places of interest. Looking online for deals in your destination city and intermediate stops may also help to ease the budget. Do you think more people will take road trips this summer than in previous years? While the economy is slowly getting better, it would seem that the economical road trip will give families a vacation to remember without draining the family finances and give them confidence to take a vacation even if it is shorter than would be preferred. In evaluating the best states for summer road trips, which are the top 5 factors?

• Sites and “experiences” of significance for those going on the adventure;

• Cost of travel to the destination;

• Cost of staying in the destination area (including accommodations, dining, admission fees if applicable, etc.);

• Availability of “vacation experiences” to have within a reasonable distance; and

• Construction projects in progress that would lengthen the time to cover the distance.

How can local officials enhance safety and promote tourism during the busy summer road trip season?

• Mark construction zones well so tourists have clear direction and reduced frustration.

• Provide directions to sites of significance both online and at restaurants and hotels in the state.

• Encourage local people to be welcoming and helpful to tourists.

Methodology

To find the best road-trip destinations for summer, WalletHub compared the 50 states across three key dimensions: 1) Costs, 2) Safety and 3) Activities.

We evaluated those dimensions using 22 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for summer road trips.

We then calculated the total score for each state based on its weighted average across all metrics and used the resulting scores to construct our final ranking.

• Average Gas Prices: Full Weight (~5.13 Points)
• Maximum Toll Costs: Full Weight (~5.13 Points)
• Average Cost of Car Repairs: Half Weight (~2.56 Points)
• Lowest Price of Three-Star Hotel: Full Weight (~5.13 Points)
• Lowest Price of Camping: Full Weight (~5.13 Points)
• Lodging Units per Capita: Full Weight (~5.13 Points)
• Cost of Living Index: Full Weight (~5.13 Points)

• Vehicle Miles Traveled per Capita: Full Weight (~3.60 Points)
• Population Density: Full Weight (~3.60 Points)
• Driving Laws Rating: Full Weight (~3.60 Points)
• Quality of Roads: Full Weight (~3.60 Points)
• Quality of Bridges: Quarter Weight (~0.90 Points)
• Fatalities per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled: Triple Weight (~10.81 Points)
• Car Thefts per 1,000 Residents: Full Weight (~3.60 Points)
• Violent Crimes per 1,000 Residents: Full Weight (~3.60 Points)

• Share of Total Area Designated as National Parkland: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
• Number of Attractions: Double Weight (~6.67 Points)
• Nightlife Options per Capita: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
• Access to Scenic Byways: Triple Weight (~10.00 Points)
• Miles of Shoreline: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
• Idealness of Summer Weather: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
• Accommodation & Food Services Establishments per 1,000 Residents: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)

 

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Council for Community and Economic Research, Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Park Service, Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety, National Conference of State Legislatures, American Automobile Association, The Road Information Program, American Scenic Byways, NOAA Office for Coastal Management, CarMD, Kayak.com, Kampgrounds of America, TripAdvisor, TRIP and WalletHub research.

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