Posted by: Richie Bernardo

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

Gas prices might be one thing to worry about. They’ve recently spiked due to rising oil costs, and were 31% higher this Memorial Day than last year. On top of that, you’ll need to consider accommodations, activities and dining. All of these certainly contribute to the more than $718 billion we spend on leisure travel each year.

None of the expense and hassle, however, seems to discourage Americans from traveling. In fact, 64 percent of families traveling this summer still plan to take road trips, according to AAA.

With road warriors in mind, WalletHub compared the 50 U.S. states based on 31 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="https://ift.tt/2JTioGt>

 

Best Road-Trip Destinations for Summer

Overall Rank (1 = Best)	State	Total Score	‘Costs’ Rank	‘Safety’ Rank	‘Activities’ Rank
1	Wyoming	58.75	1	19	22
2	North Carolina	56.24	11	28	7
3	Minnesota	56.13	31	1	19
4	Texas	55.46	15	34	6
5	Florida	54.62	20	48	2
6	Louisiana	54.40	10	37	10
7	Washington	53.74	43	18	4
8	New York	53.72	49	4	3
9	Utah	53.44	34	8	14
10	Colorado	53.06	17	27	18
11	Oregon	52.41	40	12	8
12	California	52.36	47	41	1
13	Illinois	52.32	33	11	21
14	Virginia	52.29	35	15	16
15	South Dakota	52.16	6	22	33
16	Maine	52.05	32	2	32
17	Nebraska	51.52	9	10	39
18	Georgia	51.27	7	36	27
19	Michigan	51.23	21	24	26
20	Nevada	51.22	30	29	12
21	Arizona	50.98	14	45	13
22	Wisconsin	50.94	26	9	31
23	Ohio	50.03	38	25	15
24	New Hampshire	49.97	22	5	37
25	Massachusetts	49.65	41	13	20
26	Pennsylvania	48.92	44	17	9
27	Idaho	48.62	39	16	25
28	Tennessee	48.19	18	35	30
29	South Carolina	48.15	5	50	24
30	New Jersey	48.07	37	23	28
31	North Dakota	48.00	16	7	45
32	Vermont	47.92	28	3	50
33	Maryland	47.83	42	31	11
34	Missouri	47.09	12	46	29
35	Iowa	46.88	27	14	38
36	West Virginia	46.56	8	30	47
37	Oklahoma	46.24	13	42	36
38	Mississippi	46.14	2	38	44
39	Montana	46.13	19	40	34
40	Arkansas	46.08	3	44	41
41	Alabama	45.87	4	43	40
42	Kansas	45.67	25	20	46
43	Alaska	45.62	45	47	5
44	Kentucky	45.60	24	32	35
45	Indiana	45.44	29	21	43
46	New Mexico	45.28	23	49	23
47	Hawaii	40.70	50	33	17
48	Delaware	40.51	36	39	48
49	Connecticut	38.62	46	26	42
50	Rhode Island	38.58	48	6	49

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. Do you have any budget saving tips for those looking to hit the open road?
2. Do you think more people will take road trips this summer than in previous years?
3. In evaluating the best states for summer road trips, which are the top five factors?
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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• Susan Roe Ph.D., Assistant Professor, San Francisco State University
• Jeffery C. Kreeger Ph.D., CHIA, Director of Tourism & Hospitality Studies, Central Connecticut State University

Susan Roe Ph.D., Assistant Professor, San Francisco State University

Do you have any budget saving tips for those looking to hit the open road?

When booking hotels, look out for resort fees and add on charges. In some instances hotels list lower base rates to appear to be the best choice when consumers search travel websites such as Expedia or Kayak. Then the hotel adds a resort fee or add on charges for services which may or may not be relevant to the traveler. Check these fees and investigate what they provide. If the resort fee includes access to the fitness center and you like to work out every morning - it might be worth it! If the resort fee covers amenities that you won't use, pick a property without one. Spend some time investigating hotel choices to ensure the cost provides the right service for your intended travel.

Do you think more people will take road trips this summer than in previous years?

Considering higher gas prices in many areas individuals will likely continue to take road trips in their local region rather than long haul road trips.

In evaluating the best states for summer road trips, which are the top 5 factors?

Individuals are choosing travel opportunities where they can engage in the tour destination and experience it rather than just "visit" it. Many travelers are seeking destinations that offer authentic and experiential opportunities like local festivals, restaurant tastings, or interactive tours. Many tourists don't just want to see a destination, they want to experience it!

Jeffery C. Kreeger Ph.D., CHIA, Director of Tourism & Hospitality Studies, Central Connecticut State University

Do you have any budget saving tips for those looking to hit the open road?

I tell my students to explore the area around them. Most people spend a lot of money traveling hundreds or thousands of miles away from their home and ignore their own backyard. Ironically, other vacationers travel hundreds of miles to visit that same town or area! I find there are many fantastic sites and events nearby any place I’ve lived that are so much more reasonable to visit since one can take staycations and day trips. For example, I have been living in New England less than a year and have had a blast exploring the many historical sites nearby. They are easily accessible for a day trip and they are so economical because I live here and don’t need to stay at a hotel to enjoy them. I want to explore these places now because I don’t know how long I’ll be in this area. There are many places I wish I had visited in previous places I’ve lived. Obviously, they are much more expensive to visit now than when I lived there…

National Parks are another gold mine! There are about 60 National Parks across the U.S. and each of them are well worth visiting, but sadly they are under-visited - plus there are many attractions managed by the Park service. People will spend thousands of dollars to take the family for a Disney vacation (which is great, by the way - I’m not knocking that), but they ignore the much more budget-priced National Parks and historical attractions nearby. Even those locations that are merely managed by the Park Service are awesome and typically very well done! I recently visited Minuteman National Historic Park in Massachusetts (where the Revolutionary War began - “the shot heard around the world” as quoted from Ralph Waldo Emerson), which is managed by the National Park Service, and it made for an awesome economical day-trip experience.

If you are over 62 (and a citizen or permanent resident), you can purchase a lifetime pass to ALL National Parks for $80. Eighty dollars! Not $80 a year, but $80 for the rest of your life! That’s a HUGE bargain!

So yes, you can take a multi-thousand-dollar vacation to Orlando or take an expensive cruise, but you can also take a more value-approach and visit attractions near your home.

Do you think more people will take road trips this summer than in previous years?

I’m no expert in gas prices, but I know gas is hovering roughly around $3.00 a gallon whereas I recall the summer of 2014 the cost of gas was between $3.50 and $4.00 so it’s still a very economic option - especially for a family - so I would expect a very good summer of road trips.

In evaluating the best states for summer road trips, which are the top 5 factors?

I think one of the top factors should include a variety of types of activities. Many Hospitality and Tourism textbooks refer to a concept called ‘Edutainment,’ which refers to a continuum where education is on one side and entertainment is on the other. The idea promotes balancing the proportion of events done between ‘Educational/Historical events and amusement/fun types of entertainment. A vacation that consistently stays on either end of the spectrum has the potential to get boring or repetitive. For example, I enjoy a good museum such as the Smithsonian Museums, but after a day or so, I’m ready to do something that doesn’t require reading (or thinking! 😊 ). Similarly, more than a day or two of amusement park fun gets a little old after several days. The variety makes each event more palatable. A trip that has a variety of types of events typically will be more successful because it allows a variety of stimulation for fun and learning.

Another factor is making memories during the trip to enhance the experience. This doesn’t have to cost a lot of money but requires creativity. Instead of sticking in a DVD to appease the kids, try going old-school and look for different states’ license plates. You can go a step further and make words out of the letters on the license plate. For example, a license plate ‘VBD-345’ can produce the phrase ‘very bad driver,’ which by the way describes just about every driver in Connecticut! You can also make up stories about drivers’ you pass or who pass you. Maybe they have a kayak on the back of their car, but the couple looks exhausted. You can spin a tale about their harrowing trip down the white waters where they almost died. You get the idea… Creativity is the key.

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

Most larger cities have destination marketing groups, whose job is to promote their locale. A current trend is to ‘pair’ things together such as food to wine and cigars to various liquors and other pairings. Officials could boost their locales’ revenue by suggesting to these marketing organizations ‘paring’ suggestions such as something from the entertainment end of the spectrum paired with another attraction from the educational end of the spectrum. An example might be a pairing of a dinosaur animatronic display with a ticket to a dinosaur museum to see the bones of the real thing. Not only does this attract parents of dinosaur lovers, but it also gives a variety of attractions so that everyone in the family gets something out of the package deal. Of course, each city will have its own attractions to offer, but package deals presented as ‘paring’ seem like an even better (and ‘more hip’) option. Creativity is the key. The attractions used for ‘pairing’ depend on what one’s location is known for. I just got back from my home town, Denver, and visited the Coors Beer tour (which is free and awesome and even includes 3 generous samples!) but this could be included in a package with other events around Golden, Colorado (where the Coors plant resides). Coors already gives a ‘Golden ticket’ (pun intended) that gives tour-goers a percent discount on Golden restaurants, but there could be so much more done to capitalize on the thousands of visitors that experience the self-guided tour and tasting room. The possible ‘pairings’ of attractions are limited only by one’s creativity.

Officials could receive such ideas by having a contest to get ideas from residents, who know more about specific special interest in their town and may be better informed about upcoming events.

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 31 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. For metrics marked with an asterisk (*), we used the square root of the population to calculate the population size in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across states.

We then determined each state’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.

Costs – Total Points: 33.33

• Average Gas Prices: Double Weight (~8.89 Points)
• Maximum Toll Costs: Full Weight (~4.44 Points)
• Average Cost of Car Repairs: Half Weight (~2.22 Points)
• Lowest Price of Three-Star Hotel Room: Full Weight (~4.44 Points)
• Lowest Price of Camping: Full Weight (~4.44 Points)
• Lodging Units per Capita: Full Weight (~4.44 Points)Note: “Lodging units” include campgrounds, hostels, condominiums, villas and lodges.
• Cost of Living Index: Full Weight (~4.44 Points)

Safety – Total Points: 33.33

• Vehicle Miles Traveled per Capita: Full Weight (~2.72 Points)
• Population Density: Full Weight (~2.72 Points)
• Share of Urban Interstates Congested during Peak Hours: Full Weight (~2.72 Points)
• Driving Laws Rating: Full Weight (~2.72 Points)
• Traffic Indiscipline: Full Weight (~2.72 Points)Note: This is a composite metric that measures incidents due to poor behavior: phone use, speeding, aggressive acceleration, harsh braking, and poor turning.
• Quality of Roads: Full Weight (~2.72 Points)
• Quality of Bridges: Quarter Weight (~0.68 Points)
• Fatalities per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled: Triple Weight (~8.16 Points)
• Car Thefts per 1,000 Residents: Full Weight (~2.72 Points)
• Rate of Larceny: Full Weight (~2.72 Points)
• Violent Crimes per 1,000 Residents: Full Weight (~2.72 Points)

Activities – Total Points: 33.33

• Share of Total Area Designated as National Parkland: Full Weight (~2.08 Points)
• National Parks Recreation Visitors per Capita: Full Weight (~2.08 Points)
• Zoos and Botanical Gardens per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.08 Points)
• Amusement & Theme Parks per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.08 Points)
• Fairs and Festivals per Capita over Summer Time*: Full Weight (~2.08 Points)
• Number of Attractions: Double Weight (~4.17 Points)Note: Nightlife options excluded
• Nightlife Options per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.08 Points)
• Access to Scenic Byways: Triple Weight (~6.24 Points)Note: This metric takes into account both the number of scenic byways and the length of scenic byways.
• Historical Sites per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.08 Points)
• Miles of Shoreline: Full Weight (~2.08 Points)
• Idealness of Summer Weather: Full Weight (~2.08 Points)Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Cities with the Best & Worst Weather” ranking.
• Accommodation & Food Services Establishments per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.08 Points)
• State & Local Direct General Expenditures on Parks & Recreation per Capita: Full Weight (~2.08 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, EverQuote, FairsandFestivals.net and WalletHub research.

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