Posted by: Adam McCann

Everyone likes to have fun. But we all prefer our personal brand of a good time. Some people like trying new restaurants, traveling, going to bars and clubs or playing outdoor sports. Others enjoy riding roller coasters, going to the movies, or playing video games. But having fun can be expensive – the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average American spends nearly $3,000 on entertainment per year.

With such different preferences, what, then, makes a fun city? At WalletHub, we define such a place as one that packs a little bit of everything for everyone — except maybe people seeking the most extreme of thrills. In a city with enough variety, you won’t have to compromise with your friends, your family or even yourself about the next fun activity to do alone or together.

To help Americans find the cities with the greatest number and variety of fun yet cost-effective options, WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities based on 65 key metrics. They range from fitness centers per capita to movie costs to average open hours of breweries. Read on for the winners, money-saving advice from experts and a full description of how we ranked the cities.

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

Main Findings

Embed on your website<iframe src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/embed/23455/geochart-fun.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/2MHWve9>  

Most Fun Cities in America

Overall Rank (1 = Most Fun)	City	Total Score	‘Entertainment & Recreation’ Rank	‘Nightlife & Parties’ Rank	‘Costs’ Rank
1	Las Vegas, NV	70.37	6	1	81
2	Orlando, FL	61.31	4	3	21
3	New York, NY	55.29	1	2	182
4	Atlanta, GA	54.11	13	4	91
5	Miami, FL	53.53	10	5	123
6	Chicago, IL	51.38	7	9	147
7	Portland, OR	50.53	14	7	128
8	San Francisco, CA	50.44	5	8	178
9	New Orleans, LA	49.43	23	6	120
10	San Diego, CA	48.89	3	19	144
11	Denver, CO	48.42	15	12	87
12	Honolulu, HI	48.07	2	21	163
13	Los Angeles, CA	47.88	8	16	151
14	Austin, TX	47.49	19	13	54
15	Washington, DC	47.39	11	10	165
16	Seattle, WA	47.13	9	11	172
17	Philadelphia, PA	45.79	18	15	100
18	Houston, TX	45.72	31	14	29
19	St. Louis, MO	45.63	30	17	11
20	Tampa, FL	45.56	12	23	55
21	Cincinnati, OH	44.15	17	28	12
22	San Antonio, TX	41.43	38	24	6
23	Salt Lake City, UT	40.99	24	34	77
24	Sacramento, CA	40.82	25	18	141
25	Pittsburgh, PA	40.82	20	33	102
26	Fort Lauderdale, FL	40.81	16	29	124
27	Dallas, TX	40.06	44	20	56
28	Tucson, AZ	39.78	28	61	3
29	Minneapolis, MN	39.62	21	48	76
30	Scottsdale, AZ	39.39	29	37	65
31	Nashville, TN	39.17	43	25	70
32	Milwaukee, WI	38.91	39	41	19
33	Jacksonville, FL	38.72	33	45	30
34	Reno, NV	38.72	41	35	41
35	Raleigh, NC	38.47	59	26	49
36	Indianapolis, IN	38.23	56	39	7
37	Omaha, NE	38.21	37	52	13
38	Charleston, SC	37.78	26	72	62
39	Cleveland, OH	37.30	35	54	36
40	Portland, ME	37.30	63	31	108
41	Henderson, NV	37.29	61	30	68
42	Richmond, VA	37.00	34	51	88
43	Phoenix, AZ	36.97	48	60	5
44	Columbus, OH	36.90	55	53	9
45	Birmingham, AL	36.90	78	42	22
46	Oklahoma City, OK	36.71	76	49	2
47	St. Petersburg, FL	36.19	32	67	58
48	Knoxville, TN	36.14	65	47	60
49	Tempe, AZ	36.05	52	57	67
50	Louisville, KY	35.81	62	63	18
51	Mobile, AL	35.81	125	36	46
52	Boston, MA	35.79	22	32	179
53	Kansas City, MO	35.41	73	43	37
54	Charlotte, NC	35.35	68	44	51
55	Rochester, NY	35.30	36	62	104
56	Fort Worth, TX	35.10	83	27	101
57	Buffalo, NY	34.88	46	58	90
58	Baton Rouge, LA	34.74	60	65	48
59	Boise, ID	34.69	66	102	4
60	Lincoln, NE	34.63	70	55	79
61	Albuquerque, NM	34.46	45	99	42
62	Virginia Beach, VA	34.40	42	74	105
63	Baltimore, MD	34.36	49	40	139
64	Detroit, MI	34.27	82	50	38
65	Springfield, MO	34.26	114	80	1
66	Colorado Springs, CO	34.04	53	85	32
67	Columbia, SC	33.54	64	82	78
68	Madison, WI	33.39	40	79	110
69	Oakland, CA	33.17	69	22	168
70	Memphis, TN	33.05	106	69	8
71	Tulsa, OK	32.92	75	66	75
72	Grand Rapids, MI	32.69	98	83	25
73	El Paso, TX	32.21	77	116	17
74	Irvine, CA	32.19	27	88	173
75	Chattanooga, TN	32.18	89	64	109
76	Huntsville, AL	32.02	142	59	66
77	Spokane, WA	32.01	87	98	40
78	Long Beach, CA	31.88	50	56	152
79	Garden Grove, CA	31.66	67	68	133
80	Providence, RI	31.65	84	46	142
81	Gulfport, MS	31.64	170	71	20
82	Wichita, KS	31.54	136	70	15
83	Greensboro, NC	31.43	85	100	16
84	Sioux Falls, SD	31.33	135	75	72
85	Overland Park, KS	31.19	127	122	31
86	Arlington, TX	31.15	115	38	127
87	Norfolk, VA	31.09	51	109	121
88	St. Paul, MN	31.02	54	114	95
89	Durham, NC	30.98	97	95	64
90	Mesa, AZ	30.89	92	132	23
91	Rapid City, SD	30.77	119	81	59
92	Chandler, AZ	30.68	101	104	24
93	Lexington-Fayette, KY	30.58	93	101	43
94	San Jose, CA	30.54	47	73	159
95	Tallahassee, FL	30.53	122	76	93
96	Akron, OH	30.46	120	107	35
97	Missoula, MT	30.43	100	78	113
98	Billings, MT	30.07	117	91	73
99	Corpus Christi, TX	29.71	80	127	71
100	Glendale, AZ	29.54	91	93	53
101	North Las Vegas, NV	29.30	86	84	114
102	Wilmington, DE	29.17	72	96	136
103	Des Moines, IA	29.14	158	130	33
104	Newark, NJ	29.04	88	124	118
105	Huntington Beach, CA	28.99	58	94	158
106	Shreveport, LA	28.94	164	112	34
107	Anaheim, CA	28.93	71	77	162
108	Chesapeake, VA	28.88	108	153	80
109	Las Cruces, NM	28.87	133	171	27
110	Tacoma, WA	28.80	129	89	99
111	Modesto, CA	28.68	145	90	116
112	Bakersfield, CA	28.65	113	115	83
113	Winston-Salem, NC	28.64	107	118	97
114	Jersey City, NJ	28.31	105	87	130
115	Fayetteville, NC	28.30	148	128	69
116	Little Rock, AR	28.27	153	126	47
117	Hialeah, FL	28.15	81	121	137
118	Toledo, OH	27.90	123	142	26
119	Cape Coral, FL	27.82	94	135	39
120	Newport News, VA	27.64	165	92	111
121	Plano, TX	27.64	90	86	146
122	Glendale, CA	27.58	79	111	154
123	Amarillo, TX	27.52	172	175	10
124	Fort Smith, AR	27.40	168	146	63
125	Augusta, GA	27.36	162	123	98
126	Peoria, AZ	27.30	141	129	89
127	Huntington, WV	27.30	154	167	50
128	Gilbert, AZ	27.22	143	119	44
129	Fort Wayne, IN	27.18	118	154	52
130	Aurora, CO	27.05	130	108	112
131	Fargo, ND	26.99	149	150	82
132	Pembroke Pines, FL	26.87	95	152	132
133	Riverside, CA	26.79	103	113	135
134	Montgomery, AL	26.75	176	145	61
135	Manchester, NH	26.68	161	103	126
136	Stockton, CA	26.37	102	148	122
137	Burlington, VT	26.36	112	110	150
138	Columbia, MD	26.31	128	125	138
139	Lubbock, TX	26.28	116	151	74
140	Santa Ana, CA	26.25	96	105	160
141	Fresno, CA	26.10	121	138	86
142	Cedar Rapids, IA	26.09	174	136	84
143	West Valley City, UT	25.89	150	147	107
144	Salem, OR	25.68	151	97	129
145	Port St. Lucie, FL	25.63	160	159	45
146	Casper, WY	25.58	159	179	57
147	Oceanside, CA	25.51	124	141	131
148	Irving, TX	25.42	138	156	119
149	Jackson, MS	25.37	179	165	96
150	Columbus, GA	25.35	169	170	92
151	Grand Prairie, TX	25.21	157	158	125
152	Garland, TX	25.16	146	143	117
153	Worcester, MA	24.96	143	117	155
154	Anchorage, AK	24.95	57	172	170
155	San Bernardino, CA	24.84	140	120	145
156	Charleston, WV	24.44	166	169	115
157	Nashua, NH	24.32	137	133	140
158	New Haven, CT	24.27	152	137	143
159	Ontario, CA	24.23	131	149	134
160	Chula Vista, CA	23.98	132	134	148
161	Warwick, RI	23.84	134	106	169
162	Bismarck, ND	23.73	177	173	103
163	Santa Clarita, CA	23.70	110	131	174
164	Vancouver, WA	23.46	126	140	156
165	Fremont, CA	23.12	104	157	171
166	Nampa, ID	23.06	180	166	94
167	Cheyenne, WY	22.97	181	174	85
168	Laredo, TX	22.79	156	181	14
169	Lewiston, ME	22.62	173	180	106
170	Brownsville, TX	22.31	182	182	28
171	Aurora, IL	21.88	171	163	153
172	Dover, DE	21.67	147	177	161
173	Moreno Valley, CA	21.46	163	139	164
174	Juneau, AK	21.42	74	168	180
175	South Burlington, VT	21.18	99	178	157
176	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	20.82	139	155	166
177	Yonkers, NY	20.67	111	160	177
178	Fontana, CA	20.60	175	162	149
179	Santa Rosa, CA	20.07	109	144	181
180	Bridgeport, CT	19.36	178	164	167
181	Oxnard, CA	19.34	155	161	175
182	Pearl City, HI	17.55	167	176	176

 

Ask the Experts

Fun doesn’t have to mean expensive. For money-saving ideas and advice to city leaders on attracting fun lovers to their cities, we asked a panel of experts to share their thoughts on the following key questions:

1. What tips do you have for having fun while on a budget?
2. What should people be looking for when choosing a fun and affordable city?
3. Should cities allow drinking in public — either during certain times or in specially designated “entertainment districts” — to make their cities more fun?
4. What can local authorities do to make their city a more fun destination to visit?

< >

• Karen E. Riggs Professor in the School of Media Arts and Studies, Coordinator of the Scripps College of Communication Social Media Certificate Program, and Internship Coordinator and Director of the MDIA High School Media Workshop at Ohio University
• Jennifer Fowler Associate Professor of Economics & Music Business and Chair of Economics & Finance in the Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business at Belmont University
• Jason Greenberg Assistant Professor of Management in the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at New York University
• Benjamin Stokes Game Designer & Civic Media Scholar and Assistant Professor in the School of Communication and the Game Lab at American University

Methodology

In order to determine the most fun cities in the U.S., WalletHub compared 182 cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across three key dimensions: 1) Entertainment & Recreation, 2) Nightlife & Parties and 3) Costs.

We evaluated those dimensions using 65 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 greatest number and variety of fun and cost-effective activities. For metrics marked with an asterisk (*), the square root of the population was used to calculate the population size in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across cities.

Finally, we determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample. Our sample considers only the city proper in each case and excludes the surrounding metro area.

Entertainment & Recreation - Total Points: 40

• Number of Attractions: Double Weight (~1.95 Points)
• “TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards Top 25 Destinations” Ranking: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Coffee & Tea Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Restaurants per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Diversity of Restaurants: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Ice-Cream & Frozen-Yogurt Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Bowling Alleys per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Baseball & Softball Diamonds per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Basketball Hoops per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Tennis Courts per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Public Golf Courses per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Skiing Facilities per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Public Swimming Pools per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Public Beaches per Capita: Half Weight (~0.49 Points)
• Presence on TripAdvisor’s “Top 25 Beaches” List: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Fishing Facilities per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Marinas per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Boat Tours & Water Sports per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Water & Amusement Parks per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Hiking Trails per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Scenic and Sightseeing Establishments per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Spas & Wellness Centers per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Shopping Centers per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Share of Population with Walkable Park Access: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Share of Designed Parkland Areas: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Presence on TripAdvisor’s “Top 25 Parks” List: Half Weight (~0.49 Points)
• Park Playgrounds per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Parkland as Share of City Area: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Acres of Parkland per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Bike-Rental Facilities per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Sports Venues per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Fitness Centers per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Recreational Sports Centers per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Sports Fan-Friendliness: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best Sports Cities” ranking, which includes football, basketball, baseball, hockey and soccer.
• Movie Theaters per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Performing-Arts Theaters per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Festivals per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Arcades per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Amusement Parks per Capita*: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Presence on TripAdvisor’s “Top 25 Amusement Parks” List: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)
• Ideal Weather: Full Weight (~0.98 Points)Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Cities with the Best & Worst Weather” ranking.

Nightlife & Parties - Total Points: 40

• Bar Accessibility: Full Weight (~3.08 Points)Note: This grade is a combination of bars per capita* (measures availability) and bars per square mile (measures proximity).
• Pool Halls per Capita*: Full Weight (~3.08 Points)
• Lounges per Capita*: Full Weight (~3.08 Points)
• Beer Gardens per Capita*: Full Weight (~3.08 Points)
• Legality of Public Drinking: Full Weight (~3.08 Points)
• Time of Last Call: Full Weight (~3.08 Points)
• Average Open Hours of Breweries: Full Weight (~3.08 Points)
• Presence of Music Festivals: Full Weight (~3.08 Points)Note: The cities that have music festivals will receive 1, the others 0.
• Music Venues per Capita*: Full Weight (~3.08 Points)
• Dance Clubs per Capita*: Full Weight (~3.08 Points)
• Dance Party Index: Full Weight (~3.08 Points)
• Arts & Crafts-Supplies Establishments per Capita*: Full Weight (~3.08 Points)
• Casinos per Capita*: Full Weight (~3.08 Points)

Costs - Total Points: 20

• Average Price of Party Ticket: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
• Average Beer Price: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)Note: This metric measures the price of a six-pack of 12-ounce Heineken containers, excluding any deposit.
• Average Wine Price: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
• Average Food Price (Pizza & Burger): Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
• Prevalence of Affordable Restaurants Rated 4.5+ Stars: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
• Restaurant-Meal Costs: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
• Movie Costs: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
• Bowling Costs: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
• Average Fitness-Club Fee: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
• Price for Three-Star Hotel Room: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
• Cost of Living: Double Weight (~3.33 Points)

 Videos for News Use:

• YouTube (for web embedding National)
• YouTube (for web embedding Local)
• Raw files (for editing into clips)

 

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau, The Trust for Public Land, Council for Community and Economic Research, Numbeo, Kayak, Public Courses, TripAdvisor, Yelp, Thumbtack, Eventbrite, TheHuffingtonPost.com, Wikipedia, Music Festival Wizard and WalletHub research.

Image: Gutesa / Shutterstock.com

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