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 66 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	72.39	5	1	71
2	Orlando, FL	64.30	2	3	17
3	New York, NY	57.62	1	2	182
4	Miami, FL	56.41	9	4	125
5	Chicago, IL	55.22	7	6	144
6	Atlanta, GA	53.95	14	5	100
7	San Francisco, CA	53.85	4	8	177
8	Portland, OR	52.37	13	7	117
9	San Diego, CA	51.38	3	17	142
10	Los Angeles, CA	50.78	8	12	159
11	Austin, TX	50.23	17	11	69
12	New Orleans, LA	50.22	18	9	131
13	Honolulu, HI	49.92	6	18	158
14	Denver, CO	48.82	16	13	114
15	Washington, DC	47.92	11	10	174
16	Tampa, FL	47.70	12	21	70
17	Seattle, WA	47.54	10	14	175
18	St. Louis, MO	46.45	27	16	23
19	Houston, TX	45.27	34	15	38
20	Philadelphia, PA	44.61	22	19	101
21	Cincinnati, OH	44.02	19	32	41
22	Salt Lake City, UT	42.69	25	28	49
23	San Antonio, TX	42.02	37	25	9
24	Fort Lauderdale, FL	41.65	15	31	133
25	Tucson, AZ	41.54	26	47	3
26	Dallas, TX	41.42	36	23	52
27	Minneapolis, MN	40.75	23	36	94
28	Pittsburgh, PA	40.18	24	38	84
29	Nashville, TN	40.01	38	24	88
30	Scottsdale, AZ	39.77	30	40	34
31	Portland, ME	39.68	45	26	96
32	Sacramento, CA	39.64	28	22	157
33	Reno, NV	39.53	40	30	68
34	Omaha, NE	39.45	41	39	13
35	Raleigh, NC	39.44	69	27	22
36	Indianapolis, IN	39.39	63	35	10
37	Charleston, SC	39.35	21	76	56
38	Boston, MA	39.02	20	20	179
39	Columbus, OH	38.96	49	42	5
40	Jacksonville, FL	38.95	35	49	15
41	Milwaukee, WI	38.77	44	44	11
42	Knoxville, TN	38.02	43	54	19
43	Richmond, VA	37.45	54	43	63
44	Cleveland, OH	36.96	46	48	39
45	Rochester, NY	36.91	33	53	91
46	St. Petersburg, FL	36.81	29	70	72
47	Oklahoma City, OK	36.79	80	51	2
48	Phoenix, AZ	36.64	53	67	8
49	Charlotte, NC	36.29	59	41	87
49	Louisville, KY	36.29	57	58	33
51	Tempe, AZ	36.26	55	72	37
52	Henderson, NV	35.92	73	46	12
53	Kansas City, MO	35.90	83	34	50
54	Fort Worth, TX	35.86	81	33	80
55	Buffalo, NY	35.78	52	52	78
56	Birmingham, AL	35.66	79	50	35
57	Columbia, SC	35.30	51	71	77
58	Baton Rouge, LA	35.26	66	66	44
59	Boise, ID	34.98	64	82	26
60	Virginia Beach, VA	34.87	39	84	83
61	Mobile, AL	34.85	130	37	47
62	Grand Rapids, MI	34.71	82	69	18
63	Albuquerque, NM	34.70	31	103	89
64	Colorado Springs, CO	34.60	47	88	46
65	Lincoln, NE	34.50	68	65	73
66	Memphis, TN	34.35	108	55	7
67	Detroit, MI	34.01	84	60	31
68	Baltimore, MD	33.72	50	56	120
69	Madison, WI	33.64	42	68	121
70	Chattanooga, TN	33.41	67	63	110
71	Tulsa, OK	33.27	70	80	64
72	El Paso, TX	33.08	77	102	6
73	Oakland, CA	32.85	65	29	172
74	Springfield, MO	32.50	125	85	20
75	Gulfport, MS	32.43	157	73	28
76	Arlington, TX	32.27	87	45	124
77	Durham, NC	32.16	105	75	40
78	Long Beach, CA	31.93	56	59	155
79	Huntington Beach, CA	31.81	71	61	140
80	Tallahassee, FL	31.75	109	81	90
81	Wichita, KS	31.65	132	83	21
82	Plano, TX	31.64	74	74	112
83	Huntsville, AL	31.46	136	62	82
84	Chandler, AZ	31.28	94	97	27
85	Irvine, CA	31.18	32	94	171
86	Mesa, AZ	31.09	103	134	4
87	Providence, RI	31.07	76	64	136
88	Rapid City, SD	31.06	99	92	54
89	Glendale, AZ	30.97	96	91	25
90	Anaheim, CA	30.82	72	57	156
91	Greensboro, NC	30.80	90	112	16
92	Sioux Falls, SD	30.73	131	87	76
93	Chesapeake, VA	30.66	93	153	53
94	St. Paul, MN	30.36	58	122	105
95	Billings, MT	30.32	102	90	86
96	Bakersfield, CA	30.24	115	96	45
97	Norfolk, VA	30.18	61	115	126
98	Spokane, WA	30.09	88	120	67
99	Lexington-Fayette, KY	30.05	98	98	61
100	Akron, OH	29.98	121	107	62
101	Amarillo, TX	29.85	156	174	1
102	Cape Coral, FL	29.80	75	118	51
103	Des Moines, IA	29.54	145	95	43
104	Corpus Christi, TX	29.29	85	138	60
105	Missoula, MT	29.22	104	79	128
106	Garden Grove, CA	29.19	78	77	162
107	Fort Smith, AR	29.13	165	143	24
108	Gilbert, AZ	29.07	151	127	14
109	San Jose, CA	29.05	62	86	164
110	Overland Park, KS	28.86	144	124	85
111	Toledo, OH	28.74	97	149	30
112	Fort Wayne, IN	28.53	128	142	32
113	Fayetteville, NC	28.51	142	121	59
114	Las Cruces, NM	28.44	146	173	36
115	Winston-Salem, NC	28.43	110	117	102
116	Tacoma, WA	28.14	114	100	113
117	Little Rock, AR	28.13	153	126	48
118	Jersey City, NJ	27.81	92	93	150
119	Lubbock, TX	27.65	113	140	57
120	Shreveport, LA	27.55	168	114	75
121	Columbia, MD	27.42	134	123	123
122	Modesto, CA	27.36	149	108	119
123	Newport News, VA	27.27	159	109	103
124	Aurora, CO	27.25	129	110	111
125	Riverside, CA	27.16	100	101	139
126	Huntington, WV	27.11	150	170	79
127	North Las Vegas, NV	26.97	119	106	106
128	San Bernardino, CA	26.86	135	78	153
129	Burlington, VT	26.77	101	111	145
130	Anchorage, AK	26.75	48	172	169
131	Hialeah, FL	26.75	112	119	138
132	Montgomery, AL	26.57	179	150	42
133	Garland, TX	26.55	126	146	109
134	Manchester, NH	26.50	155	105	130
135	Wilmington, DE	26.47	107	99	154
136	Newark, NJ	26.45	106	133	137
137	Stockton, CA	26.44	91	152	129
138	Cedar Rapids, IA	26.39	173	131	74
139	Glendale, CA	26.39	86	116	168
140	Fargo, ND	26.36	141	148	99
141	Casper, WY	26.22	139	179	66
142	Augusta, GA	26.22	171	135	97
143	Port St. Lucie, FL	26.09	147	156	65
144	Fresno, CA	25.96	120	144	81
145	Irving, TX	25.94	143	162	104
146	West Valley City, UT	25.94	124	160	107
147	Pembroke Pines, FL	25.78	95	155	141
148	Oceanside, CA	25.73	117	145	127
149	Salem, OR	25.69	163	89	134
150	Jackson, MS	25.62	178	161	92
151	Vancouver, WA	25.55	122	141	122
152	Santa Clarita, CA	25.36	111	129	160
153	Grand Prairie, TX	24.74	162	166	115
154	Peoria, AZ	24.66	161	147	98
155	Columbus, GA	24.63	176	171	93
156	Cheyenne, WY	24.60	180	175	58
157	Charleston, WV	24.54	167	163	108
158	Santa Ana, CA	24.40	127	125	146
159	Ontario, CA	24.34	138	136	132
160	Warwick, RI	24.26	137	113	161
161	Worcester, MA	24.06	175	104	148
162	Bismarck, ND	24.01	172	176	95
163	Nashua, NH	23.53	174	132	135
164	Dover, DE	23.31	166	167	143
165	Laredo, TX	23.27	158	180	29
166	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	23.09	123	151	147
167	Moreno Valley, CA	22.97	148	128	166
168	Juneau, AK	22.94	60	169	180
169	Fontana, CA	22.82	140	159	151
170	Fremont, CA	22.62	89	154	176
171	Chula Vista, CA	22.60	154	130	163
172	Nampa, ID	22.48	181	157	116
173	Lewiston, ME	22.27	169	181	118
174	Aurora, IL	21.81	152	168	152
175	New Haven, CT	21.65	160	137	170
176	South Burlington, VT	21.59	116	178	149
177	Brownsville, TX	20.55	182	182	55
178	Bridgeport, CT	19.93	177	165	165
179	Santa Rosa, CA	19.59	118	139	181
180	Yonkers, NY	19.20	133	158	178
181	Oxnard, CA	19.20	170	164	167
182	Pearl City, HI	19.09	164	177	173

 

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?

< >

• Angela Durko Ph.D. – Instructional Assistant Professor, Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences, Texas A&M University
• Ian R. Cross Senior Lecturer, Marketing, Bentley 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 66 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)
• 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 (~2.86 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 (~2.86 Points)
• Lounges per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)
• Beer Gardens per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)
• Legality of Public Drinking: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)
• Time of Last Call: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)
• Average Open Hours of Breweries: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)
• Presence of Music Festivals: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)Note: The cities that have music festivals will receive 1, the others 0.
• Music Venues per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)
• Dance Clubs per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)
• Dance Party Index: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)
• Arts & Crafts-Supplies Establishments per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)
• Casinos per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)
• Comedy Clubs per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.86 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 Las Vegas)
• 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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