WalletHub has released its report of 2025’s Best Summer Travel Destinations to “help travelers plan the perfect summer getaway” — and Utah’s own Salt Lake City ranked seventh on the list.
According to WalletHub, released Tuesday, 82% of Americans are planning on traveling this summer and 42% are expected to take more than one trip.
For those who plan on traveling this summer but haven’t chosen their destination yet, this list could help to narrow things down a bit. WalletHub’s list shows locations in the U.S. that are not only great places to visit but are also more budget-friendly than some other places may be.
To rank the top summer travel destinations, WalletHub compared 100 U.S. metro areas across 41 key indicators of budget- and fun-friendliness.
“When picking a summer travel destination, it’s easy to focus just on the types of activities you want to do or certain cities you’ve always wanted to see. However, choosing a destination that’s not only entertaining but also affordable is important when travel, dining and activity costs have surged so much in recent years. It can also allow you to have a longer, more relaxing trip,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo.
The top summer travel destinations
WalletHub’s top summer travel spot was Orlando, followed by Atlanta and Washington, D.C.
Here is a look at the top 20:
- Orlando, Florida
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Washington, D.C.
- Honolulu, Hawaii
- Austin, Texas
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Salt Lake City, Utah
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Miami, Florida
- Dallas, Texas
- Knoxville, Tennessee
- Tampa, Florida
- Richmond, Virginia
- Chicago, Illinois
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- New York City
- San Antonio, Texas
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Raleigh, North Carolina
Florida and Texas have the most destinations on WalletHub’s list, with three each. But they are not the only states with multiple cities on the list — Oklahoma has two cities that made the top 20.
How the rankings were determined
WalletHub compared 100 of the country’s most populated metro areas across six different categories based on 41 different metrics. The six categories were: travel costs and hassles, local costs, attractions, weather, activities and safety.
The metrics considered in the ranking included the cost of the cheapest flights, the number of attractions and the average price of a two-person meal.
The ranking seeks to answer the question “Which places offer the most bang for the buck?” per WalletHub.
According to WalletHub, the average flight to a popular summer destination costs $375 and lasts around four hours.