It can be hard to relax and genuinely enjoy yourself on a vacation that you know you can’t afford. Splurging on a bucket list trip is one thing, but the costs of the average solo, family, or group getaway also add up quickly, and can end up being a source of stress both during the trip, and in the time it takes you to pay it off.
Although places like Hawaii, New York City, or Orlando theme parks may be out of your budget, there are plenty of fun and affordable vacation destinations in the United States. According to a new report, these are 10 of the cheapest.
What makes these destinations the most affordable?
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The team at FloridaPanhandle.com, a site providing travel information for the northwestern part of the Sunshine State, used Booking.com, TripAdvisor, and direct booking sites (like Expedia), to gather data on the various costs associated trips to vacation destinations throughout the country, including:
- The average nightly rate at four- and five-star properties
- The average daily transportation cost
- The average cost for the top-three most popular attractions
- The average daily cost of food
- The average cost of flights to/from the destination
The data were then analyzed and used to create the ranking of the cheapest vacation destinations in the U.S., found in the report.
While it is worth noting that a site promoting Florida tourism is responsible for the survey, that doesn’t appear to have had a significant influence on the findings.
Our favorite sturdy suitcases to protect your belongings on your next trip:
The 10 cheapest vacation destinations in the U.S.
These popular vacation destinations are the cheapest in the country, based on the total average costs per day for one person (excluding airfare), according to the report from FloridaPanhandle.com:
1. Oklahoma City
Average cost: $232/day
2. Little Rock, Ark.
Average cost: $243/day
3. Albuquerque, N.M.
Average cost: $260/day
4. Raleigh, N.C.
Average cost: $266/day
5. El Paso, Texas
Average cost: $276/day
6. Kansas City, Mo.
Average cost: $288/day
7. Salt Lake City
Average cost: $291/day
8. Sedona, Ariz.
Average cost: $296/day
9. Pensacola, Fla.
Average cost: $315/day
10. San Antonio, Texas
Average cost: $322/day
For more information—including the most expensive vacation destinations in the U.S. and the world—check out the full report.