Top Summer Destinations for Price and Fun

Image: PHOTO: Las Vegas Sign. (photo via Flickr/Bret Robertson)
Image: PHOTO: Las Vegas Sign. (photo via Flickr/Bret Robertson)
Gabe Zaldivar
by Gabe Zaldivar
Last updated: 10:10 AM ET, Thu May 18, 2017

When it comes to summer fun, some places are just better than others.

WalletHub crunched the numbers to shed a light on the best places to spend your summer vacation.

It looked at 80 cities and considered 38 criteria that would make the season bright, including such things as airfare and number of attractions in the area. All of this led to its 2017 Best Summer Vacation Spots study.

Airfare makes the parents happy while attractions keep the little ones entertained, for example. The number one spot, however, is all about the big kids in the audience.

According to the study, Las Vegas is the best location for the hottest season, followed closely by the Los Angeles area, Orlando, Chicago and San Diego. (We agree you can't go wrong with any of these top five.)

WalletHub researchers looked at six main categories for the list: Travel Costs & Hassles; Local Costs; Attractions; Weather; Activities; and Safety. With solid numbers in attractions, weather and activities, both Las Vegas and Los Angeles promise a great time out west.

Vegas has amazing shows, great fare and free flowing drinks confined to a couple miles. L.A. promises beautiful beaches, iconic theme parks and all that comes with Hollywood spread out over a large landscape.

There is also some intriguing trivia tossed into the mix.

For example, if you are looking to save a buck or two when you actually get to your destination, single out the likes of Oklahoma City, Albuquerque or San Antonio. These represent the top three cities among the 80 with the lowest local cost, leaving you with far more bang for that hard-earned buck.

[READMORE]READ MORE: Where to Find the Best Vacation Value This Summer [/READMORE]

If looking for further input from the gallery, Allianz Global Assistance recently released its list of the most beloved summer destinations. The usual beautiful suspects make an appearance there; Orlando, Florida, and Cancun, Mexico, run one and two on that particular list.

If you value safety, then head out to the Bridgeport/Stamford/Norwak area in Connecticut. It's listed as the safest of the bunch. You will sacrifice, however, in the realm of boredom as WalletHub ranks it at the bottom when it comes to activities.

In any case, the family now has a list of possibilities over which to argue as it decides where to spend a couple weeks this glorious summer.


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