As summer draws to a close and the COVID-19 pandemic in America shows no signs of slowing, people are suffering increased feelings of isolation and burnout. With the grander types of summer getaways to which we've become accustomed now being off the table, Hotwire's recent release of its 2020 'America's Best Cities for a Quickie' index could help you find some last-minute, closer-to-home alternatives for letting off some steam.
The index ranks 40 U.S. destinations that are great for shorter, two to three-night getaways, based on some traditional and some new factors for 2020. While usual considerations like sightseeing and tourism attractions were taken into account, this year, the study looked at more pressing factors like driveability, savings on last-minute bookings, and population density, as people endeavor to maintain safe personal distancing and avoid crowds.
Hotwire has discovered that key changes in U.S. travelers' travel planning strategies and key considerations this year have shifted to more travel by car (50 percent), visiting less-crowded spots (43 spots), staying fairly close to home in case of emergency (26 percent) and informing themselves about their hotels' sanitation procedures (29 percent).
"No one is certain how much longer COVID-19 will disrupt travel plans, so quick getaways can help Americans enjoy a change of scenery right now without making major commitments," said Nick Graham, head of Hotwire.
"In the midst of everything, Americans are craving a much-needed break. We're seeing that people are taking certain precautions such as staying within driving distance of home and waiting until the last minute to book so there's no risk of their plans changing."
To create the 'America's Best Cities for a Quickie' index, over 300 cities were analyzed from coast-to-coast, compiling over 10,000 data points to rank the top ten destinations for "quickie" vacations in each of four categories: 'Major Metropolises', 'Mid-Size Must-Sees', 'Small Town Favorites' and 'Itty Bitty Cities'.
Major Metropolises
Las Vegas, Nevada
San Francisco, California
Washington, D.C.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Seattle, Washington
Memphis, Tennessee
Indianapolis, Indiana
Austin, Texas
Denver, Colorado
Portland, Oregon
Mid-Size Must-Sees
St. Louis, Missouri
Tampa, Florida
Atlanta, Georgia
Arlington, Virginia
Tucson, Arizona
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Miami, Florida
Cincinnati, Ohio
Small Town Favorites
Orlando, Florida
Scottsdale, Arizona
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Reno, Nevada
Salt Lake City
Springfield, Missouri
Madison, Wisconsin
Shreveport, Louisiana
Tallahassee, Florida
Toledo, Ohio
Itty Bitty Cities
Charleston, South Carolina
Newport Beach, California
Santa Barbara, California
South Bend, Indiana
Sarasota, Florida
Savannah, Georgia
Temecula, California
Troy, Alabama
Wilmington, Delaware
Atlantic City, New Jersey
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