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As an economical, low-stress option to enjoy time off, some people opt to take a "staycation," which is a vacation without leaving your home city. However, certain cities are more conducive to staycations than others. RewardExpert--a free service that helps people fly for cheap by maximizing miles and points - today released its ranking of the best U.S. cities for staycations.
The report analyzes 100 of the largest cities in the United States based on 29 key metrics to determine which cities offer the most to its residents who are looking to take a staycation.
“Staycations are a great option for families who want to ‘get away’ without having to go away,” says RewardExpert CEO Roman Shteyn. “You can finally tick off those items on your list of things you’ve been ‘meaning to check out’ around your home town, but haven’t had the time to see. Our research finds that a great staycation city balances a relaxing, affordable environment while still offering a breadth of entertainment options.”
These are some of the places highlighted as the top staycation cities:
- Minneapolis, Minnesota comes in at the top of the ranking. Minneapolis ranks high on all of our recreation indicators, including nature parks, gardens, museums -- all of which are great to explore in the summer when the weather warms up.
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania takes silver as the second place staycation city. In addition to being a relatively inexpensive city, Pittsburgh is close to hiking, nature parks, and rivers, while also offering some of the country’s best restaurants, art galleries, and museums.
- Washington, D.C. ranks third on our list. Our nation’s capital has more museums and historical sites per capita than any other city in the country. Given that many of the museum offer free admission, hanging back for vacation can certainly be wallet-friendly.
- Orlando, Florida takes fourth place in the ranking. In addition to being the amusement park capital of the world, Orlando boasts beautiful weather all year round, top-notch golf courses, stunning beaches, and world-class culinary offerings; all of which make Orlando a great staycation city for the whole family.
- Tampa, Florida rounds out the top five. Tampa has it all: beaches, warm weather, pools, nature parks, hiking. Tampa ranks 6th in regard to restaurants per capita, with 136 restaurants per ten thousand residents. It is also affordable, so those who stay will be saving money just by taking a staycation.
“Without worrying about expenses that come with a typical vacation, such as accommodations and airfare, staycationers can spend their budget on local experiences that can really help them switch to vacation mode,” says Shteyn. “You can treat yourself to a spa day, enjoy an amazing meal at a fine dining establishment, or just order some of those fruity cocktails while lounging by the beach or pool.”
