The COVID-19 pandemic kept people close to home for several years. Now, travel is back.
But that doesn’t mean Americans want to empty their bank accounts doing so. Travel site FloridaPanhandle.com recently studied the least expensive places to take a vacation in the U.S. based on per person costs for lodging, food, attractions and transportation. Their calculations include the average cost for each destination’s three most popular attractions.
The site calculated both the cost for a family of four to take a one-week trip including airfare, and the average daily cost for one person excluding airfare.
Here’s a list of the least-expensive U.S. vacation destinations ranked by their average cost per day, according to the study.
10. San Antonio, Texas
Average cost per person to vacation in this city: $322 per day
Average cost of a seven-day trip for a family of four: $3,594
Remember the Alamo — and that historic mission’s location, San Antonio. You can still visit the historic Alamo, the first mission in the city, where such famous fighters as Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie died fighting Mexican troops in 1836. (But as fans of the late comedian Pee-Wee Herman know from his 1985 movie, “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure,” the famed mission has no basement.)
After your dose of history, head to the city’s River Walk, a 15-mile urban waterway packed with restaurants, art, hotels and more.
9. Pensacola, Florida
Average cost per person to vacation in this city: $315 per day
Average cost of a seven-day trip for a family of four: $3,269
Longing for a beach getaway? Sample the sugar-sand beaches of Pensacola, the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle. Scuba divers and deep-sea fishers relish Pensacola’s waters. In fact, the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany was sunk off Pensacola’s shores to create an artificial reef for diving.
Tourists also enjoy Pensacola’s many festivals and its military history, including the National Naval Aviation Museum.
8. Sedona, Arizona
Average cost per person to vacation in this city: $296 per day
Average cost of a seven-day trip for a family of four: $4,427
Brush up on your photography skills, Sedona’s famed red rocks (red sandstone formations) will look lovely in your selfies or as a backdrop for a family holiday card. Even the local McDonald’s features turquoise arches, not golden ones, to better blend in with the natural beauty.
There’s also a strong New Age culture in the city, with plenty of shops selling crystals and many people believing the city has a special energy tied to self-awareness and healing.
7. Salt Lake City, Utah
Average cost per person to vacation in this city: $291 per day
Average cost of a seven-day trip for a family of four: $3,545
Scenic Salt Lake City is snuggled up against the breathtaking Wasatch Range, the western edge of the famed Rocky Mountains. Those who are interested in the city’s history as the center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will find plenty of tours and monuments in and around Temple Square, home to the stunning Salt Lake Temple.
The Great Salt Lake itself isn’t actually in Salt Lake City, but you can easily drive to one of two state parks – Great Salt Lake State Park or Antelope Island – that let you swim or wade in this extraordinarily salty water.
6. Kansas City, Missouri
Average cost per person to vacation in this city: $288 per day
Average cost of a seven-day trip for a family of four: $3,208
You can cross two states off your bucket list when you visit Kansas City – even if you stay in Missouri, it takes just minutes to cross the state line into Kansas. Bring your appetite, as the city is famous for barbecue, boasting more than 100 BBQ joints serving everything from burnt ends and brisket to mutton.
The city is also home to the National WWI Museum and Memorial, which displays everything from uniforms to tanks and shows visitors the grim realities of trench warfare and poison gas.
5. El Paso, Texas
Average cost per person to vacation in this city: $276 per day
Average cost of a seven-day trip for a family of four: $3,800
El Paso sits on the famed Rio Grande, just across the U.S. border from Mexico, so expect plenty of Mexican culture and cuisine.
This sunny city is a favorite with outdoorsy types, offering great hiking, mountain climbing, cycling and more. Birdwatchers flock to Rio Bosque Wetlands Park, where more than 240 species have been spotted.
4. Raleigh, North Carolina
Average cost per person to vacation in this city: $266 per day
Average cost of a seven-day trip for a family of four: $3,501
North Carolina’s capital city, Raleigh, has plenty to offer, from an award-winning food scene to a lively calendar of festivals.
The North Carolina Museum of Art, Marbles Kids Museum and North Carolina Museum of History are all based here. Bloom where you’re planted at the Raleigh Municipal Rose Garden, which boasts thousands of flowers, more than 60 varieties of roses, and free outdoor summer movies.
3. Albuquerque, New Mexico
Average cost per person to vacation in this city: $260 per day
Average cost of a seven-day trip for a family of four: $3,575
The high-desert oasis of Albuquerque dubs itself the Hot-Air Ballooning Capital of the World, thanks to its year-round pleasant conditions for the activity. The famed Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is held every October, and numerous companies offer individual balloon rides.
Albuquerque is packed with Native American and Hispanic cultural centers and events, and shoppers love the traditional sterling silver and turquoise jewelry.
2. Little Rock, Arkansas
Average cost per person to vacation in this city: $243 per day
Average cost of a seven-day trip for a family of four: $3,348
Little Rock, Arkansas’ capital city, isn’t as little as its name suggests. Here, you can follow the Arkansas Civil Rights Heritage Trail and learn about the Little Rock Nine and other significant moments in America’s history.
The city was famously home to President Bill Clinton, and his presidential library features a museum chronicling his presidency, complete with exact replicas of the Oval Office and Cabinet room.
1. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Average cost per person to vacation in this city: $232 per day
Average cost of a seven-day trip for a family of four: $3,311
Oklahoma City, the state capital, blends a rugged cowboy past with modern attractions. You can visit the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Science Museum Oklahoma and Oklahoma City Zoo. The Oklahoma State Firefighters Museum and Oklahoma Railway Museum also call the city home.
And you can honor those lost in the tragic 1995 Oklahoma City bombing with a visit to the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum, a place of quiet reflection and hope for a peaceful future.
