Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on Forbes Advisor.
Vacations aren’t just a chance to escape work and school. They’re also one of the best ways for families to spend uninterrupted time together and form memories that last a lifetime.
As summer break arrives, there’s a good chance all of this has crossed your mind. If so, you’re in good company.
According to Family Travel Association’s 2022 U.S. Family Travel Survey, 84% of parents are very likely to travel with their children in the next 12 months.
There’s one problem — vacation is expensive. Between inflation and exceptionally high demand, current travel costs can put serious pressure on family budgets. That doesn’t mean you’re out of luck.
Families aren’t the only ones focused on budget travel, but they are the ones with the most to gain. If you don’t have one already, the best travel credit cards can also help you budget for family vacations. Redeeming points can drastically lower your out-of-pocket expenses, but these cards go deeper than that. They may also include statement credits redeemable against travel purchases (without the hindrance of black-out dates), travel insurance to take away the stress of delayed baggage or unexpected injury or even discounts on flight and hotel awards.
To determine the most affordable cities for family vacations, Forbes Advisor analyzed the average cost of a vacation for a family of four across major U.S. cities, including airfare, hotels, rental cars and restaurant meals. Here’s what we found.
1. Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio, comes out on top as a cheap travel destination. Since Toledo is within a day’s drive of metro areas including Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Nashville, families may be able to save on airfare, too.
- Flight Costs: $737
- Hotel Costs: $724
- Car Rental Costs: $136
- Meal Costs: $1,134
- Total Cost: $2,731
2. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City takes a prominent position on this list, in part thanks to its lower cost of hotels.
- Flight Costs: $1,181
- Hotel Costs: $764
- Car Rental Costs: $155
- Meal Costs: $1,171
- Total Cost: $3,272
3. Orlando, Florida
You might be surprised to see Orlando as a cheap family vacation idea. If you spend your whole trip at Disney World or Universal, it definitely isn’t. However, a plethora of low-cost airlines and healthy competition keep flight prices reasonable.
- Flight Costs: $1,090
- Hotel Costs: $1,168
- Car Rental Costs: $126
- Meal Costs: $1,250
- Total Cost: $3,634
4. Buffalo, New York
To combine affordable prices with comfortable summer temperatures, plan a trip to Buffalo, New York, where the average family trip cost is $3,669. Summer is primetime for local festivals, with something nearly every weekend from June through August.
- Flight Costs: $1,352
- Hotel Costs: $967
- Car Rental Costs: $148
- Meal Costs: $1,202
- Total Cost: $3,669
5. Wichita, Kansas
Airfare to Wichita can be on the pricier side but don’t let that deter you from a trip to this Kansas city. Once there, costs are lower than other cities for an average overall trip cost of $3,673. As a bonus, you’ll find plenty of low-cost activities to keep your expenses down further.
- Flight Costs: $1,765
- Hotel Costs: $620
- Car Rental Costs: $126
- Meal Costs: $1,163
- Total Cost: $3,673
6. Indianapolis, Indiana
- Flight Costs: $1,685
- Hotel Costs: $684
- Car Rental Costs: $145
- Meal Costs: $1,175
- Total Cost: $3,688
7. Tulsa, Oklahoma
In Tulsa, don’t miss the riverfront Gathering Place — a free park with one of the country’s largest playgrounds.
- Flight Costs: $1,714
- Hotel Costs: $666
- Car Rental Costs: $135
- Meal Costs: $1,177
- Total Cost: $3,692
Best Credit Cards For Travel Insurance
8. Richmond, Virginia
- Flight Costs: $1,600
- Hotel Costs: $783
- Car Rental Costs: $141
- Meal Costs: $1,246
- Total Cost: $3,770
9. Kansas City, Missouri
- Flight Costs: $1,561
- Hotel Costs: $858
- Car Rental Costs: $142
- Meal Costs: $1,212
- Total Cost: $3,773
10. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Flight Costs: $1,582
- Hotel Costs: $824
- Car Rental Costs: $158
- Meal Costs: $1,226
- Total Cost: $3,790
11. Greensboro, North Carolina
- Flight Costs: $1,706
- Hotel Costs: $802
- Car Rental Costs: $126
- Meal Costs: $1,218
- Total Cost: $3,852
12. Corpus Christi, Texas
- Flight Costs: $2,013
- Hotel Costs: $658
- Car Rental Costs: $148
- Meal Costs: $1,037
- Total Cost: $3,856
Best No Annual Fee Cards For Travel
13. Cleveland, Ohio
- Flight Costs: $1,429
- Hotel Costs: $1,062
- Car Rental Costs: $149
- Meal Costs: $1,219
- Total Cost: $3,859
14. Nashville, Tennessee
- Flight Costs: $1,398
- Hotel Costs: $1,137
- Car Rental Costs: $156
- Meal Costs: $1,169
- Total Cost: $3,859
15. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Flight Costs: $1,668
- Hotel Costs: $950
- Car Rental Costs: $138
- Meal Costs: $1,110
- Total Cost: $3,865
Methodology
To determine the cities that are most affordable for family vacations, Forbes Advisor analyzed the 100 largest U.S. cities (53 of which had available data and met our weather criteria).
We excluded any cities with an average temperature exceeding 95 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer months (June, July and August) — when families tend to travel. Data comes from the National Centers for Environmental Information.
We considered the following metrics to determine the total cost of a three-day vacation for a family of four:
- Average Round-trip Airfare: We calculated the cost of round-trip flights for a family of four. Data comes from the Average Domestic Airline Itinerary Fares By Origin City for Q4 2022 compiled by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
- Average Hotel Room Rate: We calculated the cost of two mid-range hotel rooms for a three-night stay. Data comes from the Business Travel News Calculator.
- Average Car Rental Costs: We calculated the average cost for intermediate and full-sized cars for three days. Data comes from the Business Travel News Calculator.
- Average Meal Costs: We calculated meal costs for breakfast, lunch and dinner for a family of four for three days. Data comes from the Business Travel News Calculator.
We then ranked cities based on the total trip cost.
