Around 72% of Americans plan to travel this summer, of whom 37% expect to take more than one trip. The only question is: Where’s the best place to go? You might have a few destinations already in mind, but your travel budget might not agree, especially with how pricey gas and airline tickets can be. It’s ideal to have fun while keeping your spending in check.

To find out which places offer the most bang for your buck, WalletHub developed a ranking of the cheapest U.S. destinations that are also easy to reach. In total, we analyzed 100 of the largest metro areas across 41 key indicators. Our data set ranges from the cost of the cheapest flight to the number of attractions to the average price of a two-person meal.

Compared with other rankings that focus on each destination’s scenic quality, this report focuses primarily on the cost and convenience of traveling to each location as well as its affordability. However, it does take into account the number of attractions and variety of activities in each destination to ensure visitors will stay busy and entertained throughout the trip.

Top 20 Summer Travel Destinations

1.	Atlanta, GA	11.	San Antonio, TX
2.	Orlando, FL	12.	St. Louis, MO
3.	Austin, TX	13.	Oklahoma, OK
4.	Washington, DC	14.	Pittsburg, PA
5.	Honolulu, HI	15.	Tulsa, OK
6.	Tampa, FL	16.	New York, NY
7.	Philadelphia, PA	17.	Omaha, IA
8.	Salt Lake City, UT	18.	Raleigh, NC
9.	Cincinnati, OH	19.	San Diego, CA
10.	10. Richmond, VA	20.	Houston, TX

In-Depth Look at the Best Summer Travel Destinations

Atlanta, GA

The Atlanta metro area is the best summer travel destination, in part because the shortest flights from major cities don’t require any connections and can cost as little as $317.

In addition, Atlanta has a lot of diversity when it comes to attractions. The city also ranks very well when it comes to the prevalence of spas & wellness centers, shopping centers, ice cream shops and swimming pools, so there are plenty of places to have fun and cool off.

For those who enjoy drinking during their vacations, Atlanta also has one of the latest “last call” times in the country, at 4:00 a.m.

Orlando, FL

Orlando, FL is the second-best metro area for summer travel, known for attractions like its huge theme parks. The shortest flights to Orlando from other major cities have zero connections and cost as little as $373.

Surprisingly, the lowest nightly rate for a three-star hotel room in Orlando is only $49, which is very reasonable. The metro area has plenty of affordable, high-quality restaurants to choose from, too.

Orlando also ranks highly when it comes to the prevalence of water parks, boat tours, ice cream shops, coffee shops, shopping centers and spas, providing venues to both get thrills and relax.

Austin, TX

Austin, TX, metro area is the third-best summer travel destination. The shortest flights from other major cities tend to have zero connections, though you’ll have to pay out at least $397 to fly in.

One reason why Austin is a great destination is that it’s really easy to find affordable restaurants that are rated at least 4.5 stars out of 5 on Yelp.

Austin offers a mix of culture and outdoor fun, boasting a high number of attractions including the Bullock Texas State History Museum as well as shopping centers, music venues, food festivals and hiking trails. With a cost of living lower than many other major U.S. cities, it’s a destination that’s both exciting to explore and easy on the wallet.