The Best Staycation Cities in the U.S. – See Where Atlanta Ranks

With inflation strong and energy low, the number of people looking to “staycate” remains strong. Oxford defines a staycation as “a vacation spent in one’s home country rather than abroad, or one spent at home and involving day trips to local attractions.” Clearly the first part of that definition was written by a European.

WalletHub just ranked the best and worst U.S. cities to take a staycation. See where Atlanta ranks and why.

WalletHub’s Best and Worst Cities for Staycations is out. Their high-level rankings include the categories Recreation, Food & Entertainment, and Rest & Relaxation. Drilling down you’ll find sub-scores on per capita metrics like swimming pools, golf courses, beer gardens, aquariums & zoos, museums, and spas, and other metrics like “Idealness of Summer Weather”

From WalletHub’s analyst Cassandra Happe, “It’s fun to visit an exotic location on vacation, but during rougher economic times, a staycation can save you a lot of money while being just as memorable. Not only do you avoid the cost of overnight accommodations and minimize travel costs, but you can also discover all kinds of fun activities close to home that you might not have tried out otherwise. Plus, you’ll feel more rested if you spend less time in transit and more time sleeping in your own bed.”

Atlanta ranks as the eighth best city overall on the staycation list. The top five cities are Orlando, Honolulu, Cincinnati, Las Vegas and Tampa. The bottom five – Fremont, CA, Irving, TX, Pearl City, HI, Chula Vista, CA and Yonkers, NY.

Atlanta received it’s best ranking for Food & Entertainment, coming in at number 9. It’s 16 on recreation, but 70 on Rest & Relaxation. Traffic and the lack of an ocean beach I suppose. Here’s a summary of all of Atlanta’s ranks.

7th – Parks per Capita
30th – Bike Rental Facilities per Capita
27th – Hiking Trails per Capita
1st – Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Shops per Capita
38th – Idealness of Summer Weather
13th – Nightlife Options per Capita
4th – Swimming Pools Per Capita

#1 for ice cream and yogurt! Who knew?

Overall, Atlanta is a pretty great place to staycate. Proper planning and a schedule are a must for an ideal staycation that doesn’t make you feel like the time got away from you. Some yard work is fine, but try to relax a little! This list will help a great deal with your itinerary.

But I have one more recommendation to make that staycation extra special. If you don’t have access to a private pool, consider Swimply, the Airbnb of pools. A family pool party at a private, upscale location may be just what you need.