Tourist Time
Austin arrives on list of best summer travel destinations in the U.S.
Low travel costs and top attractions make Austin one of the country’s best destinations for a summer getaway, according to a new study from WalletHub.
WalletHub, a personal finance website, compared 40 key indicators of budget-friendliness and fun-friendliness in 100 U.S. metro areas to come up with its list. Overall, Austin ranked third behind Washington, D.C., at No. 1 and Orlando, Florida, at No. 2.
Austin grabbed the highest marks for most attractions (No. 13), most activities (No. 18), and lowest travel costs and fewest travel hassles (No. 19).
Austin wasn't the only Texas city to make WalletHub’s list. Dallas-Fort Worth came in a few spots behind at No. 7.
DFW ranked No. 1 for the cost of the cheapest flight, No. 3 for lowest travel costs and fewest travel hassles, No. 14 for the low cost of a three-star hotel, and No. 15 for low local expenses. While DFW earned higher grades in several categories than Austin did, it posted significantly lower grades in other categories (such as safety at No. 37 and weather at No. 41) that dragged down its overall score.
Houston ranked 10th overall on the WalletHub list, with standout marks for lowest travel costs and fewest travel hassles (No. 7), and low local costs (No. 9). San Antonio earned 17th among the 100 metro areas, with the best scores collected for low local costs (No. 6) and most attractions (No. 18).