A recent study by personal finance website WalletHub has ranked Orlando, Florida, as the best place to visit this summer. Southern California was surprisingly nowhere to be found toward the top of the list.
The ranking considered 36 different factors, including cost, attractions and activities such as restaurants, the availability of parks and beaches. Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Honolulu and Austin rounded out the top 5.
The Los Angeles metro area came in 27th, San Diego 40th and Riverside/San Bernardino 64th.
Best Places to Visit in Summer (WalletHub 2025)
| Overall Rank | Destination (Metro Area) | Total Score | Travel Costs & Hassles Rank | Local Costs Rank | Attractions Rank | Weather Rank | Activities Rank | Safety Rank |
| 1 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL Metro Area | 68.34 | 24 | 10 | 1 | 16 | 2 | 15 |
| 2 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA Metro Area | 68.19 | 26 | 7 | 15 | 8 | 3 | 5 |
| 3 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metro Area | 65.63 | 12 | 76 | 18 | 19 | 2 | 11 |
| 4 | Urban Honolulu, HI Metro Area | 64.06 | 15 | 95 | 19 | 12 | 17 | 5 |
| 5 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX Metro Area | 63.82 | 65 | 21 | 10 | 21 | 25 | 4 |
| 6 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Metro Area | 63.57 | 44 | 18 | 38 | 48 | 5 | 12 |
| 7 | Salt Lake City, UT Metro Area | 63.29 | 35 | 63 | 5 | 11 | 28 | 6 |
| 8 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metro Area | 62.82 | 11 | 72 | 13 | 42 | 16 | 6 |
| 9 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL Metro Area | 62.5 | 32 | 75 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 9 |
| 10 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metro Area | 62.45 | 50 | 13 | 21 | 41 | 29 | 7 |
“Identifying the best summer travel destinations depends on travelers’ desires, expectations, and budgets,” said Bridget Niland, dean of the College of Hospitality, Sport and Tourism Management at Niagara University and a WalletHub expert. “A key question to consider when determining your destination and accommodations is what you hope to get out of the time away … What you have to spend will also be a key factor, as well as how much time off you have from work and other obligations.”