ORLANDO, Fla. – On Monday, WalletHub released its annual ranking of the “most fun cities in America,” revealing which spots are best suited to helping people enjoy themselves.
The study looks at factors like party spots, entertainment venues, and costs to figure out which cities place among the best nationwide.
“The decision of where to live could save or cost you a lot of money and fun, so it’s fair to wonder what makes a fun city…” the study reads. “In a city with enough variety, you won’t have to compromise with your friends, family or even yourself about the next fun activity to do alone or together.”
This year, the Sin City itself — Las Vegas — took the No. 1 spot. Whether it be parties, sports, restaurants, spas, shopping or gambling, Las Vegas is considered the top dog for relaxation and refreshment.
But that doesn’t mean Florida didn’t do well.
In fact, Orlando and Miami came in at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. An explanation for their spots in the ranking is as follows:
“ORLANDO, FL
The second-most fun city in the U.S. is Orlando, FL, which leads the nation in amusement parks, like the iconic Disney World and Universal Studios. While you might expect a stay in Orlando to be especially expensive, the amusement-park markup doesn’t necessarily extend to the rest of the city. For example, Orlando actually has the 11th-lowest nightly rate for a 3-star hotel room, the 19th-lowest average pizza price, and the 53rd-lowest average wine price among the more than 180 cities in our study.
If you’re into sports, Orlando ranks as one of the best cities for soccer fans (5th), and it has a very large number of sports stadiums per capita. And if you want to get in shape yourself, the city has a very high number of fitness centers per capita.
In addition, Orlando ranks as one of the top cities for spas, performing arts theaters, arcades, pool halls and lounges, proving that it has more to experience than just the big tourist traps.
MIAMI, FL
Miami is the third-most fun city in the U.S., and it’s known for its beaches, which are an especially popular destination for spring-breakers. Miami also leads the country when it comes to the number of fishing facilities, marinas, boat tours and water sports opportunities per capita, and it has the 32nd-most miles of shoreline per capita among the more than 180 cities in our study.
Miami is perfect for staying active, as 89% of its residents live within half a mile of a park, and it has the fourth-most fitness centers per capita. You also can’t talk about Miami without mentioning its famous sports teams, like the Miami Dolphins and Miami Heat, which have helped the city rank as the ninth-best for football fans and sixth-best for basketball fans, respectively. Miami is the 11th-best city for soccer fans, too.
Finally, Miami is one of the best cities when it comes to the availability of affordable restaurants rated at least 4.5 stars, and it has the 10th-most bars per square mile, as well as one of the largest cream shops per capita. That’s great for people who want to go out to eat after an activity or beat the Florida heat with a cold treat.”
WalletHub, “Most Fun Cities in America”
Meanwhile, the full ranking of the top 100 cities is as follows:
RankCityEntertainment/Recreation RankNightlife/Parties RankCosts Rank1Las Vegas, NV11152Orlando, FL33723Miami, FL721584Atlanta, GA87965New Orleans, LA204856Houston, TX2110207San Francisco, CA451788Austin, TX226829Portland, OR17910810Cincinnati, OH14173411Chicago, IL111214712Denver, CO151112213St. Louis, MO18181314New York, NY5818115Fort Lauderdale, FL101516016Tampa, FL9299417Los Angeles, CA131614818Honolulu, HI22617619Washington, DC121417420Seattle, WA161316821San Diego, CA62716722Salt Lake City, UT19258923San Antonio, TX33241424Pittsburgh, PA24319225Philadelphia, PA232014026Dallas, TX35239927Reno, NV54214728Phoenix, AZ28357629Boston, MA251917530Sacramento, CA312213031Tucson, AZ26654232Nashville, TN40309833St. Petersburg, FL34494934Indianapolis, IN60282735Richmond, VA293611536Milwaukee, WI43423737Kansas City, MO66321838Minneapolis, MN37439339Jacksonville, FL36479740Birmingham, AL63453841Charleston, SC277210042Scottsdale, AZ32607543Charlotte, NC50349144Louisville, KY305610745Raleigh, NC67402946Cleveland, OH57483547Baton Rouge, LA69337148Chattanooga, TN55505749Knoxville, TN45674850Henderson, NV81383151Tulsa, OK7461652Omaha, NE42793653Buffalo, NY59469554Tempe, AZ49744555Columbia, SC52716656Oklahoma City, OK7969157Baltimore, MD465311258Columbus, OH48736159Rochester, NY415413160Fort Worth, TX83396361Albuquerque, NM38985662El Paso, TX6892263Portland, ME396613464Mobile, AL95515065Detroit, MI93521066Colorado Springs, CO51808167Memphis, TN85633368Grand Rapids, MI76755469Boise, ID61942470Providence, RI714114171Arlington, TX87556972Tallahassee, FL101597873Oakland, CA733715974Wilmington, DE786411175Wichita, KS12576476Durham, NC110682677Madison, WI538811378Plano, TX70899079Cape Coral, FL86867480Lincoln, NE80856281Gulfport, MS147447382St. Paul, MN621141983Long Beach, CA565816584Overland Park, KS115127785Huntsville, AL128706486Virginia Beach, VA4411710387Springfield, MO11497888North Las Vegas, NV123623289Shreveport, LA134903090Winston-Salem, NC991052191Norfolk, VA6511910492Rapid City, SD891087093Sioux Falls, SD1391002294Corpus Christi, TX98116995Greensboro, NC105992396Fayetteville, NC149111397Huntington Beach, CA758316198Pembroke Pines, FL969112599Bakersfield, CA11210255100Lexington-Fayette, KY9211341Breaking News Alerts
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