A one-week vacation in the U.S. now costs about $1,991 per person, according to Chime—and that’s before you factor in all the little “entertainment” extras that add up fast. Travel isn’t cheap, but there’s an easy way to stretch your budget: visit destinations packed with incredible free attractions. Here’s where to go if you want a great getaway without blowing your entire travel fund.
In December, CashNetUSA unveiled its report on the best free attractions in every state. It reached its conclusions about which attractions are the cream of the crop by analyzing all publicly available Tripadvisor reviews, then identified all free-entry attractions, and finally isolated the highest-rated free-entry attraction in each state based on those reviews. (CashNetUSA noted it filtered out attractions with fewer than 750 tourist reviews for most states, except North Dakota, which had a 250 review threshold.)
After all that digging, it named The Duncan McClellan Gallery in St. Petersburg, Florida, both the best free attraction in the Sunshine State and the top free attraction in the nation.
As the gallery’s website explains, it features rotating exhibitions showcasing “national and internationally recognized glass artists” across its 3,000-square-foot indoor space and its spectacular 5,000-square-foot courtyard and sculpture garden. “The grounds are a sought-after event and meeting place for glass artists, visiting dignitaries, and the community.”
Interior of the Duncan McClellan Gallery in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Duncan McClellan Gallery
Though it’s not just the gallery humblebragging—guests really do agree it’s excellent.
“I can verify without a doubt that this place deserves its rating as the No. 1 attraction in St. Petersburg. We arrived early, as the gallery was opening. ‘Let me turn on the lights for you!’ said our cheerful greeter, who turned out to be Duncan himself,” a Tripadvisor reviewer wrote. “We had several absolutely delightful conversations with him throughout our visit, as he was happy to answer questions about the gallery, the artists, and their community outreach projects.”
As the reviewer noted, they were traveling with a family of seven, ranging in age from 13 to 81, who were all “enthralled for nearly an hour looking at the magnificent pieces of glass art and enjoying the tranquil garden.”
Of course, this isn’t the only great free thing to do in the U.S. The full list:
The Duncan McClellan Gallery, FloridaThe National Museum of the Marine Corps, VirginiaThe National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, OhioThe National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center, GeorgiaThe Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, VirginiaThe Yachats Coastline, OregonGettysburg National Military Park, PennsylvaniaThe Mendocino Coast, CaliforniaThe Marginal Way, MaineThe Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, Missouri
So go out, see the nation, and save those hard-earned dollars for another trip.