Which states offer the biggest bang for your summer-vacation buck?
There are so many considerations when planning summer travel, and the top one is usually budget. Take a look at the best value vacation destinations across the U.S.
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Summer is here. The kids are home and bored. You want a vacation but don't want it to cost an arm and a leg. One company researched states with the most attractions per square mile at the most reasonable price and even factored in weather.
Cloudbeds commissioned analysts to search travel review sites, online travel sites and official government reports to find places that offer the best value vacations through the summer. They took a look at the prices of more than 90,000 hotels, average summer weather, number of bars and clubs, public transportation and 36 other factors to take the guesswork out of planning.
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File: An RV passes through the arch in Red Canyon, Dixie National Forest, Utah
(Getty Images)
Some of the factors included the average price of a room, plus the number and cost of attractions. They split the list into four categories: Attractions, transport, hotels and weather.
Here at FOX Weather, of course, weather is our top consideration. If weather is yours too, California is your spot. The Golden State scored top marks with 68.91 points awarded out of 100 for amount of Sun, temperature, average wind, weather extremes, chance of rain, average cloud cover and more. FOX Weather's FutureVeiw is an easy planning tool that provides a forecast for any destination up to a year in advance.
Cloudbeds considered more though and ranked Florida the number one value vacation destination. Here is a quick look at the top 10.
1. Florida
FILE - Orlando, Florida
(Gabrielle Russon/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service / Getty Images)
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Florida took first place in attractions with a score of 74.41 out of 100. It offers more attractions by land than any other state with 286 beaches, 205 shopping malls and more than 580 outdoor activity options.
The Sunshine State only ranked 17th for weather thanks to the regular afternoon thunderstorms and humidity. Hurricane risk also kept the score low.
Thanks to the weather, summer hotel rates are reasonable. Florida is No. 1 for hotel accommodations with the average price of the 14,751 three-star hotels at $175 a night from June through August.
2. California
File: Tunnel Tree, tunnel cut through a sequoia, Yosemite National Park.
(Andia/Universal Images Group via Getty Images / FOX Weather)
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The weather winner came in third for hotels. The average room price for the 7,678 three-star hotels was $221 per night. The state, brimming with both natural attractions and national parks, comes in seventh for attractions.
3. New Jersey
File: The Jersey Shore offers beach volleyball, casinos, amusement rides and water parks.
(Mark Makela / Getty Images)
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The Garden State scores highest for transport availability and fifth for attractions with beaches lining the eastern coast. While it only scored 16th for weather, the state came in fourth for hotels. The average price for a three-star hotel was $208 a night and a five-star was $354 a night.
4. New York
The Empire State comes in second for transport, eighth for weather and ninth for hotels. It scored an impressive sixth for attractions with 3,046 tours, 317 historic sites and 5,756 bars and clubs. Don't forget New York City is only a small part of the state dotted with picturesque lakes, vineyards, forests for hiking, beaches and the Baseball Hall of Fame.
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File: Paddle boarders paddle on Lake George, N.Y.
( Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union / Getty Images)
5. Massachusetts
Massachusetts comes in third for both transport and attractions. The state boasts 334 bars and clubs, 88 shopping malls and nine theme parks. Historical sites also abound. It comes in 46th for weather, though.
File: Charming Sesuit Harbor on Cape Cod.
(John Greim/LightRocket / Getty Images)
6. Hawaii
Hawaii was in the fourth spot after Massachusetts for attractions. It has 271 beaches, 602 outdoor activity options and 621 spa and wellness locations. For weather, Hawaii comes in 32nd place.
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File: A photo From the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources shows a full-circle rainbow that formed over Waimea Canyon.
(Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources.)
7. Rhode Island
This tiny state is chock-full of attractions per land area. With only 1,214 square miles, vacationers are never far from something to do. It has 66 bars and clubs, 10 water parks and 54 historic sites. The small footprint is also easy to get around, the Ocean State comes in eighth for transport. The weather ranking is not very impressive at 41st.
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File: Aerial view of Newport Rhode Island on ocean shows historic mansions.
(Visions of America/Joseph Sohm/Universal Images Group / Getty Images)
8. Connecticut
The Nutmeg State scored high for transport – fourth place. It also came in seventh for attractions with 101 game and entertainment centers, 13 arenas and stadiums and 18 shopping malls. It earned 14th place for hotels. Despite sharing borders with high ranked New York and low ranked Massachusetts, the state scored 25th for weather.
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File: Spectators watching the relaunch of Mystic Seaport Museum's flagship the 1841 Whaleship Charles W. Morgan at the Henry B. duPont preservation Shipyard at Mystic Seaport. The ship is a National Historic Landmark and America's oldest commercial vessel.
(Tim Clayton/Corbis / Getty Images)
9. Maryland
Maryland scores high with second place for hotels. A three-star hotel averages $171 a night while a five-star, will cost about $446 a night. The fifth spot for attractions is largely due to the beaches.
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File: An aerial view from a drone shows the Ocean City inlet and Ocean City boardwalk.
(Patrick Smith / Getty Images)
10. South Carolina
The Palmetto State comes in third for weather behind California and Texas. The average summer temperature is 81 degrees with a 5.3% chance of rain each day. The famed beach and golfing destinations helped secure 15th place for attractions.
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Bicycling on the beach in Hilton Head.
(Hilton Head Island / FOX Weather)
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Alaska anchored the list overall followed by Wyoming, North Dakota, Montana and New Mexico coming in 49th through 45th.