2 Central Valley cities are among the worst in US for summer travel, Forbes says. Here’s why
Planning a vacation? Two California cities are among the worst destinations for summer travel in the nation, according to Forbes Advisor.
The editorial financial research team ranked the 20 worst cities in the United States for summer vacations, based on factors such as air travel, food options, gas prices and the number of tourist attractions.
“More than half of Americans plan to take a vacation trip before the end of September, according to a number of summer travel surveys,” Forbes Advisor said in a June 1 article titled “12 Travel Insurance Companies of June 2024.” “But potential complications like flight delays or car accidents could threaten that summer fun.”
Jacksonville, Florida, ranked as the worst city for summer travel, earning an overall score of 100 out of 100 from Forbes Advisor.
The city ranked the lowest in the nation for walkability and the third-lowest for public transportation access.
Jacksonville also had the second highest rate of disrupted summer plane flights and was among the spots with the lowest number of parking lots and highly rated restaurants.
Colorado Springs, Colorado, was No. 2 on the list, with an overall score of 99.59.
During the summer, Colorado Springs Airport had the highest rate of disrupted flights and the fourth lowest rate of fully reimbursed property loss claims.
The city had the second worst transit score and the third highest median cost of tourist activities.
Here’s how other U.S. cities — including two in California — ranked:
Which California cities are the worst for summer travel?
Fresno was the third worst city for summer travel in the United States, Forbes Advisor said, scoring 78.54 out of 100.
The site found that the Central Valley city had the most expensive median cost in the nation for tours and activities at $279.
Fresno also had the third-highest gasoline prices, with local stations charging $5.33 per gallon for regular gas.
According to Forbes Advisor, the city had the second fewest parking lots and garages, or approximately 0.79 per 100,000 residents. It also had the fewest tourist attractions (72) and the fewest restaurants (518) with four or more stars.
Sacramento was No. 19 on Forbes Advisor’s list of the worst summer vacation spots, with an overall score of 47.97 out of 100.
What are the 10 worst US cities for summer vacations?
According to Forbes Advisor, these were the 10 worst cities for summer travel in the United States:
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Fresno
- Memphis, Tennessee
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Indianapolis
Louisville, Kentucky
Tampa, Florida
Tucson, Arizona
Miami
How did Forbes come up with its rankings?
To identify the worst places in the country to visit this summer, Forbes Advisor examined date for the 43 of the most populated cities in the nation across three key categories: city experience, air travel experience and driving experience.
Those were divided into 16 metrics, including:
- Crime rate
- Median hotel price
- Median cost of tours and activities
- Average price of a two-person meal
Percentage of flights delayed, canceled or diverted
- Number of people involved in fatal crashes
- Average gas prices
- Number of parking lots and parking garages
Forbes Advisor gathered data from sources ranging from Expedia, Tripadvisor and Walkscore.com to AAA, the federal Transportation Security Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
