California named one of the friendliest states in the nation. Here’s why
California is one of the friendliest states in the nation for international travelers, according to tour operator Journeyscape.
The company said it “specializes in bespoke travel to North America,” creating personalized trips for travelers “looking for breathtaking landscapes or thrilling cities, fascinating culture or peaceful contemplation.”
Hawaii topped Journeyscape’s list of the friendliest places to visit in the United States, thanks to its “beautiful beaches,” stunning scenery and welcoming attitude toward travelers.
“The aloha spirit resonates well with visitors,” the tour company said. “It also ranks as the happiest state in the U.S., making it an ideal destination for anyone seeking sun, sand and good vibes.”
New Jersey came in second, thanks in part to Brigantine Beach, the Pine Barrens and other attractions, while the state of New York took third place.
“Beyond the state’s welcoming population, it’s full of great places to explore, including Adirondack State Park, New York City, Finger Lakes, the Catskill Mountains and the Hamptons,” Journeyscape said of New York.
Here’s where California ranked on the list, and why:
What makes California one of friendliest states in US?
California was the fourth friendliest state for international travelers in the United States with an overall score of 8.24 out of 10, Journeyscape said in a Nov. 7 news release.
California had 6,954,000 international visitors in 2024, the second most in the nation. Only New York, which welcomed 9,802,000 overseas travelers that year, had more.
The Golden State scored the highest in the nation in terms of government policies promoting LGBTQ+ equality.
According to WalletHub, California was the seventh happiest state in the United States in 2025, trailing behind Utah.
Where are the top 10 states for international travelers?
According to Journeyscape, these were the top 10 friendliest states for international travelers:
- 1. Hawaii
- 2. New Jersey
- 3. New York
- 4. California
- 5. Nevada
- 6. Massachusetts
- 7. Arizona
- 8. Illinois
- 9. Utah
- 10. Virginia
How did tour company rank friendliest US states?
To identify the friendliest states in the nation, Journeyscape’s travel experts ranked each state based on the following factors:
- The number of overseas visitors in 2024
- Happiness score
- LGBTQ+ equality score
- Sentiment score
To determine the sentiment score, the tour company said it searched for Reddit posts that mentioned each U.S. state and analyzed them for “friendliness-related language” such as “friendly,” “welcoming” and rude.” States with less than 10 relevant posts were not included due to insufficient data.
Journeyscape then normalized these scores on a scale of 0 to 10 to produce each state’s final friendliness score.
Data came sources including from the International Trade Administration, WalletHub and the Movement Advancement Project.
