Florida ranks among budget-friendly travel destinations, but southern neighbors offer even better deals for summer vacations.
The kids are out of school and summer travel season is here. If you're planning a cross-country road trip or just a quick weekend getaway, where you go can make a big difference cost-wise.
Here's the good news if you're hoping for a quick road trip: Florida is one of the more budget-friendly travel states in the country.
A new analysis from Dunhill Travel ranked the best states for an affordable road trip this summer, factoring in key metrics such as gas prices, hotel rates, day-to-day expenses, national park access, cultural attractions, and road quality.
Florida comes in at number 20 on the list. The average hotel room costs $146 a night, which ranks in the upper half of the country and lower than many nearby states.
The state offers travelers 11 National Park Service sites and 5.1 arts, entertainment and recreation businesses per 10,000 residents. Gas averages $3.05 per gallon, though everyday expenses cost travelers 3.5% more than average.
But if you want to save even more money, stay south.
Dunhill Travel found Mississippi, Arkansas, North Carolina and Tennessee to be the most budget-friendly states to travel to this summer.
Arkansas has the lowest nightly hotel rate at just $114.
This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
