Summer travel can be relaxing and restorative, but if the price is too high, it might cause more stress than it’s worth. Florida is known nationwide for being a summer hotspot, with plenty of theme parks, water parks and beaches for visitors to enjoy.
On May 12, personal finance company WalletHub released its 2026 list of best summer travel destinations that have the most bang for your buck. Two Florida metro areas made the top 10 list, and one of them is home to the “most magical place on earth.”
“When picking a summer travel destination, it’s easy to focus just on the types of activities you want to do or certain cities you’ve always wanted to see,” WalletHub Analyst Chip Lupo said in the study.
“However, choosing a destination that’s not only entertaining but also affordable is important when travel, dining and activity costs have surged so much in recent years.”
Here are the Florida metro areas that ranked in WalletHub’s top 10 best summer travel destinations for 2026 and why.
Best summer travel destinations 2026, see WalletHub’s top 10
To find the best summer travel destinations with the most bang for your buck, WalletHub compared 100 of the most populated metro areas in the U.S. across 41 metrics in six categories: Travel costs and hassles, local costs, attractions, weather, activities and safety.
Looking to take a quick trip away from Florida? Look no further than our neighbor to the north!
The top destination on WalletHub’s 2026 summer travel destinations list is Atlanta, Georgia, which ranked high for cheap flights and diverse attractions for visitors.
“The city also ranks very well when it comes to the prevalence of spas and wellness centers, shopping centers, ice cream shops and swimming pools, so there are plenty of places to have fun and cool off,” the study says.
“For those who enjoy drinking during their vacations, Atlanta also has one of the latest “last call” times in the country, at 4 a.m.”
Here’s WalletHub’s list of the top 10 summer destinations in 2026:
Best summer destinations for 2026 in Florida. Orlando takes second on this list
Orlando, Florida, home of Walt Disney World and Universal’s theme parks, took second place overall on WalletHub’s list of the best summer destinations in 2026. Although visiting Florida’s major theme parks isn’t cheap, the study found that the lowest nightly rate for a hotel room in Orlando was just around $50.
“The shortest flights to Orlando from other major cities have zero connections and cost as little as $373,” the study says.
“Surprisingly, the lowest nightly rate for a three-star hotel room in Orlando is only $49, which is very reasonable. The metro area has plenty of affordable, high-quality restaurants to choose from, too.”
Orlando also ranked high for prevalence of water parks, boat tours, ice cream shops, coffee shops, shopping centers and spas.
If you can’t afford to take your family to Disney World this summer, but still want to visit Florida, there are plenty of other activity parks, water parks and themed attractions around Orlando and throughout the state.
The Tampa metro area also ranked in the top 10, taking sixth place overall. Other Florida metro areas that made the larger list were: the Jacksonville area (in 22nd place) and the Miami area (in 30th place).
Lianna Norman is a trending reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida, covering pop culture, lotteries, rocket launches, Florida wildlife, breaking news and more. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Best summer travel destination ranking list includes 2 Florida cities
Reporting by Lianna Norman, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Florida Today
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