The concept of “pleasant” differs from person to person, but there are a few characteristics that are shared among environments that are conducive to having a good time. A pleasant climate and an extensive selection of low-cost, entertaining activities are two examples.
Now that summer has arrived, there will be a flurry of outdoor concerts, vacations, and other types of celebrations all over the place. If you have the good fortune to have some time off from work this summer, you may be thinking about where you should go and what you should do to make the most of your vacation time and ensure that you get the most out of it.
According to a list that WalletHub compiled of the most fun states in the United States, there are some areas of the country that make it simpler for people to have a good time than others.
When compiling the list of the finest locations to live in the United States, “entertainment and leisure” and “nightlife” were two of the criteria that were employed.
The number of restaurants and amusement parks per population, the coastline miles, and the ease of access to national parks were some of the nearly two dozen factors that were considered. To arrive at the final score, a weighted average of all of the state metrics was applied.
WalletHub has developed a list of the top 10 states in the United States that offer the most fun and entertainment options.
1. California
Total score: 63.60
Entertainment & recreation ranking: 1
Nightlife ranking: 3
2. Florida
Total score: 61.26
Entertainment & recreation ranking: 2
Nightlife ranking: 8
3. Nevada
Total score: 59.84
Entertainment & recreation ranking: 4
Nightlife ranking: 1
4. New York
Total score: 56.11
Entertainment & recreation ranking: 3
Nightlife ranking: 7
5. Illinois
Total score: 55.33
Entertainment & recreation ranking: 5
Nightlife ranking: 4
6. Colorado
Total score: 51.38
Entertainment & recreation ranking: 6
Nightlife ranking: 10
7. Washington
Total score: 50.64
Entertainment & recreation ranking: 8
Nightlife ranking: 9
8. Texas
Total score: 50.27
Entertainment & recreation ranking: 7
Nightlife ranking: 13
9. Minnesota
Total score: 45.21
Entertainment & recreation ranking: 11
Nightlife ranking: 6
10. Louisiana
Total score: 44.53
Entertainment & recreation ranking: 14
Nightlife ranking: 2
Travel websites and publications routinely rate coastal states like California, Florida, and New York as some of the best destinations to visit in the United States. Other coastal states that have received high rankings include Oregon and Washington.
While Texas, the state that gave birth to Six Flags, came in first place for having the most amusement parks per capita, Louisiana was recognized for its vibrant nightlife because it is home to New Orleans. Other states made the top 10 thanks to strong performance on a variety of specific metrics.
When compiling its ranking, WalletHub took into consideration a variety of factors, including the number of state fairs as well as the typical prices of beer and wine.
According to Tom Lehman, an economics professor at Indiana Wesleyan University, several of the states on the list, including California, Colorado, and Florida, spend “a fair quantity” of money to promote local tourism. WalletHub spoke with Lehman about this topic. According to the article, tourism marketing programs that are backed by state governments can have “a little bit of a beneficial impact” on the number of people who travel from other states and the amount of money they bring in.
