America's Most Expensive and Most Affordable Summer Tourist Destinations
Americans can save thousands on their summer vacation once they know which popular U.S. tourist destinations are the priciest and most affordable to visit.
Anchorage, Alaska, ranked first in a new MoneyLion study analyzing the most expensive vacation costs, costing $6,861 for a family of four. In a separate study, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, was determined to be the most affordable tourist destination, with $3,138 total costs. That’s a $3,723 difference.
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For this study, MoneyLion consulted media outlets such as Travel + Leisure, CountryLiving and more to source various popular summer vacation locations. The summer vacation was planned from June 12 to June 19, including seven nights in a hotel and airfare for four people. Airfare costs were calculated from the nearest airport to each location and multiplied by four for a family. Hotel costs were determined using the average of the cheapest three hotels within five miles of each location’s downtown area. The vacation’s total cost was calculated using the average total cost of airfare, hotel, meals and drinks.
Key Findings
Vacation costs are less than $4,000 in the three cheapest tourist destinations: Gettysburg ($3,138); Clearwater, Florida ($3,276); and Glendale, Arizona ($3,905).
The 10 most expensive tourist destinations cost families more than $6,000 for a summer vacation. They are Anchorage ($6,861); New York ($6,839); Santa Barbara, California ($6,323); Key West, Florida ($6,303); , Miami ($6,279); Hilo, Hawaii ($6,207); Atlanta ($6,179); Honolulu ($6,114); Boston ($6,062); and Kailua, Hawaii ($6,012).
Six California cities ranked as the most expensive for a summer family vacation: Santa Barbara (#3), Santa Monica (#11), Los Angeles (#16), San Diego (#19), San Luis Obispo (#22) and Anaheim (#23).
Florida and Texas lead the nation with the most cities for affordable summer vacations. In Florida, this includes Clearwater (#2), Orlando (#8) and St. Augustine (#22). Texas represented with San Antonio (#6), Austin (#13) and Grapevine (#24).
Keep reading to find out which 25 popular summer tourist destinations stretch American budgets the furthest as well as the 25 most inexpensive destinations.
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25 Most Expensive Destinations
1. Anchorage, Alaska
Total cost of all meals: $2,604
Total hotel cost: $1,843
Total cost of airfare: $2,073
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $6,861
2. New York
Total cost of all meals: $3,360
Total hotel cost: $1,706
Total cost of airfare: $1,435
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $6,839
3. Santa Barbara, California
Total cost of all meals: $2,800
Total hotel cost: $1,335
Total cost of airfare: $1,843
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $6,323
4. Key West, Florida
Total cost of all meals: $3,024
Total hotel cost: $1,435
Total cost of airfare: $1,598
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $6,303
5. Miami
Total cost of all meals: $3,360
Total hotel cost: $1,195
Total cost of airfare: $1,386
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $6,279
6. Hilo, Hawaii
Total cost of all meals: $2,380
Total hotel cost: $2,629
Total cost of airfare: $942
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $6,207
7. Atlanta
Total cost of all meals: $2,800
Total hotel cost: $1,442
Total cost of airfare: $1,674
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $6,179
8. Honolulu
Total cost of all meals: $3,192
Total hotel cost: $915
Total cost of airfare: $1,561
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $6,114
9. Boston
Total cost of all meals: $2,940
Total hotel cost: $1,302
Total cost of airfare: $1,509
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $6,062
10. Kailua, Hawaii
Total cost of all meals: $3,192
Total hotel cost: $915
Total cost of airfare: $1,561
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $6,012
11. Santa Monica, California
Total cost of all meals: $2,800
Total hotel cost: $1,176
Total cost of airfare: $1,655
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $5,965
12. Seattle
Total cost of all meals: $2,688
Total hotel cost: $1,300
Total cost of airfare: $1,601
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $5,907
13. Newport, Rhode Island
Total cost of all meals: $2,520
Total hotel cost: $1,533
Total cost of airfare: $1,332
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $5,652
14. Charleston, South Carolina
Total cost of all meals: $3,150
Total hotel cost: $740
Total cost of airfare: $1,426
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $5,627
15. Traverse City, Michigan
Total cost of all meals: $2,215
Total hotel cost: $1,323
Total cost of airfare: $1,836
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $5,614
16. Los Angeles
Total cost of all meals: $2,800
Total hotel cost: $758
Total cost of airfare: $1,655
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $5,566
17. Washington, D.C.
Total cost of all meals: $3,010
Total hotel cost: $693
Total cost of airfare: $1,498
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $5,547
18. New Orleans
Total cost of all meals: $3,430
Total hotel cost: $427
Total cost of airfare: $1,335
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $5,477
19. San Diego
Total cost of all meals: $2,702
Total hotel cost: $859
Total cost of airfare: $1,504
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $5,387
20. Duluth, Minnesota
Total cost of all meals: $2,065
Total hotel cost: $835
Total cost of airfare: $2,199
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $5,359
21. Chicago
Total cost of all meals: $2,520
Total hotel cost: $1,265
Total cost of airfare: $1,244
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $5,339
22. San Luis Obispo, California
Total cost of all meals: $2,072
Total hotel cost: $919
Total cost of airfare: $2,039
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $5,335
23. Anaheim, California
Total cost of all meals: $2,800
Total hotel cost: $597
Total cost of airfare: $1,628
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $5,329
24. Williamsburg, Virginia
Total cost of all meals: $2,310
Total hotel cost: $471
Total cost of airfare: $2,224
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $5,277
25. Portland, Maine
Total cost of all meals: $2,408
Total hotel cost: $938
Total cost of airfare: $1,615
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $5,274
25 Most Affordable Destinations
1. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Total cost of all meals: $1,862
Total hotel cost: $602
Total cost of airfare: $473
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $3,138
2. Clearwater, Florida
Total cost of all meals: $2,093
Total hotel cost: $506
Total cost of airfare: $436
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $3,276
3. Glendale, Arizona
Total cost of all meals: $1,631
Total hotel cost: $499
Total cost of airfare: $1,515
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $3,905
4. Charleston, West Virginia
Total cost of all meals: $1,540
Total cost of hotel: $439
Total cost of airfare: $1,884
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $4,060
5. Cincinnati
Total cost of all meals: $1,680
Total hotel cost: $726
Total cost of airfare: $1,460
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $4,108
6. San Antonio
Total cost of all meals: $1,918
Total hotel cost: $373
Total cost of airfare: $1,630
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $4,159
7. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Total cost of all meals: $2,093
Total hotel cost: $723
Total cost of airfare: $1,113
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $4,189
8. Orlando, Florida
Total cost of all meals: $2,310
Total hotel cost: $427
Total cost of airfare: $1,138
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $4,192
9. Nashville, Tennessee
Total cost of all meals: $2,023
Total hotel cost: $446
Total cost of airfare: $1,456
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $4,203
10. Branson, Missouri
Total cost of all meals: $1,680
Total hotel cost: $376
Total cost of airfare: $2,049
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $4,249
11. Niagara Falls, New York
Total cost of all meals: $2,520
Total hotel cost: $882
Total cost of airfare: $650
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $4,333
12. Hot Springs, Arkansas
Total cost of all meals: $1,897
Total hotel cost: $436
Total cost of airfare: $1,801
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $4,395
13. Austin, Texas
Total cost of all meals: $2,205
Total hotel cost: $380
Total cost of airfare: $1,575
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $4,474
14. Raleigh, North Carolina
Total cost of all meals: $2,310
Total hotel cost: $481
Total cost of airfare: $1,422
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $4,480
15. Wilmington, North Carolina
Total cost of all meals: $1,960
Total hotel cost: $658
Total cost of airfare: $1,657
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $4,505
16. Boise, Idaho
Total cost of all meals: $2,044
Total hotel cost: $644
Total cost of airfare: $1,566
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $4,523
17. Las Vegas
Total cost of all meals: $2,730
Total hotel cost: $317
Total cost of airfare: $1,139
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $4,547
18. Savannah, Georgia
Total cost of all meals: $2,240
Total hotel cost: $425
Total cost of airfare: $1,583
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $4,560
19. Indianapolis
Total cost of all meals: $2,030
Total hotel cost: $777
Total cost of airfare: $1,515
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $4,634
20. Mount Vernon, Virginia
Total cost of all meals: $2,296
Total hotel cost: $590
Total cost of airfare: $1,498
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $4,635
21. Colorado Springs, Colorado
Total cost of all meals: $2,310
Total hotel cost: $413
Total cost of airfare: $1,663
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $4,652
22. St. Augustine, Florida
Total cost of all meals: $2,170
Total hotel cost: $656
Total cost of airfare: $1,642
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $4,696
23. St. Louis
Total cost of all meals: $2,168
Total hotel cost: $695
Total cost of airfare: $1,651
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $4,752
24. Grapevine, Texas
Total cost of all meals: $1,890
Total hotel cost: $964
Total cost of airfare: $1,673
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $4,784
25. Moab, Utah
Total cost of all meals: $1,960
Total hotel cost: $740
Total cost of airfare: $1,826
Total cost of vacation for a family of four: $4,788
Methodology: For this study, MoneyLion analyzed the most popular summer vacation locations to find the most expensive and affordable places to vacation as a family. The most popular summer vacation locations were sourced from Travel + Leisure, CountryLiving.com, BlissbytheSea.com, StuffedSuitcase.com, WalkinginMemphisinHighHeels.com, EmilyMKrause.com, FamilycanTravel.com, GlobalGrasshopper.com, and HalfHalfTravel.com. For this study, the summer vacation was planned for June 12-19, with seven nights in a hotel, 14 inexpensive meals, seven mid-range meals, 16 domestic beers, 64 sodas and airfare for four people. The cost of the airfare was calculated using the airfare costs from the nearest airport to each location, as sourced from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics for Q2 of 2025, and multiplied by four to account for the whole family. The hotel cost was sourced from Hotels.com, using the average of the cheapest three hotels within five miles of the downtown area in each location. Using Numbeo.com, the average cost of an inexpensive meal, a mid-range meal for two, domestic beer, and a Coke/Pepsi were sourced for each location. All data is up to date as of April 6, 2026.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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