The best states for a summer road trip, ranked

Myelle Lansat
Monkey Business Images/ShutterstockCalifornia and North Carolina are tied for having the most scenic roadways.
  • 64% of American families will take a road trip this summer, according to the American Automobile Association.
  • To determine the best states for a summer road trip,WalletHub evaluated more than 30 data points related to cost, safety, and activities.
  • Wyoming is the best state for a road trip this summer, thanks to cheap gas and affordable camp sites and hotel rooms.

A successful summer road trip boils down to one essential task: planning.

Americans spend an average of $US718 billion on vacations every year, but there are different factors to consider when planning a road trip compared to a destination vacation. Everything from the car you drive to the stuff you pack will impact your road trip experience.

Though gas prices are the highest they have been since 2014, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA), 64% of American families plan to take a road trip this summer.

But with a car as your primary mode of transportation, you need to plan for emergencies like breaking down and theft. Sleeping in your car is a perk (for some), but probably isn’t suitable for large families. Camping out is less expensive and provides an authentic road trip experience, but costs vary by state.

To determine the best destinations for a summer road trip, WalletHub evaluated cost, safety, and activities in all 50 states. Those themes were evaluated on 31 metrics (gas, crime, amusement, etc.) and graded on a 100-point scale (read the full methodology here).

Below, check out the best states for a summer road trip. The score for each category shows how the destination compares to the remaining 49 states, with 1 being the best and 50 being the worst.

50. Rhode Island

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Costs score: 48
Safety score: 6
Activities score: 49

49. Connecticut

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Costs score: 46
Safety score: 26
Activities score: 42

48. Delaware

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Costs score: 36
Safety score: 39
Activities score: 48

47. Hawaii

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Costs score: 50
Safety score: 33
Activities score: 17

46. New Mexico

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Costs score: 23
Safety score: 49
Activities score: 23

45. Indiana

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Costs score: 29
Safety score: 21
Activities score: 43

44. Kentucky

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Costs score: 24
Safety score: 32
Activities score: 35

43. Alaska

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Costs score: 45
Safety score: 47
Activities score: 5

42. Kansas

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Costs score: 25
Safety score: 20
Activities score: 46

41. Alabama

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Costs score: 4
Safety score: 43
Activities score: 40

40. Arkansas

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Costs score: 3
Safety score: 44
Activities score: 41

39. Montana

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Costs score: 19
Safety score: 40
Activities score: 34

38. Mississippi

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Costs score: 2
Safety score: 38
Activities score: 44

37. Oklahoma

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Costs score: 13
Safety score: 42
Activities score: 36

36. West Virginia

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Costs score: 8
Safety score: 30
Activities score: 47

35. Iowa

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Costs score: 27
Safety score: 14
Activities score: 38

34. Missouri

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Costs score: 12
Safety score: 46
Activities score: 29

33. Maryland

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Costs score: 42
Safety score: 31
Activities score: 11

32. Vermont

Sean Pavone/ShutterstockChurch Street Marketplace in Burlington.
Costs score: 28
Safety score: 3
Activities score: 50

31. North Dakota

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Costs score: 16
Safety score: 7
Activities score: 45

30. New Jersey

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Costs score: 37
Safety score: 23
Activities score: 28

29. South Carolina

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Costs score: 5
Safety score: 50
Activities score: 24

28. Tennessee

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Costs score: 18
Safety score: 35
Activities score: 30

27. Idaho

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Costs score: 39
Safety score: 16
Activities score: 25

26. Pennsylvania

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Costs score: 44
Safety score: 17
Activities score: 9

25. Massachusetts

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Costs score: 41
Safety score: 13
Activities score: 20

24. New Hampshire

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Costs score: 22
Safety score: 5
Activities score: 37

23. Ohio

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Costs score: 38
Safety score: 25
Activities score: 15

22. Wisconsin

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Costs score: 26
Safety score: 9
Activities score: 31

21. Arizona

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Costs score: 14
Safety score: 45
Activities score: 13

20. Nevada

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Costs score: 30
Safety score: 29
Activities score: 12

19. Michigan

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Costs score: 21
Safety score: 24
Activities score: 26

18. Georgia

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Costs score: 7
Safety score: 36
Activities score: 27

17. Nebraska

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Costs score: 9
Safety score: 10
Activities score: 39

16. Maine

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Costs score: 32
Safety score: 2
Activities score: 32

15. South Dakota

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Costs score: 6
Safety score: 22
Activities score: 33

14. Virginia

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Costs score: 35
Safety score: 15
Activities score: 16

13. Illinois

Sarah Jacobs/Business Insider
Costs score: 33
Safety score: 11
Activities score: 21

12. California

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Costs score: 47
Safety score: 41
Activities score: 1

11. Oregon

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Costs score: 40
Safety score: 12
Activities score: 8

10. Colorado

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Costs score: 17
Safety score: 27
Activities score: 18

9. Utah

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Costs score: 34
Safety score: 8
Activities score: 14

8. New York

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Costs score: 49
Safety score: 4
Activities score: 3

7. Washington

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Costs score: 43
Safety score: 18
Activities score: 4

6. Louisiana

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Costs score: 10
Safety score: 37
Activities score: 10

5. Florida

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Costs score: 20
Safety score: 48
Activities score: 2

4. Texas

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Costs score: 15
Safety score: 34
Activities score: 6

3. Minnesota

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Costs score: 31
Safety score: 1
Activities score: 19

2. North Carolina

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Costs score: 11
Safety score: 28
Activities score: 7

1. Wyoming

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Costs score: 1
Safety score: 19
Activities score: 22

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