With many COVID restrictions still in place and the global economy in shambles, the idea of taking a short city break right here in the US instead of a trip abroad is an increasingly popular choice.
You could spend an entire lifetime exploring the landmarks and attractions in the major cities of the United States, there are many places to enjoy a city break but which are the best?
To help holidaymakers to choose the best destination for a city break, travel experts ranked major US cities on factors such as the cost of accommodation, the number of things to do, and how long it takes to get from the airport into the city center.
The 10 best city destinations to visit in the USA
| Rank | City | Average hotel price (USD) | Attractions (Per square mile) | Relaxation spaces (Per square mile) | Restaurants (Per square mile) | Average temperature (°F) | Airport driving distance to downtown (mi) | Average one-way public transport ticket cost (USD) | City break score /10 |
| 1 | Miami | $164 | 41.1 | 1.69 | 118.6 | 76.3 | 8.3 | $2.50 | 7.13 |
| 2 | San Francisco | $231 | 49.0 | 2.52 | 105.0 | 56.3 | 13.8 | $3.00 | 7.07 |
| 3 | Boston | $273 | 22.5 | 1.37 | 51.1 | 50.2 | 4.8 | $2.52 | 5.54 |
| 4 | Las Vegas | $225 | 16.0 | 0.53 | 31.9 | 68.5 | 7.1 | $2.00 | 5.41 |
| 5 | Albuquerque | $130 | 2.8 | 0.22 | 8.1 | 57.9 | 5.2 | $1.00 | 5.20 |
| 5 | Fresno | $109 | 1.0 | 0.10 | 10.0 | 65.8 | 5.8 | $1.25 | 5.20 |
| 5 | San Antonio | $161 | 1.5 | 0.11 | 8.7 | 69.8 | 10.2 | $1.50 | 5.20 |
| 8 | Bakersfield | $100 | 0.5 | 0.07 | 6.2 | 65.5 | 3.6 | $1.70 | 5.05 |
| 9 | El Paso | $91 | 0.8 | 0.07 | 5.9 | 64.9 | 7.2 | $1.50 | 5.04 |
| 10 | Phoenix | $136 | 1.2 | 0.09 | 5.4 | 73.8 | 3.7 | $2.00 | 4.87 |
If you want to soak up some rays while you enjoy a city break, then there are few better destinations in the US than Miami, on Florida’s southeastern coast. Miami came top of the rankings with a tropical average annual temperature of 76.3°F, but it also has plenty to see and do, scoring highly for the number of restaurants, attractions, and proximity to the airport too.
Another city packed with things to see and do is San Francisco, which takes second place. In fact, San Francisco had a higher concentration of tourist attractions and relaxation spaces than anywhere else on our list. Boston followed in third place, rich in history and culture, as well as being in close proximity to the cities airport, just 4.8 miles away, making it an easy location to reach for a short city break.
On the other hand, Denver came bottom of the ranking. While it was among the most affordable cities, it scored poorly for the number of attractions and relaxation spaces per square mile and also due to the fact that the airport is located over 25 miles from the downtown area. It was also amongst the coldest of cities on our list, with an average annual temperature of 48.2°F.
Further insights:
- Mesa, Arizona offers the cheapest average hotel price of only $90 a night.
- Not only does Miami have the highest temperatures of the cities studied, but the city is also home to the highest number of restaurants with 118.6 per square mile.
- Omaha, Nebraska, is the closest city studied to its airport, where you’re just a three-mile drive from the city center, a journey that takes around five to ten minutes by car. Once you land at your destination, the last thing you want is to spend another hour actually getting from the airport into the downtown area, which is why this factor is of high importance to travellers!
- Albuquerque, New Mexico has the cheapest public transportation of the cities studied, meaning it is extremely cheap for visitors to explore the city, with a one-way ticket costing just $1.00.
Click to read the full story: Best US cities to visit this summer break | eTurboNews