NY named among top states for summer road trips: Here's why

EzequielTravel2025-07-118790

If you're looking to hit the road with the family this summer, you might not have to go too far as New York was named the second-best state for summer road trips by WalletHub.

Almost 75% of American adults are planning to take a road trip this summer, according to WalletHub, so the personal finance company compared 50 U.S. states across over 30 metrics, ranging from the number of attractions a state has to road conditions.

"Taking a summer road trip can be a very exciting way to experience a new place, but with the prices of gas, food and accommodations still impacted by inflation, you'll want to be in a state that makes this type of vacation affordable," WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said. "The best states for summer road trips therefore are those that keep costs low while providing the best driving experience and most fun activities."

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Here's what to know about New York's ranking.

Why is New York one of the best states for summer road trips?

The Empire State is "at the top of the country" for accommodations and restaurants per capita as it was ranked No. 3 for its activities and received an overall score of 59.66. New York also has the second-most National Historic Landmarks per capita, according to WalletHub.

The state was also recognized as having safe drivers as New York has the 15th-lowest share of uninsured motorists, third-most protective driving laws and fourth-lowest prevalence of using a phone while driving.

WalletHub's top 10 U.S. states for summer road trips

Wanting to travel outside of New York this summer? Here are several other states that might be ideal for a road trip, according to WalletHub:

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Minnesota

New York

Ohio

Utah

Louisiana

Florida

Idaho

Texas

North Carolina

Pennsylvania

See the list: 7 natural swimming spots in NY worth the summer road trip

How did WalletHub assess states' summer road trip-worthiness?

WalletHub compared 50 states across three key categories — costs, safety and activities — and 32 key metrics. Thecostscategory took a look at these aspects:

Average gas prices

Average cost of car repairs

Lowest price of a three-star hotel room

Lowest price of camping

Vacation rentals per capita

Cost of living index

Thesafetycategory analyzed these components:

Vehicle miles traveled per capita

Population density

Share of urban interstates congested during peak hours

Increase in vehicle travel on roads

Driving laws score

Traffic indiscipline

Quality of roads

Quality of bridges

Traffic-related fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled

Share of uninsured drivers

Car thefts per 1,000 residents

Rate of larceny

Violent crimes per 1,000 residents

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And the activitiescategory took into account these factors:

Share of total area designated as national park land

National parks recreation visitors per capita

Zoos and botanical gardens per capita

Amusement and theme parks per capita

Fairs and festivals per capita over summertime

Number of attractions

Nightlife options per capita

Access to scenic byways

Historical sites per capita

Miles of shoreline

Idealness of summer weather

Accommodation and food service establishments per capita

State and local direct general expenditures on parks and recreation per capita

Data used to create the ranking was collected as of May 26, 2025 and the information was sourced from multiple entities, such as the American Automobile Association, National Park Service, TripAdvisor and WalletHub research.

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Emily Barnes reports on consumer-related issues for the USA TODAY Network’s New York Connect Team, focusing on scam and recall-related topics. Follow her on X and [email protected] in touch [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: NY named among top states for summer road trips: Here's why

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