Mount Vernon is among the notable tourist attractions in Virginia, which takes the top spot for summer vacation destinations in 2023.

Move over Florida, you’re no longer the best state for a summer vacation, as Virginia takes home the top honors for 2023.

Our friends over at Gambling.com crunched all the numbers, and while the Sunshine State is high up there, it’s actually our neighbors to the north that should be your destination this year.

A lot of research went into picking out the best spots for your vacations this year, and with so many choices, it wasn’t easy.

“With this in mind, the data research team at Gambling.com decided to work out which states are the best to vacation in this summer,” Peter Welch said in his Gambling.com piece. “They did this by analyzing five different data points to create a final vacation score for each state. These data points are: accommodation availability, accommodation affordability, crime rate (lower is obviously better!), levels of sunlight and number of attractions (national historical monuments and state parks) in relation to each state’s size.”

Virginia scored well across all of the categories being measured, gaining a lot of ground over Florida in room affordability and crime rate in particular.

We’ll take a look at the best summer vacation state in our list below, which doesn’t include North Carolina. Our home state came in at a respectable 16 this year, with great scoring in the accommodation category, but marginal scores everywhere else.

Just in case you were looking for the most affordable spot, looks like it’s North Dakota this year.

“North Dakota leads the country in terms of affordable summer vacation accommodation. Over one week in the middle of June, 93.7% of the available lettings on popular site booking.com were priced at $200 per night or less — meaning it could be the best destination for families primarily focused on a budget-friendly break away.”

So, here’s the Top 10 best summer vacation states for 2023, with Virginia topping the list.

 

  • 1. Virginia

    graphic showcasing virginia as the best state to vacation for summer 2023

    Image courtesy Gambling.com

    • Room Availability Score: 73.4
    • Room Affordability Score: 55.1
    • Crime Rate Score: 85.8
    • Sunlight Score: 51.0
    • Attractions Score: 77.5
    • Summer Vacation Score: 68.6
  • 2. Florida

    Walt Disney World Resort Reopening

    Disney World is one of the most popular summer vacation spots in the country. Photo by Kent Phillips/Walt Disney World Resort via Getty Images

    • Room Availability Score: 100.0
    • Room Affordability Score: 24.4
    • Crime Rate Score: 61.3
    • Sunlight Score: 81.6
    • Attractions Score: 67.3
    • Summer Vacation Score: 66.9
  • 3. Illinois

    Millennium Park Opens To The Public

    Chicago residents and tourists explore the Cloud Gate sculpture by Anish Kapoor. Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images

    • Room Availability Score: 63.2
    • Room Affordability Score: 73.4
    • Crime Rate Score: 71.5
    • Sunlight Score: 53.0
    • Attractions Score: 71.4
    • Summer Vacation Score: 66.5
  • 4. Georgia

    Coronavirus Pandemic Causes Climate Of Anxiety And Changing Routines In America

    Centennial Park in Atlanta is a huge attraction in the Peach State. Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

    • Room Availability Score: 87.7
    • Room Affordability Score: 67.3
    • Crime Rate Score: 49.0
    • Sunlight Score: 69.3
    • Attractions Score: 57.1
    • Summer Vacation Score: 66.1
  • 5. Ohio

    NFL Preseason - Indianapolis Colts vs Cincinnati Bengals - September 2, 2005

    A view of downtown Cincinnati at sunrise. Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

    • Room Availability Score: 69.3
    • Room Affordability Score: 83.6
    • Crime Rate Score: 57.2
    • Sunlight Score: 34.6
    • Attractions Score: 73.4
    • Summer Vacation Score: 63.6
  • 6. Indiana

    Brickyard 400 Presented By Big Machine Records.com

    Indianapolis Motor Speedway is one of the biggest attractions in Indiana. Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images

    • Room Availability Score: 53.0
    • Room Affordability Score: 91.8
    • Crime Rate Score: 59.2
    • Sunlight Score: 44.8
    • Attractions Score: 59.1
    • Summer Vacation Score: 61.2
  • 7. Kentucky

    148th Kentucky Derby

    Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the state’s biggest draws. Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

    • Room Availability Score: 38.7
    • Room Affordability Score: 93.8
    • Crime Rate Score: 63.3
    • Sunlight Score: 55.1
    • Attractions Score: 55.1
    • Summer Vacation Score: 61.2
  • T8. Iowa

    MLB at Field of Dreams - Chicago White Sox v New York Yankees

    The Field of Dreams site in Dyersville, Iowa is a huge draw. Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

    • Room Availability Score: 30.6
    • Room Affordability Score: 95.9
    • Crime Rate Score: 65.4
    • Sunlight Score: 46.9
    • Attractions Score: 61.2
    • Summer Vacation Score: 60.0
  • T8. New Jersey

    Jersey Shore Beaches Open For Season On Memorial Day Weekend

    The beaches on the Jersey Shore are always a huge draw. Photo by Kena Betancur/Getty Images

    • Room Availability Score: 46.9
    • Room Affordability Score: 36.7
    • Crime Rate Score: 91.9
    • Sunlight Score: 32.6
    • Attractions Score: 91.8
    • Summer Vacation Score: 60.0
  • T10. California

    Hollywood Sign Begins Month-Long Makeover

    There’s no shortage of tourist opportunities in California. Photo by David McNew/Getty Images

    • Room Availability Score: 97.9
    • Room Affordability Score: 16.3
    • Crime Rate Score: 36.8
    • Sunlight Score: 91.8
    • Attractions Score: 51.0
    • Summer Vacation Score: 58.8
  • T10. Pennsylvania

    Threat to Liberty Bell

    Philadelphia is filled with history, and lots of vacation spots. Photo by Don Murray/Getty Images

    • Room Availability Score: 81.6
    • Room Affordability Score: 40.8
    • Crime Rate Score: 67.4
    • Sunlight Score: 18.3
    • Attractions Score: 85.7
    • Summer Vacation Score: 58.8

Sign up for The Bounce Rollout Newsletter

Find out what's happening in Fayetteville stay up to date on the music & entertainment news, and exclusive chances to win.

*
By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.