Best and worse cities for a staycation

It seems as though the price of everything is going up. Eating out now costs about $20 per person, a big hit for families.

Sticking close to home is one way to save money.

With around 82 percent of Americans planning to travel this summer but inflation making trips costly, WalletHub, a personal finance website, is offering suggestions in its report on “2025’s Best and Worst Cities for Staycations.”

WalletHub compared more than 180 cities across 41 key indicators such as parks per capita and restaurant meal costs.

Here are a few examples from the report:

Best vs. worst

• New York has the most parks, which is 26.5 times more than in Miami, Fla., the city with the fewest.
   
• Honolulu has the most tennis courts, which is 18.8 times more than in Mesa, Arizona, the city with the fewest.
   
• Orlando has the most ice cream and frozen yogurt shops, which is 25.8 times more than in Lewiston, Maine, the city with the fewest.
   
• Amarillo, Texas, has the lowest cost of house-cleaning services, which is 3.4 times less expensive than in Juneau, Alaska, the city with the highest.

Click on the report link above to see where your city ranks. The Seattle area where I live ranks No. 34. It’s recreation rank is No. 21, food and entertainment No. 15, and rest and relaxation No. 149.

It’s surprising Seattle’s rest and relaxation score is so low since it’s surrounded by such wonderful natural features including Puget Sound and mountains. However, that category is mainly on the cost of items such as cost of house cleaning service; massage costs; and beauty salon costs. Other items include spas and wellness centers per capita, public beaches per capita and idealness of summer weather.

The Seattle area has much less rain during July and August, usually, but June and sometimes May can be very rainy.

Best wishes in finding a great staycation.