ATLANTA — Orlando, Fla., is the best city in the country for a staycation, according to a new study by WalletHub.
In compiling its rankings, the company studied 17 factors — such as the number of golf courses, the cost of maid services and the number of spa and wellness centers — in the 100 most populous cities nationwide.
“For a staycation to be successful, one must have access to recreation activities, entertainment and food, and rest and relaxation,” Jill Gonzalez, spokesperson for WalletHub, told The Travel Trolley.
While Orlando, home to Mickey Mouse and friends, took the top spot and Atlanta ranked second, Chula Vista, Calif., is the worst place for a staycation, WalletHub found.
“Take for example Orlando where the number of public golf courses is second in the nation, whereas at the end of the list Chula Vista ranked 83rd for that metric,” Gonzalez said. “Orlando has the most number of zoos and aquariums, making it a great place for family fun. For the locals of Chula Vista the situation is gloomy — its number of parks ranked 81st and its number of swimming pools ranked 86th.
“Atlanta ranked second in the nation for both number of parks and number of swimming pools, making it the place to be for recreation and relaxation,” Gonzalez added.
A recent survey from FatWallet.com revealed 81 percent of people regularly take a vacation. The survey found 58 percent go every year while 25 percent take two two or more vacations per year.
Most people (60 percent) book their vacation between one and six months ahead, according to the survey. And, 58 percent said they plan on spending less than $1,500 on a vacation, up from 54 percent in 2014.