The Cheapest Places to Travel to in the USA
Look for free things to do and moderately priced rooms, then pick the right week. Here is how to judge any destination on cost.
Get Free Trip QuotesWhich are the cheapest places to travel to in the USA? Rankings that promise a single answer usually depend on whose hotel prices were checked and when. A better way to choose is to look for places where the things you want to do are free or close to it, and where lodging is moderately priced for your dates. These are the kinds of places that fit.
Cities With Big Free Attractions
Washington, DC
Free Smithsonian museums, the National Mall and its memorials. Stay outside the center near a Metro line to keep lodging costs down.
Free things to do →
Parks and public lands
National parks on fee-free days, BLM land and national forests where camping can be free. The scenery is the attraction.
Camping on a budget →
Small towns off the interstate
Lower room rates, diners, free festivals and walkable main streets, often an hour from a famous destination.
Small towns by region →St. Louis is a good example of a city that rewards a budget traveler: the Gateway Arch riverfront to walk, and free general admission at the zoo, the art museum, the history museum and the science center in Forest Park, with charges for some special exhibits and attractions.
Small Towns and Second Cities
For every famous resort there is a nearby town with the same scenery and lower prices. Small towns tend to have cheaper rooms and meals, free festivals and walkable main streets. Our sister site America’s Best Small Towns picks out towns worth the trip in every region. Second cities, the smaller neighbor of a big-name destination, often work the same way.
How to Judge Any Destination on Cost
- Check hotel rates for your exact dates, weekday and weekend, on Rooms Cheap. Big events can double the price.
- List the three things you most want to do and find out which are free.
- Ask whether you will need a car, and what parking costs there.
- Compare flights into the main airport and a smaller one nearby on Airfares for Less.
- Look at the season: the shoulder months just before and after peak usually cost less.
Let the Season Do the Work
The same place can be a bargain or a splurge depending on when you go. Beach towns are cheaper outside summer, ski towns in summer, and big cities in the weeks between major holidays. If you can be flexible by a week or two, ask a specialist which dates are cheapest for the place you have in mind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the cheapest places to travel to in the USA?
The places that stay cheap are usually the ones with lots of free things to do and moderately priced lodging: cities with free museums, national parks and public lands, and small towns away from the famous resorts. Your own travel dates matter as much as the destination.
Is Washington, DC expensive to visit?
Hotels in the city center can be, especially on weekdays when the government is in session. But the free Smithsonian museums and memorials mean you can fill several days with no admission costs, and staying a little outside the center with a transit connection helps.
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