[title]
This summer, almost 80 percent of US adults are planning to take a road trip, according to WalletHub, but not all states are equal in terms of their road tripability. That's where the data comes in. Fasten your seatbelt and adjust the mirrors.
WalletHub looked at 32 different metrics, ranging from the average cost of gas to summer temps, the number of attractions you can visit, the amount of freeway congestion, the access to scenic byways, and even (gulp) the cost of car repairs in that state. And the winner was...
New York! The East Coast state came out on top after being ranked third for number of ideal road trip activities, seventh in safety and 37th for costs.
Very close behind was Minnesota, which was ranked 21st for activities, fifth for safety and eighth for costs.
And coming in third was Texas, which was fourth for activities, 38th for safety and 18th for costs.
Fourth: Louisiana, 10th for activities, 42nd for safety and second for costs.
The fifth most recommended state for summer road this year was Maine, which ranked 27th for activities, first for safety and 27th for costs.
Other than Maine’s spiffy showing in the top five, New England did not fare well, garnering three out of five spots for the worst states for summer road trips. Rhode Island, we apologize because we know you’re awesome, but you hit the bottom at #50: 49th for activities, 20th for safety and 41 for costs. Connecticut was next-worst and Delaware came in at #48. Montana at #47 and Arkansas at #46 rounded out this unpleasant recounting.
But let’s get back to fun highlights! California has the most number of scenic byways and wins for most activities, Mississippi has the lowest daily price for camping, Oklahoma’s three-star hotel rooms are the most affordable, and Vermont has the lowest number of car thefts per 1,000 residents.
The truth is, every state has something amazing to offer, and a road trip is a great way to see beautiful landscapes and meet great people.