How Charlotte Metro Ranks For ‘Staycationing’

CHARLOTTE, NC — Travel can be a drag. Airfare is expensive — especially with those wretched baggage fees — and driving can be a headache. So it’s no surprise many folks opt for the so-called “staycation,” a vacation at home, if you will. It’s great for your wallet, but can be just as beneficial for your mental health.

If that sounds appealing, consider this: A new report suggests some cities are a lot better than others for staycationers. The personal finance site WalletHub ranked 182 cities in America based on recreation, food and entertainment and, of course, rest and relaxation. The authors determined the rankings based on metrics such as number golf courses, tennis courts, swimming pools and nightlife options, as well as movie, bowling, house-cleaning and massage costs.

The study was hardly scientific in nature, but Charlotte notably fared well in comparison to the 182 cities on the list, ranking 81st best in the country for staycationing. The Queen City’s food and entertainment options outpaced it’s recreation and relaxation scores, according to the rankings. Here’s the breakdown:

• Total score: 37.79 out of 100 possible points
• Recreation rank: 79
• Food and entertainment rank: 59
• Rest and relaxation rank: 123

What is your favorite thing to do in the Queen City and Lake Norman region during a staycation? Tell us about it in the comment section!

Perhaps the least surprising news you’ll hear all year: Honolulu, Hawaii, was ranked as the best city in America for a staycation. Honolulu ranked in the top 10 for all three categories, including No. 1 in recreation and No. 4 in rest and relaxation. It also tied for the most tennis courts and spas per capita in the nation. Orlando and Chicago rounded out the top three.

Here are the top 10:

1. Honolulu, HI
2. Orlando, FL
3. Chicago, IL
4. San Diego, CA
5. Portland, OR
6. Charleston, SC
7. Seattle, WA
8. Fort Lauderdale, FL
9. Tampa, FL
10. San Francisco, CA

Conversely, with a putrid score of 23.93, Chula Vista in California ranked as the worst city for a staycation. The city’s best ranking was 155th for recreation.

The staycation has surged in popularity over the last decade. In fact, 36 percent of respondents in one survey said they’ve been on staycations many times. And while data on staycationers can be hard to come by, the search term rose 10 percent year over year in 2014.

Patch national staffer Dan Hampton contributed to this report.