Virginia Among Best States For Summer Road Trips

VIRGINIA — Summer time. The kids are done with school, and many parents take time off work to plan a getaway with the family. And according to a new report from consumer finance site WalletHub, Virginia is among the best states in the country for a road trip, maybe not a surprise given the state's historic charms, great food scene, scenic horse country and miles of ocean shoreline.

Hassles like rising gas prices, traffic woes and the cost of travel didn't knock down Virginia's ranking in a AAA study that found that 64 percent of families traveling this summer plan to take road trips. With that in mind, WalletHub ranked all 50 states based upon the cost of road trips, safety and the number and quality of activities available.

Virginia came in at No. 14 on the list, right between Illinois and South Dakota. Neighboring Maryland came in at No. 33 overall. According to the rankings, the top 10 states for U.S. road trips were:

1. Wyoming
2. North Carolina
3. Minnesota
4. Texas
5. Florida
6. Louisiana
7. Washington
8. New York
9. Utah
10. Colorado

Ranking dead last was Rhode Island, followed closely by Connecticut, Delaware and — this one may surprise you — Hawaii.

Virginia's No. 14 ranking came despite the fact that it came in at No. 35 when it comes to the cost of travel here, but was No. 15 for safety, and No. 16 in activities for the family.

You can read WalletHub's full study here.

Need some vacation ideas?

• Here Is The Most Beautiful Place In Virginia, Conde Nast Says
  
• Alexandria Named One Of The South's Prettiest Cities
• DC, Virginia Cities Make Best, Worst Staycations List

Photo by Dasha Petrenko/Shutterstock