America’s Most Fun States
The Best US States for Entertainment, Recreation and Nightlife
Summer is here and that means several months of fun-filled family vacations. However, travelers will find more fun in some places compared to others. Personal finance website WalletHub recently compared all 50 U.S. states across more than two dozen key indicators of a good time, including things like the number of attractions, weather, restaurants and movie theaters per capita, shoreline mileage, beach quality, access to national parks, average beer and wine prices as well as casinos and nightlife options per capita, among others. Entertainment and recreation factors counted toward 80 of the 100 points, with nightlife comprising the remaining 20 points. With that in mind, here’s a look at the 15 most fun states in the U.S. for 2022.
15. North Carolina
North Carolina rounds out the top 15 with a WalletHub fun score of 41.14, more than two and half times that of last-place West Virginia. Visitors to North Carolina can look forward to a range of exciting experiences, whether exploring the mountains in the western part of the state or the stellar beaches along the Atlantic coast. In between, travelers will discover mouthwatering restaurants and family-friendly attractions like Carowinds amusement park.
14. Maryland
Staying on the East Coast but further north in the Mid-Atlantic, the Old Line State ranks 10th in the country in terms of entertainment and recreation and is tied for the most marinas per capita, making it a dream destination for travelers looking to get out on the water this summer.
13. Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania narrowly edges out its neighbor to the south with an overall WalletHub fun score of 41.59, just 0.02 better than Maryland. Pennsylvania ranks inside the top 15 nationwide in both entertainment and recreation and nightlife, making it one of the more well-balanced states when it comes to good times.
12. Arizona
Out West, Arizona ranks ninth in terms of entertainment and recreation. The Grand Canyon State offers plenty of sunshine as well as a handful of exceptional national parks, foodie adventures in charming Gilbert and vibrant nightlife and spectacular golf courses in places like Scottsdale.
11. Oregon
Offering an ideal blend of scenic wilderness and city comforts, Oregon falls just outside of the top 10 when it comes to fun and has quite a bit of ground to make up when it comes to claiming the title of the most fun state in the Pacific Northwest, based on WalletHub’s research.
10. Louisiana
With the help of buzzing Bourbon Street and New Orleans, Louisiana ranks second in the country for the best nightlife in 2022, which propels it all the way to number 10 overall. Great drinks, live music and revelry aren’t all the festival-friendly state has to offer though as it also ranks a respectable 14th for entertainment and recreation.
9. Minnesota
Minnesota finds itself in the top five in a handful of key indicators of fun, including movie theaters per capita, performing arts theaters per capita, variety of arts, entertainment and recreation establishments and state and local expenditures on parks and recreation per capita.
8. Texas
Everything’s bigger in Texas, including the fun. The Lone Star State has the most amusement parks per capita, a whopping 17.8 times more than the state with the fewest in West Virginia. Texas is also tied for the most restaurants and movie theaters per capita and has the fourth-most fitness centers per capita.
7. Washington
Washington ranks inside the top 10 in both entertainment and recreation and nightlife and has the highest personal spending on recreation services per capita at $1,792. For perspective, that’s 2.6 times higher than in West Virginia, the state with the lowest at $694.
6. Colorado
Colorado’s sixth-place ranking overall mirrors its ranking for entertainment and recreation in 2022. Colorado is tied for the most skiing facilities per capita and the highest state and local expenditures on parks and recreation per capita and ranks second for personal expenditures on recreation services per capita.
5. Illinois
In the Midwest, Illinois rounds out the top five most fun states in America, ranking fourth for nightlife and fifth for entertainment and recreation. Illinois is home to the fifth-most restaurants per capita thanks to elite foodie destinations like Chicago and has the fourth-most performing arts theaters per capita as of 2022.
4. New York
New York is one of the most consistent states when it comes to fun, tying for the most restaurants and performing arts theaters per capita and ranking second for fitness centers per capita, third for movie theaters per capita and fifth for most golf courses and country clubs per capita.
3. Nevada
Home to the Entertainment Capital of the World in sizzling Las Vegas, Nevada unsurprisingly ranks tops in the country for nightlife. Nevada also boasts the fourth-highest variety of arts, entertainment and recreation establishments and is tied for the highest state and local expenditures on parks and recreation per capita.
2. Florida
Florida offers world-class theme parks and beautiful beaches in bunches. It also doesn’t hurt that the Sunshine State is tied for the most restaurants and marinas per capita and ranks inside the top five in terms of fitness centers and golf courses per capita.
1. California
Ranking best in the nation for entertainment and recreation and an impressive third for nightlife, California is America’s most fun state in 2022. This massive state has the most movie theaters, restaurants, fitness centers and performing arts theaters per capita along with a plethora of family-friendly attractions and sought-after national parks and famous landmarks.