Best Summer Travel Destinations Include Illinois

CHICAGO, IL — The Land of Lincoln is among the top 5 summer travel destinations, at least according to the consumer finance site WalletHub. The website ranked the metro area including Chicago, Naperville and Elgin No. 4 on its list of best spots for summer trips.

The study ranked 100 metro areas on 40 key indicators, from cost of the cheapest flight to the number of attractions to the weather.

The Illinois region ranked 4 overall, coming in at No. 8 in terms of travel costs and hassles, 86 in local costs and 4 in overall attractions.

Illinois Tourism Hit All-Time High In 2017

The "Travel Costs & Hassles" metric weighed factors including the cost of the cheapest flight and duration of the cheapest flight. "Local Costs" included cost of living, lowest nightly rate for a three-star hotel and the average price of a two-personal meal. "Attractions" rated the number and diversity of local attractions from amusement parks to spas, shopping centers, beaches, parks, walking and hiking tours, beer gardens and more.

The Chicago area had the fourth most attractions and third most activities, according to the study.

The top 5 metro areas on the list are:

• Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
• Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
• Austin-Round Rock, TX
• Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
• Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

Read the full story here.

Photo via Amber Fisher, Patch Staff