BALTIMORE, MD—With nearly 80% of U.S. adults saying they will take some sort of road trip this summer, the personal-finance website WalletHub this week released its report on 2025’s Best & Worst States for Summer Road Trips.
To help travelers plan a fun and wallet-friendly road trip, WalletHub compared the 50 U.S. states based on 32 key metrics. The data set ranges from the number of attractions to road conditions to costs.
WalletHub’s road trip report found that Maryland ranks 41st nationally for summer driving. Minnesota topped the list and New York came in at No. 2.
Road Tripping in Maryland (1=Best; 25=Avg.):
- Overall Rank: 41st
- 30th – Number of Attractions
- 34th – Lowest Price of Three-Star Hotel Room
- 31st – Avg. Gas Prices
- 22nd – Nightlife Options per Capita
- 15th – Vehicle Miles Traveled per Capita
- 47th – Car Thefts per Capita
- 17th – Access to Scenic Byways
- 44th – Lowest Price of Camping
“Taking a summer road trip can be a very exciting way to experience a new place, but with the prices of gas, food and accommodations still impacted by inflation, you’ll want to be in a state that makes this type of vacation affordable,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “Safe roads are also key, and so is having plenty of worthwhile attractions to stop at along the road. The best states for summer road trips therefore are those that keep costs low while providing the best driving experience and most fun activities.”
“Minnesota is the best state for summer road trips, and it’s great for people who want to be outdoors because it has the fourth-highest spendings per capita on parks and recreation,” Lupo added. “In addition, Minnesota has the third-most fairs and festivals per capita during the summer, so there’s always something unique to check out. Driving in Minnesota is very safe, too. The state has the third-fewest vehicle fatalities per million miles traveled, along with the fourth-best bridge quality in the country and the ninth-lowest prevalence of speeding.”
The full WalletHub report can be viewed online here.
More in the video below.
Photo by Taras Makarenko from Pexels
