Concord is the only U.S. tourist destination where vacation costs stay under $1,000, making it the nation’s most affordable getaway spot.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A new study has identified 30 U.S. tourist destinations where travelers can enjoy a complete vacation for less than $1,600, with Concord, North Carolina, emerging as the most affordable option.
GOBankingRates analyzed popular tourist destinations across the country to determine where two adults could vacation for three nights without breaking the bank. The study calculated total costs including airfare, hotel accommodations, meals and beverages for trips taken in early August.
Concord ranked first with a total vacation cost of $940, the only destination in the study where expenses stayed below $1,000. Located just a few miles northeast of Charlotte, Concord offers visitors a mix of cultural attractions and outdoor activities, including Charlotte Motor Speedway.
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Top destinations offer significant savings
Phoenix came in second place with a total vacation cost of $1,120, followed by Macon, Georgia, at $1,184. All three top-ranked cities kept total expenses under $1,200 for a three-night stay.
The study’s methodology assumed two adults traveling between Aug. 7 and Aug. 10 would share three meals at mid-range restaurants, 12 meals at inexpensive restaurants and various beverages throughout their trip. Researchers used Hotels.com data for average hotel prices and Bureau of Transportation statistics for 2025 average airfare costs.
GOBankingRates compiled its list of popular tourist destinations by consulting Travel + Leisure, TripAdvisor, U.S. News & World Report, Nomadic Matt and Holdify.
Notable absences from budget list
Despite Florida’s reputation as a major tourism destination, no cities from the Sunshine State broke into the top 30 most affordable vacation spots. The absence suggests higher costs for accommodations, dining or airfare to popular Florida destinations push total vacation expenses above the $1,600 threshold.
The findings come as Americans increasingly seek value-driven travel options amid persistent inflation concerns. Budget-conscious travelers looking for cultural experiences, outdoor activities and memorable sights can find options across the country without exceeding $1,600 for a long weekend getaway.
Click here to view the complete rankings and detailed cost breakdowns for all 30 destinations.
For this study, GOBankingRates found the most popular tourist destinations from Travel + Leisure’s “World Best Awards 2025,” Travel + Leisure’s “Best Small Towns of 2025,” TripAdvisor’s “Things to Do in US,” U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Places to Live,” NomadicMatt’s “Places to Visit in the United States” and Holdify’s “Places to Visit.” GOBankingRates assumed two adults going on vacation for three nights, Aug. 7-10. This trip included three meals at mid-range restaurants, 12 meals at inexpensive restaurants, six beers and six sodas. The average prices were sourced from Numbeo. The average price of the three cheapest hotels within five miles of downtown were sourced from Hotels.com. The average airfare was sourced from the Bureau of Transportation’s average airfare for 2025. If the exact city was not listed, the closest airport was used. The average cost of a vacation was calculated using the total cost for meals, drinks, hotel and airfare. The vacation locations were sorted to show the most affordable locations first. All data was collected on and is up to date as of Oct. 1, 2025.
