Category: Travel Inspiration

Congratulations on joining one of the most elite clubs on the planet: The Empty Nesters. You have launched your children into the world, cleared out the house, and officially begun to reclaim your personal time.

But what will you do now? If you’re deciding that travel is the answer, you couldn’t make a better choice. It’s the ultimate activity for having new life experiences, learning new perspectives and being happier. If you recently achieved empty nester status, though, it may have been a while since you packed a suitcase just for yourself and set out for a relaxing vacation.

If that’s the case, we’re here to help. Learn more about why you should travel, how to start planning your trip and how to guarantee a successful journey.

Why Should You Travel?

Travel Can Make You Happy and Improve Your Health

Everybody needs a break from the daily grind-a quick scroll through social media during the workday, lunchtime walks to get fresh air-and what is travel if not an extended break from the pressures of daily life?

Empty nest travel can also improve the effects stress can have on your health. By traveling, you can lower cortisol (a.k.a. the stress hormone) in your body. This can help you lose weight, improve heart health and lead a happier, longer, more active life.

Speaking of hormones, travel also has a big impact on endorphins. Endorphins make us happy, and studies have shown that people who travel have much higher endorphin levels. Not only that, but the longer you travel, the higher your endorphin levels can be. With that in mind, setting off for parts unknown will definitely put a smile on your face.

Travel Can Build Your Confidence

Going on a trip isn’t only healthy for your body, though. Travel can positively impact how you see and think about yourself.

Empty nest travel can be exciting, but also a little scary if you know you’re going to face some challenges. What if you want to go to another country, for example, but don’t know how to speak the language?

Going into the unknown and pushing yourself outside your comfort zone is one of travel’s greatest benefits. By leaving behind familiar territory to try new life experiences-even if you don’t have all the skills you need-you can create opportunities to succeed and prove to yourself that you can persevere. Best of all is that when you return home, you can go from telling yourself, “I don’t know if I can do that” to proudly looking in the mirror and saying, “I did.”

How to Start Traveling

Reflect on Your Interests

To begin planning your empty nest travel, start thinking about what excites you. Do you like relaxing walks or challenging hikes? Does medieval architecture enchant you, or do you want to surround yourself with a contemporary metropolis?

Examining what brings you joy is ideal for figuring out your first destination. To get started, make a list using a blank sheet of paper, a note-taking app or bullet journaling for a creative touch.

Start Traveling Small

Don’t overdo it if you’re nervous about traveling for the first time in a while. Starting with a small vacation is fine; after all, an adventure isn’t good only because of the destination. It’s also about creating a positive experience for yourself while you’re there.

If this is your approach, consider a long weekend somewhere instead of a week. If you’re nervous about planes, choose destinations you can reach with shorter flights. You can also keep empty nest travel from being overwhelming by booking rentals that feel like home thanks to AirBnB, VRBO and more.

Helpful Trip Tips

Be Flexible

Not everything goes according to plan, but that doesn’t mean your empty nest travel can’t be great. If you booked a museum tour but your guide cancels, you could find public art to enjoy. In the same vein, if weather derails your plans for a walk through a famous park, consider swapping that schedule with an indoor activity on your itinerary, and save the park for another, sunnier day. Your best strategy is to stay optimistic and adaptable, so your trip can remain a success.

Be Safe

Don’t be nervous about unfamiliar locales or new life experiences. At the same time, take precautions to protect yourself and your belongings. Stay aware of your surroundings to keep yourself from getting lost in new surroundings or from getting hurt. Furthermore, keep valuables close, especially those that could cause emergencies if lost. Use backpacks with multiple fastenings to secure your possessions, or in accessories you can wear under your clothing.

Get Worry-Free Trip Insurance

One more precaution you can take for your empty nest travel is to buy travel insurance. It may provide financial protection by reimbursing costs for canceled or interrupted trips due to unforeseen circumstances like illness, injury or natural disasters. Depending on the protection you choose, medical coverage may also be included, ensuring that when you buy travel insurance, you’re cared for in case of emergency evacuations, repatriation and more.

The professionals at InsureMyTrip can help you find the coverage that best meets your needs as you embark on your well-earned empty nest travel adventures. Read our customers’ reviews to see why they buy travel insurance from InsureMyTrip, then contact us to find the right policy for your needs.

What is Immersive Travel and Why is Its Relevance Continuing to Grow in 2023?

Right now, immersive travel is being talked about all over the travel industry. Travelers are looking to get more than just a tourist tee shirt out of their vacation. They want an experience that leaves them feeling enriched with unique memories to bring back home with them. With COVID-19 seemingly in the rear-view mirror, travelers are now trying to make the most out of their vacations and slow tourism is the answer to that call.

What is Immersive Travel?

The question you might be asking is – what is immersive travel? This newly popular type of travel refers to an experience that allows you to fully engage with the destination and its culture, leaving having learned more than you would on an average vacation. It’s not just about seeing the sights, but more so, learning about the local culture, and its people and experiencing life as if you lived there. A few different types of immersive travel trends include:

• Cultural Immersion: Cultural immersive travel trends have been on the rise as of late. This is where a traveler focuses mostly on experiencing local traditions. It may include attending festivals or participating in cultural activities. Any aspect of what the locals do that will give the traveler a deeper sense of understanding and appreciation for the destination they’re traveling to.
• Culinary Immersion: Food is a central part of a destination’s culture and history. Culinary immersion allows travelers to taste local cuisine, learn their cooking techniques, and visit local markets.
• Adventure Immersion: This type of travel is about exploring the destination’s natural surroundings and taking part in outdoor activities that are typical of the area. Whether that be hiking, skiing, swimming, or even just being a witness to wildlife. It is about connecting with nature and challenging oneself mentally or physically.
• Artistic Immersion: This form of immersive travel has a heavy focus on fully experiencing the local art scene. This may include attending local performances, visiting galleries, or even attending a local art class of some form. It’s a great way to expand to connect with local artists and your appreciation for artistic expression.
• Spiritual Immersion: This form of travel allows travelers to deeply connect with their spirituality as well as the opportunity to experience local religions and spiritual practices–often seen in the form of yoga retreats or meditation practices. Some travelers will also visit temples and churches to attend ceremonies and rituals.

Why Slow Tourism is Becoming More Relevant in 2023

In recent years immersive travel, also sometimes referred to as slow tourism, has been on an incline, mostly due to travelers having a deeper desire to seek more meaningful and authentic travel experiences that align with their values and interests. Especially after 2020, people began to have a better understanding of how quickly life can change, and the importance of making the most of their time and money. As we see immersive travel trends continue to become more relevant, it’s evident there are a few other contributing factors. One example includes the general public’s growing interest in sustainable travel. Many people are becoming more aware of their footprint on the environment and have begun to find ways to travel more responsibly. Slow tourism offers opportunities for travelers to connect with nature or support local communities.

Benefits of Immersive Travel

Now that we’ve established familiarity with what immersive travel is and why it is growing in relevance, we can discuss the benefits of this tourism trend. Some include:

• Personal growth and learning opportunities which make it possible for travelers to step out of their comfort zones and challenge themselves, leading to a greater sense of self-awareness.
• A sense of cultural exchange and understanding that allows travelers to have a deeper appreciation of local customs, traditions, and ways of life.
• It is a more sustainable travel option and promotes environmental awareness and responsible travel practices.
• This form of travel is economically beneficial for local communities. By aiming to have an authentic experience, travelers will support local businesses, artisans, etc. in the process.

Why Compare Travel Insurance

When looking at up-and-coming travel trends it’s largely important that travelers also remember to compare travel insurance plans in that process.

Protecting the special memories that will be made during an immersive travel experience is just as important as the memories themselves. From medical coverage to protection against trip cancellation, a comprehensive plan can cover the traveler through a variety of potential issues. Some of the reasons to compare travel insurance plans when booking an immersive vacation include:

• Medical coverage for unexpected expenses while traveling that may not be covered by a traveler’s domestic medical insurance.
• Helps to protect a traveler’s investment if things don’t go as planned and their trip gets canceled or interrupted.
• Travel delays are inevitable, and bags get lost, but travel insurance may reimburse for necessities if baggage is delayed or lost.
• Sometimes even the most seasoned travelers need help. Investing in travel insurance gives travelers the assurance that help is only a phone call away if necessary.

There are incredible experiences to be had while on an immersive vacation and having it ruined by an unexpected situation is not ideal. Travel insurance makes it so that you may have fewer things to worry about on your trip. The point of an immersive vacation is to have an experience of a lifetime that leaves the traveler with a broadened perspective and new worldly knowledge. By investing in travel insurance, travelers are investing in a trip and the memories they’ll be making. Trust the professionals at InsureMyTrip to help find the best coverage for immersive vacations. Check out our customers’ reviews and ratings and see why all types of travelers are choosing coverage from InsureMyTrip for their trips! Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.

With summer around the corner, couples and families will be searching for the ultimate beach destination. Families may look for destinations with highly rated family-friendly hotels and high-quality family attractions, and they may be more concerned with how safe an area is. Couples will likely be looking for a romantic getaway and destinations with adult-only hotels, high-quality romantic attractions, and highly rated, fine-dining restaurants.

We used three unique metrics to judge our family-friendly destinations, these are the quality of family hotels, the quality of family attractions, and area safety. We also used three unique metrics to rank our romantic beach destinations, like the number of adult-only hotels, quality of romantic attractions, and the quality of fine-dining restaurants.

At InsureMyTrip we analyzed 62 popular beach destinations across these data points to find out what the best beach destination is, whether you’re traveling as a family or planning a romantic vacation with your partner.

How Does the USA Rank for Beach Destinations?

We included 10 beach destinations within the U.S. in our research and pulled out their rankings for family-friendly and romantic beach vacations.

The highest-ranking U.S. destination for a family beach vacation is the Florida Keys with an overall score of 8.73 (19th in overall score), it's also ranked the safest destination in our United States list with an overall safety rating of 74.

We then have Honolulu in 29th (8.5 overall score), Ocean City in 31st (8.49), Galveston in 36th (8.73), Coney Island in 46th (8.09), Myrtle Beach and Los Angeles in 47th (8.07), San Diego in 49th (8.03), San Francisco in 57th (7.59), and Miami in 58th (7.45).

Our highest-ranking romantic destination in the U.S. is Myrtle Beach, scoring 7.73 overall. Myrtle Beach has the weakest ocean current out of our American destinations at just 0.1 m/s.

The remaining romantic U.S. destinations are Honolulu in 34th (7.73 overall score), Florida Keys in 40th (7.71), Los Angeles in 44th (7.66), Coney Island in 45th (7.45), Ocean City in 51st (7.36), San Diego in 52nd (7.31), Galveston in 53rd (7.18), San Francisco in 54th (7.08), and Miami in 58th (6.85).

Conclusion

Overall, there are many great places to visit for your summer vacation this year, whether you want a memorable trip for your kids or a relaxing couple's getaway. For families, we'd recommend Corfu and for couples, we'd recommend Bali. Although if you want a vacation with a bit of both, we recommend the Greek islands. Crete came 7th in our family-friendly table and 3rd in our romantic table and Corfu ranked 1st for families and 10th for couples.

Methodology

Each data point consists of the latest research available from reputable sources. For the 'Overall' tab the data was standardized using minmax normalization. The minmax normalization value is multiplied by 10 to create a score (between 1-10). A score of 10 is always the best result, while a score of 0 is the worst. Each city is then ranked on their overall average rating across all data points from city-level data.

InsureMyTrip isolated each data point in addition to giving an overall category score. This will give families or couples an opportunity to target destinations for individual points (e.g. quantity of family attractions, ocean current strength or quality of fine dining restaurants). Alternatively, the "Overall" category score gives a general view of which destinations will allow you and the rest of your family to create the perfect lifetime memories.

Sources

Quality of Nearby Beaches

According to the Google Places API, all data was collected using web scraping software.

https://www.google.com/maps

Sea Temperature

The average max sea temperature across a whole year.

https://www.seatemperature.org/

Lowest Wave Height

The mean significant wave height for each destination.

https://earth.nullschool.net/

Weakest Ocean Current Strength

The ocean current strength for each destination.

https://earth.nullschool.net/

Family-Friendly Beach Sources

Area Safety

All data was taken from the Numbeo Safety Index 2023, based on tourist surveys, the closer to 100 a destination ranks the safer it is.

https://www.numbeo.com/crime/rankings.jsp

Quality of Family Hotels

Average rating of 25 hotels for a family of four with "Top Family Picks" filter on Booking.com.

https://www.booking.com/

Quality of Family Attractions

Average rating of attractions in 'Kid-friendly attraction' filter on Wanderlog.

https://wanderlog.com/

Romantic Beach Sources

No. Adult Only Hotels

The number of 'adult only' hotels listed on Travel Myth

https://www.travelmyth.com/

Quality of Romantic Attractions

Average rating of attractions in 'Romantic attraction' filter on Wanderlog.

https://wanderlog.com/

Quality of Fine Dining

Average rating of fine dining restaurants on Google Maps

https://www.google.com/maps

Our best city for a digital detox is Prague, with an overall score of 7.96. This is with high scores across all metrics, especially residents living near car-free zones at 82% and an average travel time of 16 minutes 20 seconds. Prague is a great place to visit if you want to explore on foot without worrying about crossing busy roads.

In second is Rome, with an overall score of 7.65. The highest score across the activity metrics, Rome has an average rating of 4.3/5 stars for parks, 52% of residents near a car-free zone, and 2,078 evening tours.

Closely following is Amsterdam with an overall score of 7.6 and Lisbon with an overall score of 7.58. These cities have the best rated spas from the cities analyzed, with Lisbon having an average rating of 8.92/10 and Amsterdam with an average of 8.55/10.

Out of our top 10, seven are within Europe, in 5th is Copenhagen, Denmark with an overall score of 7.53. In 9th is Madrid, Spain with an overall score of 7.36. and in 10th is Stockholm, Sweden with an overall score of 7.26.

The remaining cities in our top 10 are Marrakech, Morocco (6th) with 7.49 overall, Hong Kong, China (7th) with 7.46 overall, and Dubai, UAE (8th) with 7.44 overall.

Relaxation

Our relaxation metrics include traffic levels and population density as navigating crowds and busy streets can be very stressful, especially when trying not to use your phone. According to our data, the best city to visit for a stress-free environment is Accra, Ghana with an overall relaxation score of 9.19. While we don’t have traffic data, Accra has a population density of 1,300 people per km² and an average spa rating of 8/10.

The second most relaxing city is Marrakech, Morocco with an overall score of 8.8. Once again, we don’t have traffic data, but Marrakech has some of the highest rated spas at 8.61/10 and a population density of 4,441 per km².

In third is Dubai, UAE with an overall score of 8.45. Dubai has the lowest traffic level in our data with cars traveling 10km in just 12 minutes and 10 seconds during rush hour. They also have a population density of just 861 per km² and an average spa rating of 8.1/10.

Activities

If you want to have a digital detox, but still do plenty of highly rated activities, Europe is the ideal continent, with 9 of our top 10 cities. These are Rome, Paris, Prague, London, Athens, Lisbon, Barcelona, Amsterdam, and Marid.

The best cities for parks and green spaces are Prague – with an overall rating of 4.3/5 stars – closely following is Athens, Greece with 4.29/5 stars, and Chicago with 4.24/5 stars.

If walkability is important the best cities are Hong Kong with 85% of residents living near car-free zones, Prague with 82% of residents near car free-zones, and Stockholm with 79% of residents near car free zones.

One of the most common times to go on any device is when winding down in the evening, we looked at the number of evening tours to find activities which could occupy your time instead. The city with the highest number of tours is Rome with 2,078 tours, second is Paris and Dubai with 1,383, and third is Athens with 1,225 tours.

Safety

Having a phone on you can often give an element of safety, we’ve used the Numbeo safety metric, the closer to 10 a city has scored the safer it is. The safest city in our research is Abu Dhabi, UAE with a safety score of 10, second is Doha, Qatar with a score of 9.73, and third is Taipei, Taiwan with 9.61.

Internet

Having unlimited access to the internet can make it hard to avoid the temptation of using your devices. We’ve measured our internet metric with the best scores awarded to cities which have the lowest number of free Wi-Fi spots.

With just 38 free Wi-Fi spots Delhi, India scored highest, next is Dublin, Ireland with 128 free Wi-Fi spots, and third is Johannesburg, South Africa with 308 free Wi-Fi spots.

Conclusion

Overall, there are lots of great cities to visit when doing a digital detox. Prague came top overall with high scores across all metrics. European cities generally scored high for metrics, which more adventurous travelers might enjoy, with Rome, Paris, and Prague scoring highest. Travelers wanting a more relaxed holiday should be looking to visit Accra, Marrakech, and Dubai.

Methodology

Each data point consists of the latest research available from reputable sources. The data was standardized using minmax normalization. The minmax normalization value is multiplied by 10 to create a score (between 1-10). A score of 10 is always the best result, while a score of 0 is the worst. Each city is then ranked on their overall average rating across all data points from city-level data.

InsureMyTrip segmented factors into four categories, (Relaxation, Activities, Safety, and Internet) as well as providing an “overall rating” for each of the cities. The categories were organized to allow travelers to find the ideal city based on what was most important to them. For example, if travelers want a city they can relax in, they can make an informed decision on where to go. If instead travelers want to go somewhere with a lot of activities to do instead of going on their phones, they can look on the ‘Activities’ tab.

Sources

Traffic Level

Average time to travel 10km during rush hour.

TomTom

Population Density

The number of people per km² within the city proper.

City Population

Rating of Spas

The average rating of spas in each city, out of 10.

Booking.com

Rating of Parks

The average rating of parks in each city, out of 5 stars.

Google Maps

Walkability

Percentage of residents who live within 100m (328ft) of a car free plaza, park or street.

Pedestrian First

Evening Tour Activities

The number of tours taking place between 5pm – 12am.

Viator

Safety Score

Based on user data the Numbeo Safety Score is an estimation of the overall safety in each city, with a score closer to 100 being ranked as safer.

Numbeo

Solo travel can be an incredibly empowering experience that should be on everyone’s bucket list. The lessons learned, the sense of independence found, and the memories made while on a solo adventure are unlike anything you can experience in your day-to-day life. In recent years, solo travel, especially for women, has become more normalized – and popular – for both weekend getaways and month-long trips. But something to always prioritize when traveling alone is your safety. If you’re thinking about taking the leap this year, here are some must-see destinations for 2023.

5 Great Destinations for Solo Female Travelers in 2023

There are many factors to keep in mind when choosing a travel destination. The most important of those being what you are interested in experiencing on this solo adventure. Is it historical sights, beautiful beaches, city life, or unique attractions? Maybe somewhere to immerse yourself into the great outdoors, try new food, or learn about different cultures? Here we have compiled a list of five incredible destinations that will also ensure safe travel for women!

Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos is composed of 21 total islands in the Pacific Ocean, which are a part of the Republic of Ecuador. With beautiful scenery, plenty of beaches to sit back and relax on, and friendly locals, The Galapagos Islands are an ideal location for a solo traveler who is looking for a good tan and plenty of relaxation. If you love the beauty of natural and unique wildlife, you might enjoy snorkeling with baby sea lions or visiting the giant tortoises at the Charles Darwin Research Station. There are many ways to enjoy the beautiful scenery and unique wildlife in the Galapagos. Whether it be an excursion or sitting back on the beach, there is something for everyone.

Reykjavik, Iceland

Reykjavik is one of the most popular Nordic tourist destinations. Not only is it the largest city in Iceland, but it is also considered one of the greenest, cleanest, and safest cities in the world! From natural hot springs or encountering the Northern Lights to historical landmarks and museums, there’s plenty to see and do here. Some of the top sights in this area include the Blue Lagoon, the Eyjafjallajökull Volcano, or the Perlan. If you’re looking to take in the beauty of the city with a 360-degree view, make sure the Perlan is on your list! Reykjavik is a destination that is both memorable and considered as a spot that offers safe travel for women from all over the globe.

Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

Vancouver Island is a perfect destination if you are looking to have an adventurous solo trip. With tons of outdoor activities and beautiful wildlife this destination is an outdoorswoman’s dream! Check out Butchart Gardens to experience 55 acres of beautifully kept botanical gardens. It may be open all year round, but the most recommended time to visit would be from the spring to the summer. Another great outdoor adventure on Vancouver Island is Sooke Pothole Provincial Park! Here you can cool off in the crystal-clear swimming holes on a hot summer’s day.

London, England

Known as the largest city in the United Kingdom and an extremely popular tourist destination for solo female travelers. If you are a solo traveler looking to experience somewhere that is lively and full of diverse culture, London is a great place to add to your list. Some of the most popular attractions here include Buckingham Palace, The London Eye, or Big Ben. London is known to be one of the most visited cities in Europe making it full of tourist attractions. You won’t get bored here!

Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo is commonly seen as a unique and lively city. Full of ancient culture as well as modern and futuristic developments. Tokyo has things to do for people of all interests. If you are looking for a trip where you can submerge yourself into a beautiful and unique culture, enjoy incredible food, and learn about rich history Tokyo is the place for you! The Toyosu Fish Market is a sushi lover’s paradise, home of the best and freshest sushi in town-possibly the world! To soak in the beautiful ancient culture of Tokyo, another must-see is Senso-ji Temple, the oldest temple in Tokyo!

Tips For Traveling Solo

When it comes to traveling solo, there are always small tips and tricks you can learn to make your trip seamless and your experience much more enjoyable. It is important to realize when traveling abroad that you are entering places with different societal and cultural norms. The more that travelers can blend into the new locale they are exploring, the more enjoyable their experience will be. It is a simple concept, but one that travelers should keep in mind: natives love and respect visitors who also show love and respect to their home.

To ensure the travel safety for women as they explore new locales on their own, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Keeping your knees and shoulders covered when visiting holy grounds such as churches or temples.
• In places such as Japan, keeping your hands in your pockets is viewed as disrespectful.
• Keeping your feet covered in Arab, Muslim, Buddhist, or Hindu countries.

Being culturally aware before heading off on a solo adventure abroad will result in the locals showing you much more respect and consideration. Being flexible to understand how different places do different things will largely benefit you on your journey!

Benefits of Travel Insurance for Women

Even the most prepared and seasoned solo female traveler can face unexpected difficulties along their way. Knowing the ways in which travel insurance can help you, if you do happen to find yourself in an unexpected predicament, could largely benefit you. Travel insurance for women traveling on their own is like having a safety net. It is always reassuring to know you are covered if you need it. And the right package may give you the peace of mind to better enjoy your trip. Travel insurance can offer protection against a broad range of misfortunes that can help women feel safer while traveling – such as coverage if your trip is delayed or canceled, or for medical expenses if you get ill during your travels.

Generally, the U.S. Department of State recommends American travelers carry travel insurance when traveling internationally. There are five main types of coverage that we suggest solo female travelers look into before heading off on their foreign adventures.

1. Medical Insurance: Though no one anticipates getting sick when traveling, it happens. It is best to be prepared in case it happens to you because your domestic medical insurance does not usually extend to coverage while abroad. Medical insurance can help cover the cost of international medical bills.
2. AD&D Coverage: These plans are similar to a life insurance policy, in that a beneficiary would receive the benefit in the event of your death or dismembering injury while traveling.
3. Evacuation Insurance: This coverage provides transport assistance if you become seriously ill or injured while traveling. With some emergency medical evacuation plans, you may be able to choose the hospital to which you would like to be transported.
4. Trip Cancellation or Interruption Insurance: Cancellations happen more frequently than we would like. With this insurance the traveler may be reimbursed for unforeseen, covered events that cause cancellation or interruption to their trip.
5. Baggage and Personal Item Loss: This form of insurance may reimburse you for lost, damaged, or stolen personal items.

Depending upon the trip you are taking, as well as your own personal concerns, the right kind of travel insurance for you may vary. But as a traveler, it is helpful and responsible to know that you have protection in case you find yourself in any of these situations. There is nothing that helps to give you the peace of mind while traveling like knowing you are safe and covered in any bad event.

Travel Safely with Trip Insurance

Though traveling alone, especially as a female, has commonly been seen as a brave or risky undertaking, by thoroughly preparing for the experience you can turn that narrative around and make it the adventure of your lifetime! Travel insurance makes it possible for women to feel more confident when traveling while also maximizing their unforgettable travel experiences.

InsureMyTrip is the nation’s first-and-largest unbiased travel insurance comparison site. Not only are we able to find you the right travel insurance for women at the right price, but we will help you step-by-step through the process. At InsureMyTrip you can rest assured that we prioritize safe travel for women. Check out our customers’ reviews and ratings and see why solo female travelers are choosing coverage from InsureMyTrip on their past, present, and future trips! Contact us today to find the perfect coverage for all your 2023 travel needs.

Many of us dream of the perfect wedding, and the ideal location is a big part of this fantasy. We assessed 160 of the most populated U.S. cities, including one from every state, to find which are the best wedding destinations. We collected data based on the following criteria: quantity and quality of venues, entertainment, and florists in each city, as well as the annual rainfall and average cost of a hotel.

Hopefully, this inspires engaged couples and wedding planners in their search for the perfect place to tie the knot.

Overall

According to the combined scores of all the previous data points, the best U.S. wedding destination is Saint Paul, Minnesota with score of 7.79.

Minnesota seems to be the ideal state, since Minneapolis is a close second (7.77). Texas is also well represented in the top five, with Grand Prairie (7.37), Irving (7.22), and Garland (7.13) all scoring well.

Outside of these states, Atlanta (7.12) and Ontario, California (7.10) both place highly.

In contrast, the worst wedding destinations are Columbus, Georgia (with a score of 2.50), Hilo, Hawaii (2.92), and Fayetteville, North Carolina (3.32).

Venues

Many cities are more spoiled for choice than others when it comes to picking a wedding venue, highlighted by their popularity with brides and grooms-to-be.

When it comes to the number of reception venues, Minnesota’s Saint Paul and Minneapolis take second and third on the list with both having nearly 200 wedding locations. The top spot goes to Atlanta with a huge total of 206 venues to choose from.

Of course, quality is better than quantity, and the best venues appear to be in Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. According to our list Pittsburgh is home to the highest quality venues, with an average rating of 4.89 stars out of five.

At the other end, couples may want to avoid getting married in Boise or Meridian, since the venues in both Idaho cities have an average rating of 2.81. Cedar Rapids is also not ideal with a rating of 3.02.

Annual Rainfall

For those looking to have an outdoor wedding, certain cities will be riskier regarding the possibility of rain. Although this depends on the time of year, dry locations are a safe choice if you can’t have a wedding in the summer.

The southeast states of Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana have the highest annual rainfall. Two cities from Florida claim the wettest cities with Hialeah getting 70.38 inches of rain per year. Fort Lauderdale is close behind in second. Florida’s rainy season typically runs from late May through mid-October.

Nevada is clearly the driest state, taking four of the top five spots. Vegas has the lowest annual rain of any city, with just 4.19 inches. Bakersfield, California is also low on the list at a mere 6.47 inches. Couples getting married here should have little concern of getting rained on.

Entertainment

No wedding reception is complete without great entertainment. Jersey City has the highest amount of entertainment options according to TheKnot.com – there are 193 wedding bands listed within 10 miles of the city.

Newark, also in New Jersey, is second in the list with 136 bands, while New York takes third with 134. Twelve U.S. cities, including Cleveland and Stockton, had no bands listed on the website.

The average rating of wedding entertainment was a full five stars out of five in 20 cities, such as Grand Prairie, Texas and Ontario, California.

Unfortunately, not all wedding bands go down well. Wedding planners should think twice before booking entertainment from cities like Augusta or Tacoma where the average rating of bands is 0.

Florists

Having a beautiful flower arrangement at their wedding is important for many people, and some cities have a lot more florists available than others.

There are 110 florists in New York, more than in any other U.S. city. Miami and Los Angeles also have 92 and 87 respectively. Smaller cities such as Hilo, Hawaii and Laredo, Texas don’t have any florists.

You are unlikely to go wrong when hiring a professional florist, since every single city has an average rating of at least four stars for their florists. Some of the cities with lower rated florists include Moreno Valley, California and Shreveport, Louisiana.

There are 19 U.S. cities with an average rating of five for their florists. This includes Lubbock, Texas and Oakland, California where all 10 florists in the city are five-star rated. You are sure to have an expert arrangement if you go to a florist in Oakland.

Average Cost of a Hotel

While many U.S. cities provide a dream wedding destination, couples must be realistic when planning their wedding. With large numbers of guests traveling to the wedding, some from far away and even abroad, the cost of hotels in the city should be factored in.

Guests won’t want to travel to a city they cannot afford to stay in. As hosts of the wedding, you may even decide to pay for your guests’ accommodation, so the cost is your concern.

Unsurprisingly, New York City has the most expensive hotels at an average of $661 per night. Boston is second ($638) followed by Austin, Texas ($598). The cheapest city to stay in is Little Rock, Arkansas with $126 per night for a hotel on average.

Conclusion

In summary, the ideal city in which to get married depends on several factors that make each city appealing.

Larger cities are bound to have more venue choices, with some that are out of a fairy tale. But expenses must also be considered, making these places somewhat unrealistic.

No one wants a rainy wedding, and this makes cities in the southeast a risky option at certain times of the year.

When you add the finishing touches of a charming wedding band and magical flower display, the perfect wedding plan comes together.

Methodology

Each data point consists of the latest research available from reputable sources. All sources are city specific level data points. The data was standardized using minmax normalization. The minmax normalization value is multiplied by 10 to create a score (between 0-10). A score of 10 is always the best result, while a score of 0 is the worst. Each city is then ranked on their overall rating across all wedding related data points, to find which city is the most desirable for a wedding.

InsureMyTrip isolated each data point in addition to giving an overall category score. This will give wedding planners an opportunity to target destinations for individual points (e.g., rating of venue, rating of florists, etc.). Alternatively, the “Overall” category score gives a general view of which city is the most desirable for a wedding.

Sources

Number of Venues

The number of reception venues according to TheKnot.com.

Rating of Venues

The average rating of the venues in each city according to TheKnot.com.

Annual Rainfall

The average annual rainfall in inches each city receives according to USClimateData.com.

Number of Wedding Entertainment Bands

The number of wedding entertainment bands within 10 miles of each city according to TheKnot.com.

Rating of Entertainment

The average rating of wedding entertainment bands within 10 miles of each city according to TheKnot.com.

Number of Florists

The number of florists in each city according to WeddingWire.com.

Rating of Florists

The average rating of florists in each city according to WeddingWire.com.

Average Cost of a Hotel

The average cost of a hotel on Saturday 21st October on Booking.com, filtered by ‘top reviewed’ a maximum of 50 hotels prices were checked.

Everyone has their ideal bucket list destination, the ultimate place they want to visit at least once in their life. But which bucket list destination is the most popular?

With global tourism arrivals set to increase 30% in 2023 consumers are eager to travel more and visit new destinations. At InsureMyTrip we found the top cities and cultural wonders residents in each state want to visit.

Most Popular Cities According to Each State

With many Americans preferring domestic travel it’s unsurprising six of the eight most popular cities are within the United States. However, with 1.8 million average monthly searches Barcelona, Spain is the most desired bucket list destination.

The second most popular dream destination is Chicago, with 597k average monthly searches across 17 states. Notably many of the central states want to visit Chicago, while the outer states would prefer to visit Barcelona.

Los Angeles received 106k average searches across five states: Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, and New Mexico. New York received 64k average monthly searches across Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Boston received 30k average monthly searches from across Maine and New Hampshire. San Francisco is the top destination in Oregon. Birmingham, Alabama is a favorite in Mississippi. While Montreal is popular in Vermont.

Most Popular Cultural Wonder According to Each State

There are 10 cultural wonders people in the U.S. want to visit in 2023 (six of them found within the USA) from the Great Wall of China to Hoover Dam. The most popular cultural wonder is the Eiffel Tower in Paris, with 213k average monthly searches across 21 states. Next is the Statue of Liberty in New York, with 166k average monthly searches across 21 states.

Vermont residents want to travel the furthest with Cambodia’s Angkor Wat receiving 590 average monthly searches, along with the Statue of Liberty in New York. The less known World Heritage site Fallingwater in Pennsylvania is a favorite amongst people in West Virginia, perhaps down to the border between West Virginia and Pennsylvania, where the house is located.

There are several states that can’t decide where they would like to visit. With incredible cultural wonders all over the world it’s a hard decision to make.

Our most indecisive states include Idaho, with 1,600 average monthly searches for the Eiffel Tower, Machu Picchu, Peru, Mount Rushmore, South Dakota, and Hoover Dam.

For indecisive states, we also have Oklahoma which had 2,900 average monthly searches for the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore, and Hoover Dam.

Overall

Overall, people want to visit a range of cultural wonders and cities this year, with Barcelona being the most desired city to visit and the Eiffel Tower the most desired cultural wonder.

Surprisingly, while people in Nevada want to see the Eiffel Tower, they would rather visit Los Angeles. This is true of several states. In Texas they want to see the Statue of Liberty, yet would rather go to Barcelona, which is quite far from New York.

Methodology

Using Google Keyword Planner we recorded search volume for the name of the top 50 cultural wonders and the name of the top 53 most popular cities in each of the 50 States. We then removed any cultural wonders or cities which had the highest volume in the State where they are located.

The holidays are a popular time for travel, and many travelers get into the spirit by visiting cheery locations that inspire seasonal joy. From Minneapolis to Miami, we reviewed 100 cities across the United States to identify which were the most festive. We collected data to determine the jolliest locations based on the following criteria: number of Christmas markets, holiday events, festive tours, the chance of snow, and number of searches for ‘Christmas in …’.

We hope this gives holiday travelers destination inspiration as they’re looking for festive locations when planning their next trip.

Traveling for a White Christmas

For many, the concept of a ‘White Christmas’ has been endlessly romanticized. For some states, the idea of a White Christmas is little more than a fantasy whilst others have come to expect it.

New York’s Rochester, Syracuse, and Buffalo dominate the competition when comparing the chance of snow in cities across the country. Both Rochester and Syracuse score just under a 50% chance of snowfall throughout the Christmas period, while Buffalo maintains a 39% probability.

Excluding the leading state, Grand Rapids, Michigan followed close behind in fourth, accompanying state partner Detroit in the top 10. Anchorage, Alaska registered fifth place, with Spokane, Washington in sixth place.

For those who prefer to avoid the snow, 39 cities recorded a 0% chance of snowfall. Notably, these states all reside within the country’s southern region.

Number of Christmas Markets

Looking for a classic Christmas market in the upcoming holidays? We looked at the number of Christmas markets in each city, helping those who love holiday shopping to plan their next adventure.

New York City leads our list of cities in Christmas markets, with a total of 6. Denver, Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Portland, Oregon and Las Vegas, Nevada tie for second place with 5 Christmas markets each. Six cities tie for third place: Albuquerque, New Mexico, Raleigh, North Carolina, Omaha, Nevada, Nashville, Tennessee, Boston, Massachusetts and Boise, Idaho.

Alternatively, 25 U.S. cities reportedly host no Christmas markets. Surprisingly, only half of these destinations reside in the southern part of the country. Of the remaining cities, Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Spokane, Washington, were still able to score highly overall, despite their lack of any markets.

Number of Winter Tours

When traveling during the winter, it’s essential to ensure that activities are still available. Winter tours can range from Christmas light tours In New York to kayaking in Orlando, Florida. The number of winter tours has been highlighted below.

Picturesque holiday destinations Honolulu (10), Miami (6.8), and Fort Lauderdale (6.6) seize the top three spots. Unsurprisingly cities residing within Hawaii, Florida, and California dominate the top end of this list. Whilst the weather still cools in these states their top event spots remain the same – surf locations, national parks, and theme parks.

27 locations do not provide any winter tours, with overall high-scoring Grand Rapids, Michigan appearing among these. Other high-scoring standouts are Spokane and Minneapolis.

Number of Christmas Events

Christmas events are staged holiday performances providing festive entertainment.

The results displayed diversity in locations across the U.S. Fort Worth Texas hosts the most Christmas events boasting an impressive 147 with Ontario, California (142) and Columbus, Ohio (138) following close behind.

Lihue, Kailua Kona, and Kahului record the least Christmas events, meaning Hawaii may not cater to your staged entertainment festivities. These locations can provide as few as two Christmas events during the holiday period.

100 Cities Worth of Festivities

Incorporating all the previous data points into one score allows us to identify the most festive city.

Rochester, New York tops the list with a score of 6.1, followed closely by Buffalo (5.7) and Syracuse (5.3), which are also both located in New York. While spending Christmas in New York City (5.1) remains a bucket list item for many, results reveal the city’s state counterparts may be better destinations to visit during the holidays.

Outside of the state of New York, Grand Rapids, Michigan (4.9), Anchorage, Alaska (4.8) and Salt Lake City, Utah (4.7) all place highly.

Separately the least outwardly festive cities are Lihue, Hawaii (with a score of 0.2), Dulles, Virginia (0.6) and Punta Gorda, Florida (0.7).

Conclusion

To recap, the possibility of snow has a large impact on the perceived festive spirit of a city, thus potentially impacting the Christmas-related industries that follow.

The number of Christmas markets per city is highly competitive across the country, distributed fairly evenly across the regions.

The U.S. leading summer vacation destinations dominated the Winter Tours section. Whilst Winter Tours are not directly related to a traditional Christmas, they are essential for many in providing entertaining activities across the holiday season.

Christmas Events are the less active form of entertainment, though they presented the opposite in results. Hawaii and Florida’s cities are placed around the bottom of this list.

Methodology

Each data point consists of the latest research available from reputable sources. All sources are destination specific level data points. The data was standardized using minmax normalization. The minmax normalization value is multiplied by 10 to create a score (between 0-10). A score of 10 is always the best result, while a score of 0 is the worst. Each city is then ranked on their overall rating across all festive data points, to find which city is the most festive.

InsureMyTrip isolated each data point in addition to giving an overall category score. This will give families an opportunity to target destinations for individual points (e.g. chance of snow, number of Christmas markets or number of winter tours). Alternatively, the “Overall” category score gives a general view of which city is the most festive.

Sources

Winter Tours

The number of tours on Expedia between the 18th- 31st December under the search ‘Christmas’.

Christmas Markets

The number of Christmas markets according to Christmas Market Guides

Instagram Popularity

The number of times each city was mentioned on Instagram in the hashtags #christmaslights, #christmastree, #christmas

Number of Christmas Events

The number of Christmas events listed on Google’s Events page.

Number of Searches

The average number of monthly searches for ‘Christmas in …’ over the last 12 months.

With picturesque foliage, crisp cooler temperatures, and the magical scent of autumn spices in the air, fall is a popular time to travel. The iconic image of sipping a pumpkin spice latte in a cozy oversized sweater is a daydream for many who are tired of the summer heat.

But with so many beautiful fall destinations to choose from, you may be wondering which will look the best shared on your social media page? To understand which destinations are the trendiest, we searched autumn-inspired hashtags on the popular social platform TikTok. Our goal was to identify the top global cities and states in the U.S. that spark fall destination inspiration.

Most Popular Destination for Fall (According to TikTok)

Five of the top 10 destinations are in the United States, with New York City, New York having the most views on TikTok at 2.6 million. With an average temperature ranging between 47°F – 70°F, New York is ideal for those who crave sweater weather.

In second place is Chicago, Illinois with 1.2 million TikTok views. With temperature ranges similar to those of New York, Chicago offers beautiful views of colorful foliage in the popular Millennium Park.

The third most viewed city is the international destination Paris, France with 1.1 million views. For those looking to travel abroad, Paris is a beautiful city in the fall, with temperatures only slightly cooler than New York City.

Most Popular States for Fall (According to TikTok)

As somewhat of a surprise, Florida is the most popular state in the U.S. for fall travel with 1.8 million TikTok views. Average temperatures typically range between 64°F – 84°F in October, which is a break from the balmy summer temperatures often associated with the Sunshine State. While Florida may not offer the typical scenes of falling leaves and pumpkin patches associated with the season, there are many unique autumn offerings in this southern state. For example, the world-famous theme parks in the Orlando area – which include Walt Disney World, Universal Studies, Sea World, and others – get into the spirit of the season with Halloween parties and haunted happenings on select nights. But for those visiting, keep in mind that some are more family-friendly than others.

The second most viewed city for fall is Tennessee. With fall temperatures between 45°F – 79°F, Tennessee has vast golden forests throughout the season.

The third most viewed state in fall is Maine. The coldest state in our top three, Maine between 33°F – 63°F in October. For those searching for deeper red hues in their fall photos Maine is a great destination. Just make sure to pack a warm scarf for the chilly weather!

Conclusion

TikTok has become an influential tool for many travelers looking for vacation inspiration. Short, accessible content allows users to quickly scroll through relevant content around travel and inspirational destinations. According to the data from this platform, the top global fall destination is New York City, with iconic autumn scenery of colorful foliage and cooler temperatures. The top state to visit is Florida, a warmer state than users may expect but one with unique offerings for this special season.

Methodology

We searched hashtags on TikTok to see which had the most views. The hashtags included were #autumninX and #fallinX. For the ‘Most Popular TikTok Destination for Fall’ we searched 160 of the most popular tourist cities, making a list of the top 10. For ‘Most Popular TikTok States for Fall’ we searched these hashtags for every state in the United States.