Where can you have the most fun in Florida? This list has the answer
While Florida might seem like paradise with beaches and theme parks, only two cities in the state made the cut for best recreational cities in the U.S.
And surprise, surprise: One of them is Orlando.
The Central Florida city came in at No. 3, behind San Diego at the top and Las Vegas at No. 2.
The “Best & Worst Cities for Recreation” from fiwait nance site WalletHub, compares the 100 largest U.S. cities in 48 recreational metrics including cost, quality, accessibility, and weather.
Looking at the rankings, Orlando’s strength was clearly in the “Entertainment & Recreational Facilities.”
Orlando has more than just theme parks to attract visitors, but there’s no denying that Disney and Universal are the selling points. Fans love the parks so much, they’re willing to up to 10 hours to ride Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, the newest addition to Universal’s Harry Potterthemed section.
Overcrowding also doesn’t seem to stop the flow of visitors to Orlando’s top attractions — it just causes headaches sometimes, with parkgoers even trying to figure out the best time of the year to visit Disney World.
Tampa also was in the Top 5 of the Best Cities list for Recreation.
The city has theme parks, including Busch Gardens, to compete with Orlando’s Mickey ears and Marvel superheroes, but it’s considerably cheaper than Orlando, according to the report.
In terms of “costs,” Tampa ranked at No. 36 compared to Orlando’s No. 50.
Tampa also is “tailormade for families who love animals,” according to U.S. News Travel guide, with the popular Florida Aquarium and sports teams.
The cost factor looked at more than theme parks. Other activities were also considered, including movies, bowling, fitness centers, and dining out.
In addition to cost, Tampa also defeated Orlando on the quality of its parks.
St. Petersburg ranked higher on the recreation list at No. 27 compared to Miami, which came in at No. 33. Jacksonville was ranked 39, but all its foodies can celebrate because the city made the Top 5 for lowest average food price.
While Miami’s ranking isn’t anything to brag about, at least it made the Top 50. Hialeah came in near the bottom with a No. 94 ranking.
The three worst cities for recreational activities?
Oakland, California; Irving, Texas; and Jersey City, New Jersey.