These 2 Florida cities are among America’s most ‘fun.’ Here’s what that means

WalletHub has released its 2024 list of the “most fun cities in America,” with two Florida locations nearing the top.

To figure out which cities should rank the highest, WalletHub researchers used three main factors:

• Entertainment & Recreation (40%): This includes measures like the number of attractions, restaurants, playgrounds, amusement parks, fitness centers, movie theaters and shopping malls.
• Nightlife & Parties (40%): This includes measures like the number of pool halls, beer gardens, music venues, dance clubs, casinos, comedy clubs and lounges.
• Costs (20%): This includes measures like the average price of party tickets, beer, wine, food, restaurant meals, bowling, movies, fitness clubs, three-star hotel rooms, and cost of living.

Heading the list at No. 1 is likely unsurprising: Las Vegas.

“Sin City is known for partying, and it’s one of the only cities in our study where public drinking is allowed in most or all places – whether that’s a good thing or not will depend on your personality, though,” the study reads. “When it comes to activities, Vegas unsurprisingly has the largest number of casinos in the country. But it’s also renowned for its performers, especially when it comes to music. The city has a very high number of music festivals, music venues, dance clubs and comedy clubs relative to others.”

But coming in just below Las Vegas are Orlando and Miami at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. The study provides the following reasoning for why these two cities ranked so high.

Orlando, FL

The second-most fun city in the U.S. is Orlando, FL, which leads the nation in amusement parks, like the iconic Disney World and Universal Studios. While you might expect a stay in Orlando to be especially expensive, the amusement-park markup doesn’t necessarily extend to the rest of the city. For example, Orlando actually has the seventh-lowest nightly rate for a 3-star hotel room, the 22nd-lowest average pizza price, and the 24th-lowest average wine price among the more than 180 cities in our study.

If you’re into sports, Orlando ranks as one of the best cities for soccer fans (5th), and it has a very large number of sports stadiums per capita. And if you want to get in shape yourself, the city has a very high number of fitness centers per capita.

In addition, Orlando ranks as one of the top cities for spas, performing arts theaters, arcades, pool halls and lounges, proving that it has more to experience than just the big tourist traps.

Miami, FL

Miami is the third-most fun city in the U.S., and it’s known for its beaches, which are an especially popular destination for spring-breakers. Miami also leads the country when it comes to the number of fishing facilities, marinas, boat tours and water sports opportunities per capita, and it has the 31st-most miles of shoreline per capita among the more than 180 cities in our study.

Miami is perfect for staying active, as over 88% of its residents live within half a mile of a park, and it has the fourth-most fitness centers per capita. You also can’t talk about Miami without mentioning its famous sports teams, like the Miami Dolphins and Miami Heat, which have helped the city rank as the sixth-best for football fans and fifth-best for basketball fans, respectively. Miami is the 11th-best city for soccer fans, too.

Finally, Miami is one of the best cities when it comes to the availability of affordable restaurants rated at least 4.5 stars, and it has the ninth-most bars per square mile as well as one of the largest numbers of ice cream shops per capita. That’s great for people who want to go out to eat after an activity or beat the Florida heat with a cold treat.”

WalletHub, "Most Fun Cities in America (2024)"

Meanwhile, the rest of the list is as follows:

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