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David Heitz
Colorado: Fifth most fun state in the U.S.
2024-08-23
A new report lists Colorado as the fifth most-fun state in the U.S.
“In order to determine the most fun states in America, WalletHub compared the 50 states across two key categories, entertainment and recreation and nightlife,” according to the report. “We evaluated those categories using 26 relevant metrics. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 indicating the greatest number and variety of fun and cost-effective options.”
The metrics included:
Variety of arts, entertainment, and recreation establishments
Ideal weather
Restaurants per capita
Amusement parks per capita
Golf courses and country clubs per capita
Movie theaters per capita
Arcades per capita
Fitness centers per capita
Skiing facilities per capita
Marinas per capita
Shoreline mileage
Beach quality
Access to scenic byways
Number of state fairs and events per capita
Access to national parks
Personal spending on recreation services per capita
State and local direct general expenditures on parks and recreation per capita
Movie costs
Nightlife options per capita
Access to bars
How late bars stay open
Music festivals per capita
Performing arts theaters per capita
Casinos per capita
Fun states good for mental, physical health
“Living in one of the most fun states can boost your mental, physical and emotional health by giving you a wide range of activities to choose from, both indoor and outdoor,” said Cassandra Happe, WalletHub analyst, in a news release. “These states help residents stay active and socialize, and they’re also ideal for travelers who want to make the most out of the limited amount of time that they have to explore.”
Broken down by category, Colorado ranked:
15th – Restaurants per capita
14th – Movie theaters per capita
15th – Amusement parks per capita
11th – Performing-arts theaters per capita
11th – Fitness centers per capita
18th – Access to national parks
Ninth – Casinos per capita
Save money with a vacation in your backyard
Coloradans can have fun in their own beautiful backyard, the Rocky Mountains, and camp to save money on vacation. “A useful tip to save money is to consider staying in campgrounds and to use them as a central location from which to visit tourist attractions. Cooking on portable stoves at the campground will also save an enormous amount of money. Campgrounds, which are numerous and easy to locate allow for families and vacationers to avoid expensive hotels and restaurants, said Gary L. Rose, professor and scholar in residence at Sacred Heart University. “Hikes in the wilderness to enjoy the environment and canoeing on rivers and lakes are also an inexpensive and healthy way to enjoy a vacation without spending exorbitant amounts of money on commercial tourist attractions.”
Florida, California rank as first, second most fun states
Unsurprisingly, the sunny states of Florida and California ranked first and second for fun, respectively.
Sources used to create the ranking were collected as of July 23, 2024 from the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, National Park Service, Council for Community and Economic Research, American Gaming Association, TripAdvisor, Beachapedia, America's Scenic Byways, NOAA Office for Coastal Management, CarnivalWarehouse.com, Music Festival Wizard, Discotech and WalletHub research, according to the report.
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