Colorado: Fifth most fun state in the U.S.

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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

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• 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:

• 15^th – Restaurants per capita
• 14^th – Movie theaters per capita
• 15^th – Amusement parks per capita
• 11^th – Performing-arts theaters per capita
• 11^th – Fitness centers per capita
• 18^th – 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

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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.