Why Is New York The Best For Summer Road Trips?

One might assume that as New Yorkers, when planning summer travel, our first instincts would be to get out of town, even get out of the state. We might even raise an eyebrow to those who share with us their excitement to travel TO New York on a road trip. Maybe we're spoiled as New Yorkers, or maybe we're a bit naive to all of the amazing things available across The Empire State. Let's take a deeper look.

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Summer Road Trip Stats

A recent WalletHub study took a look at the numbers, how many American adults plan to take some sort of road trip (75% for 2025), measured intended distance of travel (33% saying more than 250 miles from home), they then went on to look at the destinations, comparing metrics across the U.S. to help identify some hotspots for road-tripping. Here's what they found when it comes to fun spots, scenic stops, even looking at road conditions.

The main dimensions measured for the purpose of ranking best vs. worst states for summer road-trip travel were cost, safety, and activities, and this year, New York moved up a spot to the number two destination, falling short only behind Minnesota.

Why New York Sits Near The Top Of Best Road Trip Destination States

According to WalletHub, New York not only has an extremely large number of attractions and nightlife activities, but the state is also at 'the top of the country' for accommodations and restaurant offerings per capita.

The Hudson Valley even got a shoutout in the coverage of what makes NY a great travel destination (we see you, Newburgh!).

One especially unique thing about New York is that it has the second most National Historic Landmarks per capita, so it’s easy to plan a fun road trip exploring the rich history of the state and how it has impacted our country, from George Washington’s headquarters in Newburgh to the Empire State Building in NYC.

When it comes to safety, New York is cited as having the 15th 'lowest share of uninsured motorists' and perhaps surprisingly, has the third-most protective driving laws with the fourth-lowest prevalence of using a phone while driving.

The number two ranking for our state comes only 0.16 points behind the top rated state of Minnesota. Though cost puts New York at 37 out of 50, activities and safety help to bring up the store to the number two spot.

For a complete ranking of the best and worst for roadtrips, state by state, check out the full coverage here.