deep in the heart of fun

Texas kicks up No. 7 spot in new study of most fun state in America

Texas has the most movie theaters per capita, according to the report.

Texans already know our state is one of the best states for fun, niche hobbies like beekeeping and urban treasure hunting. Now, we're the overall No. 7 most fun state in the United States, according to a new report by personal finance website WalletHub.

The study analyzed 26 metrics across every state to determine which state has the greatest variety of enjoyment and recreational opportunities. A few of the categories that helped determine Texas' rank include access to national parks, performing arts theaters, and more.

Texas earned the top spot for the most amusement parks per capita, and tied for first place with California for the most movie theaters. The state also tied for No. 1 with California, Florida, and New York for the most restaurants, and ranked No. 3 for the most fitness centers.

In the category of most golf courses and country clubs per capita, Texas only ranked No. 17. The state also ranked outside the top 10 in No. 12 for the number of performing arts theaters.

Despite the unrelenting summer heat, other states that made it into the top 10 include popular tourism destinations like California (No. 1), Florida (No. 2), and Nevada (No. 3).

The top 10 most fun states in America are:

No. 1 – California
No. 2 – Florida
No. 3 – Nevada
No. 4 – New York
No. 5 – Illinois
No. 6 – Colorado
No. 7 – Texas
No. 8 – Washington
No. 9 – Minnesota
No. 10 – Louisiana

With traveling on the brain for most Americans during the summer of 2023, one expert says there are two things to consider for the upcoming tourism season. Dr. Samuel B. Stone, associate professor at California State University, Fullerton, mentioned that traveling will be "segmented" by a household's income and the effects of inflation.

"On the one hand, high inflation should have a big impact on discretionary household spending, which would include travel and tourism," said Dr. Stone. "On the other hand, the high prices for airfare and other tourism-related items seem to be a result, in part, of pent-up demand from reduced travel during the pandemic... Travel by households at lower income levels may be affected a lot by inflation while higher income households may not be affected very much."

The bottom five least fun states in America are Arkansas (No. 46), Rhode Island (No. 47), Delaware (No. 48), West Virginia (No. 49), and Mississippi (No. 50).

More information about the report can be found on wallethub.com.

texas reports WalletHub Fun Ideas

This Week's Hot Headlines

New Memorial City development leads Houston's top 5 stories this week

Courtesy of Michael Hsu Office of Architecture

Greenside will feature a one-acre greenspace.

Editor's note:It's time to recap the top stories on CultureMap from this past week. The top Houston news includes a family-friendly Memorial City development, a Montrose pizzeria closure, and a stylish new lounge for Upper Kirby. Get the details below, and find fun stuff do in town this weekend here.

1. New development with 1-acre green space coming to Memorial City area. The rapidly growing area will soon be home to Greenside, boasting a mix of restaurant, retail, and other family-friendly businesses, designed by the Michael Hsu Office of Architecture.

2. Creative Montrose pizzeria will shutter after only a year-and-a-half. ElRo Pizza & Crudo will close at the end of the year, due to a steady decline in business.

3. Stylish new lounge shakes up Houston with art-inspired drinks and caviar. Cheers to this new nightlife spot, which is now open in Upper Kirby.

Sante cocktail lounge Sante's Garden Room is decorated with two olive trees. Photo by Chris Furia

4. These are the 6 most affordable ZIP codes for Houston renters. One of these ZIPs is also among the 10 most affordable in the U.S.

5. 15 Houston restaurants crafting nostalgic and decadent ice cream sundaes. The classic ice cream sundae is having a moment, and these restaurants are serving up decadent versions.