Not even triple-digit heat will deter tourists from visiting Space City this summer: The Houston metro has climbed into the No. 35 spot on WalletHub's list of the "Best Summer Travel Destinations" in 2025.
The report annually ranks 100 U.S metros based on attractions, safety, activities, weather, local costs, and travel costs and hassles. Factors that determine each city's ranking include flight costs, the number of affordable restaurants with high ratings, crime rates, and more.
The Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford metro area in Florida is the No. 1 most sought after summer travel destination this year.
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land moved up 10 spots from its 2024 rank, and it previously ranked 38th in 2023.
Here's how WalletHub broke down Houston's ranking in each of the six main categories:
- No. 7 – Attractions rank
- No. 16 – Local costs rank
- No. 26 – Activities rank
- No. 50 – Weather rank
- No. 88 – Safety rank
- No. 89 – Travel costs and hassles rank
Houston ranked the highest in the attractions and local costs categories, proving that the city's affordability is a major benefit for visitors as well as locals. There's surely no shortage of things to do in the city, from dining at a new steakhouse, to checking out a local bookstore, or enjoying a summer concert series at Meow Wolf.
But there's so much more that goes into choosing the right place for a memorable summer trip, says WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. Creating and sticking to a vacation budget that considers all costs of a trip, such as meals and local transportation costs, is a good place to start.
"[C]hoosing a destination that’s not only entertaining but also affordable is important when travel, dining, and activity costs have surged so much in recent years," Lupo says. "It can also allow you to have a longer, more relaxing trip."
The study's scope isn't just limited to just Houston proper, which also means tourists may flock to suburbs like The Woodlands to explore its inviting new restaurants. It also includes Conroe, where tourists can relax with a drink in hand at the popular Margaritaville resort.
Other top Texas summer travel destinations
Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown (No. 5) and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington were the only two Texas metros to earn spots in the top 10 summer travel destinations.
Surprisingly, El Paso (No. 31) ranked four spots ahead of Houston. The final two Texas metros that earned spots in the study are Corpus Christi (No. 80) and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission (No. 97).
The top 10 best summer travel destinations in 2025 are:
- No. 1 – Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida
- No. 2 – Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, Georgia
- No. 3 – Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-Virginia-Maryland-West Virginia
- No. 4 – Urban Honolulu, Hawaii
- No. 5 – Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, Texas
- No. 6 – Cincinnati, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana
- No. 7 – Salt Lake City, Utah
- No. 8 – Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Delaware-Maryland
- No. 9 – Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, Florida
- No. 10 – Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas
