The Big Apple may not be the best place to paint the town red.<\/p>\n
The WalletHub end-of-year consensus has come out on which cities in America boast the \u201cmost fun\u201d to be had in America \u2014 and NYC barely makes the grade.<\/p>\n
The report \u2014 titled Most Fun Cities in America \u2014 lists Las Vegas, NV; Orlando, FL; Miami, FL; Atlanta, GA; New Orleans, LA as the best five spots (in that order) to paint the town red.<\/p>\n
182 cities were ranked on the list, with the Big Apple coming in a disappointing 14th place and Pearl City, HI, placing dead last.<\/p>\n
In a 2024 repeat, Las Vegas took the top spot again in WalletHub\u2019s survey of America\u2019s most fun cities. engel.ac \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n
The scoreboard included the categories Entertainment & Recreation, Nightlife & Parties, and Cost. WalletHub notes that \u201cwith the exception of Total Score, all the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.\u201d<\/p>\n
The page also featured the 65 key metrics that went into the judging, like Festivals per Capita, Accessible Bars, and Movie Costs.<\/p>\n
Perhaps it should come as little surprise that Las Vegas, Nevada \u2014 colloquially known as \u2018Sin City\u2019 and \u2018The Entertainment Capital of the World\u2019\u2014 maintained its 2024 ranking for \u2018Most Fun City\u2019.<\/p>\n
The gambling juggernaut boasts a huge selection of entertainment venues and top restaurants, along with a thriving nightlife scene. While it is pricey to spend a night out on the town there, fans of the city can console themselves that it\u2019s the cheapest city for grabbing a burger (according to WalletHub).<\/p>\n
Orlando, Florida snagged the number two spot for its two biggest fun-tastic brags \u2014 Disney World and Universal Studios.<\/p>\n
Miami, Florida came in third due to its beaches and large number of opportunities to participate in watersports.<\/p>\n
Miami\u2019s sprawling beaches and lively nightlife helped The Magic City secure the no. 2 spot. jovannig \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n
Marie Rao, design and branding expert who has lived in both Miami and NYC, agree\u2019s with the fact that Miami has a higher ranking in terms of having a good time.<\/p>\n
\u201cMiami\u2019s got it going on,\u201d Rao told The Post. \u201cMulticultural, sun, surf, and people who actually dress up for dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNYC, on the other hand, is like the cool kid who\u2019s lost its edge,\u201d she continued. \u201cSure, it\u2019s got the best restaurants, but good luck getting a table.\u201d<\/p>\n
Atlanta, Georgia earned the fourth spot on the list, likely because of the world-class Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola experience.<\/p>\n
Chevy Wolf, a PR and marketing specialist who\u2019s lived in Atlanta and Gotham, did not agree that Atlanta should be placed higher than the Empire City.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor New Yorkers, there\u2019s a charm in walking from the cafe, greeting the community, everyone looking fly then off to work,\u201d Wolf told The Post. \u201cAtlanta is a great place with super dope humans that know how to have fun, but experiencing a city on foot far surpasses having to drive from place to place.\u201d<\/p>\n
A world-class music scene and the city\u2019s culture of revelry \u2014 let\u2019s go down to the Mardi Gras! \u2014 are what put New Orleans in the top 5. Kevin Ruck \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n
New Orleans brings up the rear of the Top 5 with its bubbling jazz culture and Mardi Gras celebrations.\u00a0<\/p>\n
WalletHub gave readers a likely unnecessary reminder that \u201chaving fun can be expensive,\u201d noting that according to the Bureau of Labor, the average American spends over $3,600 annually on entertainment.<\/p>\n
The personal finance company site also admitted that \u201ceveryone\u2019s brand of fun is different.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAt WalletHub, we define such a place as one that offers a little bit of everything for everyone \u2014 except maybe people seeking the most extreme thrills,\u201d writer Adam McCann said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn a city with enough variety, you won\u2019t have to compromise with your friends, family, or even yourself about the next fun activity to do alone or together.\u201d<\/p>\n
Top 20 most fun US cities:<\/p>\n