Atlanta ranked among 2018’s best summer travel destinations

Summer in metro Atlanta means it’s time to hit some of the year’s best festivals, take advantage of those hidden waterfall hikes and indulge in a frozen treat at one of Atlanta’s beloved ice cream shops.

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According to a new ranking from personal finance website WalletHub, metro Atlanta is one of 2018’s top summer travel destinations. For the listing, analysts compared the 100 most populated metro areas in the country across six key categories: travel costs and hassles, local costs, attractions, weather, activities and safety.

The six categories were further assessed using 40 relevant metrics, such as cost of cheapest flight, cost of living, number of attractions, restaurants and more.

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Data used to create the ranking came from the U.S. Census Bureau, Federal Bureau of Investigation and TripAdvisor among other reputable sources.

Of the 100 most populated metros in the country, the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area earned top honors, ranking in the top 10 in half of the six categories.

The Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell metro area came in fifth overall.

Here’s more on how the region fared:

• Overall rank: 5
• Travel costs and hassles: 10
• Local costs: 55
• Attractions: 16
• Weather: 15
• Activities: 10
• Safety: 58

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Other state metros on the list:

• Chattanooga, TN-GA (27)
• Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC (62)

The Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell metro’s lowest scores came in for the local costs and safety ratings categories, though the capital city has experienced a decrease in its homicide rate in recent years, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported.

But when it comes to travel costs and hassles and summer fun, the region is a solid contender for a warm seasonal getaway.

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The top 10 summer travel destinations for 2018, according to WalletHub:

1. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 
2. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
3. Austin-Round Rock, TX
4. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 
5. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
6. Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
7. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
8. Oklahoma City, OK
9. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV
10. Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX

More about the study and its methodology.