As we enter the final month of summer, credit union executives and members will be hitting the road for one last getaway before Labor Day.
Being born and raised in northern New Jersey, I'm all too familiar with summer road trips. Summer isn't complete without taking a trip “down the shore,” as we like to say. We hop in the car with family or friends and drive a few hours down to one of the many beaches along the coastline, ready to enjoy the sun, water and all the deep-fried goodness one can stomach on the boardwalk.
Of course, that's the nostalgic part of it. We fixate on those moments to forget about the countless hours wasted sitting in traffic, rising gas prices and the ever-increasing N.J. Parkway tolls. And those cute little rental houses on Long Beach Island and quaint motels in Seaside Heights? Let's remember them that way and forget how overpriced they can be.
Not surprisingly (to me, at least), New Jersey is one of WalletHub's top 10 worst states for summer road trips.
WalletHub released a report ranking all 50 U.S. states based on how road trip-friendly they are, using data from various organizations including the U.S. Census Bureau, the FBI, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Park Service and WalletHub's own research. The states were compared across three equally weighted dimensions:
- Driving and lodging costs
- Road conditions and safety
- Fun and scenic attractions
Conditions like those described above haven't deterred Americans from taking summer road trips, however. According the WalletHub, 90% of the 85% of Americans who are planning a summer vacation this year are planning road trips. That number is up 13% since 2014.
Here are the 10 best states for summer road trips, followed by the 10 worst. To see the report from WalletHub, vist 2015's Best and Worst States for Summer Road Trips.
10. Idaho
Highway 33 near Howe, Idaho.
9. North Carolina
Linn Cove Viaduct in North Carolina.
8. Colorado
The road to Telluride, Colo.
7. Wyoming
The Medicine Bow mountains of Wyoming.
6. Utah
A road leading to Monument Valley, Utah.
5. Ohio
Canopy of trees over a road in Sandusky, Ohio.
4. Washington
A mossy forest road in Olympic National Park in Washington.
3. Minnesota
A rural road in Minnesota.
2. Nevada
Valley of Fire Road in Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada.
1. Oregon
Winding road along the spectacular Oregon Coast.
10 Worst States for Summer Road Trips
41. New Jersey
A view of the NJ Turnpike near Bayonne, N.J.
42. Michigan
A road in Michigan.
43. Rhode Island
Clairborne Pell Bridge and lighthouse in Newport, R.I.
44. Arkansas
A road leading to the Capitol of Arkansas.
45. Oklahoma
A road going through the Witchita Mountains of Oklahoma.
46. South Dakota
The South Dakota Black Hills near Rapid City.
47. Mississippi
The Mississippi State Capitol.
48. Delaware
The William V. Roth Jr. Bridge in Delaware.
49. North Dakota
A narrow road winding through Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota.
50. Connecticut
A highway leads to Hartford, Conn.
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