There are a lot of negatives to living in Illinois, but this place is certainly a positive if you are trying to plan a staycation this summer!

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Chicago, Illinois was just named the 7th best Staycation city in the US according to WalletHub's new list called 2023's Best & Worst Cities for Staycations. Chicago ranks only behind Honolulu number 1, followed by Orlando, Las Vegas, Tampa, Salt Lake City, Charleston, and Chicago. How did WalletHub decide on these rankings? According to their site, they say...

"You might be surprised to find that your local cities can offer plenty of options for entertainment and relaxation at a great price point. To determine the best places for a fun-filled yet wallet-friendly staycation, WalletHub compared more than 180 cities across 42 key metrics. Our data set ranges from parks per capita to restaurant-meal costs."

So why is Chicago so high on the list? According to WalletHub's rankings, Chicago ranks 9th in Recreation, 19th in Food and Entertainment (I would personally rank Chicago MUCH higher in this category...), and Chicago ranks 31st in Rest and Relaxation. Now being lower in rest makes sense, if you are not on a boat on the lake or enjoying the 26 miles of free and clear lakefront property then the city can be very stressful.

How do some of our other Tri-State area cities rank? Well, St. Louis comes in ranking a respectable 32nd on the list, Kansas City comes in 59th and surprise Springfield, Missouri is ranked 17th! Now, that is probably because they include the Lake of the Ozarks with that ranking. To see the full list of staycation rankings click here!

Would you choose Chicago for a Staycation?

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