Recreation Paradise: 2 Florida Cities Takes the Crown as the Best
Who doesn’t love a good recreational activity? They’re a fantastic way to relax, have fun, and take a break from the daily grind. But let’s be honest, finding the right recreational activities can sometimes feel like searching for a needle in a haystack, especially in cities with limited options. Even if you do manage to find a recreational space, the costs can be sky-high. Private gyms, fancy sports clubs, and exclusive recreational classes often come with hefty price tags.
July is National Parks and Recreation Month, and WalletHub compiled a list of the best and worst cities for recreation. To determine the places where recreation is a high priority, they compared the 100 largest U.S. cities across 48 key metrics that speak to the benefits of recreational activities. In each city, they examined basic living costs, the quality of parks, the accessibility of entertainment and recreational facilities, and the weather.
Orlando and Tampa ranked No. 2 and 3 on the list of best cities for recreation.
Of the 100 cities ranked, Durham, North Carolina, Newark, NJ, and Chula Vista, California, fell at the bottom of the list among the worst. Among all the states, Florida stood out as the only one with multiple cities making it into the Top 10. The rankings were led by Las Vegas and featured other cities such as Cincinnati, Atlanta, San Diego, Honolulu, St. Louis, Chicago, and Scottsdale, Arizona.
The list also featured other Florida cities, such as St. Petersburg, ranking at No. 19, Jacksonville at No. 33, and Miami at No. 54. However, Hialeah didn’t fare as well and found itself in the bottom 10, landing at No. 93. Hialeah was specifically noted for having the fewest playgrounds per capita, according to the financial site’s findings.
In addition to the overall rankings, the financial site also dived into specific metrics to assess how cities performed. For instance, Nashville, Tennessee, emerged as the city with the most affordable bowling costs, while St. Paul, Minnesota, topped the list for the highest bowling costs. Their findings revealed that Corpus Christi, Texas, had the lowest movie costs, while Los Angeles and Long Beach, California, shared the distinction of having the highest movie costs.
Regarding tennis courts per capita, Norfolk, Virginia, and Omaha, Nebraska, took the lead, while Bakersfield, California, had the fewest. As for coffee shops per capita, three cities – Orlando, Florida, Pittsburgh, and Honolulu – tied for the highest number, while Laredo, Texas, ranked lowest in this category.
On the other hand, Anchorage, Alaska; Fremont, California; and Irvine, California, proudly claimed the highest percentage of parkland, highlighting their commitment to green spaces. In contrast, Hialeah, Florida, had the lowest percentage of parkland, indicating a lower availability of such recreational areas.
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