Summer road trip season is officially here, and a new study has ranked the best and worst states in America for hitting the open road.
Unfortunately for Rhode Island, America's smallest state finished dead last.
To be fair, Rhode Island is so tiny you can practically drive across the entire state while looking for your sunglasses. Turn around to grab them, and you've already crossed it again.
The study looked at 32 different factors including travel costs, safety, and the number of attractions available. Everything from beaches and lakes to amusement parks, scenic drives, and national parks helped determine the rankings.
The Top 10 States For A Summer Road Trip
- Minnesota
- Utah
- Louisiana
- New York
- Florida
- Texas
- Maine
- Georgia
- North Carolina
- Ohio
Minnesota claimed the top spot thanks in part to its strong safety ranking, while Louisiana scored big for being one of the most affordable places to travel.
The Bottom 10 States For A Summer Road Trip
- Rhode Island
- Delaware
- Connecticut
- California
- Maryland
- Vermont
- Massachusetts
- New Mexico
- Montana
- New Hampshire
California may have endless attractions, but high gas prices and travel costs dragged it down the list. Delaware finished near the bottom because it offers the fewest attractions among the states studied.
A Few Interesting Road Trip Facts
- Louisiana is the cheapest state for road-trippers.
- Maine is considered the safest.
- New Mexico ranked as the least safe.
- California has the most things to do.
- Delaware has the fewest attractions.
What About Michigan?
Michigan didn't crack the Top 10, but let's be honest... we've got Great Lakes, beach towns, scenic drives, Mackinac Island, Traverse City, the U.P., roadside fudge shops, and enough orange construction barrels to keep every road trip exciting.
That's got to count for something.
