Better places to go

Dallas flops on new list of best U.S. summer travel destinations

Travelers will be avoiding Dallas this summer. Photo by Gabriel Tovar on Unsplash

Maybe a staycation isn't in the future for Dallas locals this summer — at least according to a new report by Forbes Advisor.

The report listed the best and worst cities for summer travel and Dallas did not fare well, coming in as the No. 13 worst summer travel destination in the nation.

The study, published June 1, compared 43 of the most populous U.S. cities across 16 metrics in three major categories: City experience, air travel experience, and driving experience.

Dallas earned an overall score of 57.20 out of a total 100 possible points. At least it beat Jacksonville, Florida which earned a perfect (and dreadful) score of 100 points to solidify itself as the No. 1 worst vacation destination for summer travel.

This is how Forbes breaks down Dallas' ranking across the three key dimensions:

37.98 – City experience score
50.06 – Air travel experience score
70.03 – Driving experience score

Major factors that brought down Dallas' scores include the city's extreme weather (AKA, the unforgiving Texas heat) combined with a higher-than-normal number of damage claims at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field Airport, according to the report.

"Dallas’ two major airports have the sixth highest number of property loss and damage claims during the summer (1.3 per 100,000 domestic passengers)," the report said. "The city also has the seventh highest number of extreme temperature days in the summer (76 on average)."

Those were enough to sink Dallas as a destination for Americans planning to take a vacation trip.

Go Houston
While Dallas was ranked among the worst summer travel destinations, Houston climbed up to No. 10 on Forbes' ranking of the best summer travel destinations in the country.

"Visitors to Houston enjoy the lowest median hotel price during the summer ($122.33 per night) and the city’s two major airports reimburse the second highest percentage of summer property loss and damage claims in full (52.4 percent on average)," the report said.

San Antonio (No. 20) and Austin (No. 24) also fared better than Dallas in the overall rankings, showing that Central Texas is a far better place to be during the summer when it comes to statewide vacations.

Texas travelers may want to consider going out of state to places like Minneapolis, Minnesota, which was ranked the No. 1 best summer travel destination in the U.S.

The top 10 best U.S. summer travel destinations are:

No. 1 – Minneapolis, Minnesota
No. 2 – Long Beach, California
No. 3 – Washington, D.C.
No. 4 – Seattle, Washington
No. 5 – Omaha, Nebraska
No. 6 – San Diego, California
No. 7 – San Francisco, California
No. 8 – Columbus, Ohio
No. 9 – Chicago, Illinois
No. 10 – Houston, Texas

Forbes Advisor determined each city's ranking based on travel experience data from Expedia, Tripadvisor, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, AAA, The U.S. Census Bureau, and more. Metrics included a city's crime rate; median hotel prices during the summer season; the percentage of delayed, canceled, or diverted flights during the summer; among others.

The full report can be found on forbes.com.

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WINE NEWS

Master Texas wines at the first Hill Country Wine Camp

Texas Hill Country wine Texas Hill Country Wineries

A nonprofit Texas wine group is going camp: Texas Hill Country Wineries is inviting wine drinkers of all stripes to sip their way through the very inaugural Wine Camp on Sunday, October 12, a full day of hands-on learning at the Texas Wine Collective in Fredericksburg.

From 9 am-5 pm, guests will explore viticulture, fermentation, and the art of pairing. Sessions led by growers, winemakers, and culinary experts will cover everything from the challenges and triumphs of growing grapes in Texas, to the winemaking process, the diverse varietals that thrive here, and how to pair them with bold Texas cuisine.

The admission is $200 and includes breakfast, lunch, and happy hour, along with tastings such as Texas sparkling wine with oysters, wine with Texas BBQ, and wine with charcuterie.

“We are thrilled to launch the first-ever Hill Country Wine Camp, a one-day immersive experience where wine lovers can dive deeper into what makes Texas wine and the Hill Country so special,” says Texas Hill Country Wineries executive director January Wiese in a statement. “Led by our growers, winemakers and winery owners, Wine Camp is designed to educate, inspire and showcase the diversity of our region through hands-on sessions with food and wine pairings — all in a fun and approachable way.”

Tickets can be purchased online.

Other Texas Hill Country Wineries offerings
The Texas Wine Month Passport offers a more a la carte experience throughout October. For an $85 individual fee or $120 for a couple, grape nuts can pop in and out of more than 45 wineries to receive complimentary tastings, exclusive deals, and a 15 percent discount on three bottles or more at select participants.

The Hill Country Road Show: Rosé to Rebuild on September 6 at Horseshoe Bay Resort showcases 30-plus wineries in support of Hill Country flood recovery efforts.

The Fall Winemaker Dinner, held September 26 at Marble Falls’ Flat Creek Estate Winery & Vineyard, raises funds for the Hill Country Wine Industry Scholarship Fund.

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