Better places to go

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

Travelers will be avoiding Dallas this summer.

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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Smoke on the Thames

2 Michelin-starred Texas pitmasters take their world-class BBQ to London

InterStellar and La Barbecue at The Ned London

The Ned London/thened.com

Even in Austin's home scene, these restaurants are considered the cream of the crop. Abroad, this is an extra special treat.

Two of Texas' best barbecue joints are are firing up their grills in London. Austin-based InterStellar and La Barbecue are in residence for one month a London hotel called The Ned.

Service started on September 4, and guests have until October 4 to see what great barbecue tastes like on the other side of the pond.

Each restaurant sent their best representative: John Bates of InterStellar BBQ and Ali Clem of La Barbecue, the two pitmasters who opened the restaurants and led them to barbecue's first Michelin stars. Both are somewhat traditional with a few signature twists, making them a good match beyond their similar levels of prestige.

Proteins on the menu include pork ribs, pulled lamb shoulder, chopped cheese sausage, and InterStellar's famous peach tea pork belly burnt ends. Brisket will be available as an add-on. The team is also cooking up sides and pairing the bites with cocktails made for the occasion by Jack Daniels.

The exclusive sharing tray is available for $75 per person, with a minimum of two people per reservation ($150). A 14.5 percent service gratuity is also being added.

Many barbecue fans understand that a smoker plays a huge part in the final product, and being away from home could dramatically change the cooking process. An Instagram post explains (and seems to lightly promote) that the pitmasters are using Ironbrand smokers, which are custom-made in the United Kingdom.

The residency is happening at Electric Bar & Diner, The Ned's all-day American diner. The 248-room hotel is located in Poultry, on the north side of the River Thames near St. Paul's Cathedral. It is also very near to the Bank Station, a connecting station for four rail routes, making it easy to get to from many parts of London.

Booking is already going fast, so guests who want to snag a space should commit soon.

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Smoke on the Thames

2 Michelin-starred Texas pitmasters take their world-class BBQ to London