4 Cities You’ll Pay a Bundle to Visit

This post is brought to you by Annie Davis.

It’s hardly breaking news that New York City is the most expensive place to visit in the United States. TripAdvisor even ranked it fourth in the world for the most expensive night out. While American tourists know what they’re getting into when they visit the Big Apple, there are other cities around the country that can also cost travelers a bundle. Here are a few.

Orlando, Fla.

Two words: Disney tickets. Single park admission for adults is slowly creeping toward $100, meaning a family of four pays almost $400 just to get into one park. That doesn’t include food, souvenirs, water, and other miscellaneous park purchases. Even if a family decides to skip the happiest place on earth in favor of Universal Studios or SeaWorld, tickets will still cost them hundreds of dollars. The flights and hotels might be decently priced, but once families arrive their wallets are in pain. 

Nashville, Tenn.

Nashville is considered heaven on Earth for country music lovers, but the music rarely comes cheap. Attending concerts throughout your vacation can quickly add up. For some visitors, standing a few feet from their country music idol is worth every penny, but it’s just going to take a lot of pennies to get there.

In order to spend responsibly when traveling, consider buying VIP tickets to one show while looking for discounts and staying further back at others. All the concerts will be great, but you’ll have one that sticks in your memory forever. 

New Orleans, La.

While this city might not be costly all year long, there’s a certain week in the spring where prices skyrocket. Visitors will pay considerably more for flights and hotels during Mardi Gras than during the rest of the year because of the increased demand.

Plus, the costs don’t stop once travelers reach their destination, because that’s when the drinking begins. After a few mixed drinks, it’s easy to forget how much you’ve spent – and that’s usually when you start buying entire rounds. Only the wise can travel to New Orleans without going over budget.

Monterey, Calif.

If you’re looking to skip the bustle of San Francisco or Los Angeles, you might consider finding an Alamo rental car near you and taking a road trip down coast. The Pacific Coast Highway is regularly named one of the top road trips in the United States, and with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean, it’s not hard to see why.

However, the journey to Monterey is paved with expenses. California is one of the most expensive states to visit, no matter where you are, and taking a road trip with current gas prices will slowly siphon dollars out of your pocket. Make sure your rental car gets good gas mileage before you hit the road.

Just because a city is expensive doesn’t mean travelers should avoid it. It just means they need to be realistic about their budgets before they leave. An ounce of preparation is worth a pound of cure, and that pound of cure translates into cold, hard cash.