Las Vegas ranks No. 2 as most popular US summer destination

As the first day of summer approaches and schools across the country end, millions of travelers are ready to see the country.

And, according to a TripAdvisor survey, Las Vegas is near the top of many people’s lists.

Las Vegas ranked second in the 10 most popular summer destinations in the U.S. behind Orlando.

Las Vegas’ average nightly hotel room rate of $167 was the lowest of the top 10 cities, which also included Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Maui; New York City; Key West, Fla.; New Orleans; Ocean City, Md.; San Diego; and Virginia Beach, Va.

Only one other city, New Orleans, had an average nightly rate of less than $200.

According to TripAdvisor, 92 percent of its members are planning a summer trip. This is an increase from 80 percent in 2018, with 48 percent of travelers hitting the road as a couple and more than a third (37 percent) of travelers will be families.

The list was determined by booking interest from U.S. travelers for summer (June through August) and includes hotel and attraction commerce clicks/revenue.

The average hotel price per night is the average cost of a one-night stay in a hotel available on TripAdvisor.

The list also included nearby affordable destinations. TripAdvisor listed Reno as an alternative to Las Vegas, with an average nightly rate of $144.