Personal Finance

These are the 10 most expensive U.S. tourist destinations

Key Points
  • Traveling to certain U.S. cities and destinations will cost you more when it comes to airfare, hotel, food and beverages.
  • This list from GOBankingRates identifies which vacation spots will cost you the most, based on a three-night stay in October.

If you're planning a trip on a budget, be warned: Visiting these U.S. destinations will likely cost you more.

Personal finance website GOBankingRates recently evaluated top vacation spots by the costs associated with visiting them, including airfare and hotel, as well as other expenses, such as food and beverages. Airfares are based on average flight prices from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

The following cities and destinations came up as the most expensive, based on two adults staying for three nights in October 2018.

10. Charleston, South Carolina
Total cost: $1,680.82
Hotel (3 nights): $534
Airfare (for two): $757

Charleston, South Carolina
Stephen Saks | Lonely Planet Images | Getty Images

9. Philadelphia
Total cost: $1,697.56
Hotel (3 nights): $528
Airfare (for two): $757.24

Philadelphia
Sean Pavone | iStock | Getty Images

8. San Francisco
Total cost: $1,705.52
Hotel (3 nights): $463
Airfare (for two): $730

The median price for a home in San Francisco is about $1.3 million, according to real estate site Zillow.
Education Images | Universal Images Group | Getty Images

7. Nashville
Total cost: $1,728.22
Hotel (3 nights): $628
Airfare (for two): $703.62

Nashville, Tennessee
Davel5957 | Getty Images

6. Boston
Total cost: $1,730.02
Hotel (3 nights): $634
Airfare (for two): $646.62

Boston
David Joyner | Vetta | Getty Images

5. Austin
Total cost: $1,735.94
Hotel (3 nights): $626
Airfare (for two): $697.44

Austin, Texas is one of the U.S. cities growing the fastest in 2022, according to an October report from a nonpartisan think tank.
Peter Tsai Photography | Flickr | Getty Images

4. Washington, D.C.
Total cost: $1,881.48
Hotel (3 nights): $558
Airfare (for two): $855.60

Fireworks explode over Washington, DC. 
Paul J. Richards | AFP | Getty Images

3. Asheville, North Carolina
Total cost: $1,921.82
Hotel (3 nights): $689
Airfare (for two): $858.06

Asheville skyline
Lonely Planet

2. Maui
Total cost: $1,924.04
Hotel (3 nights): $751
Airfare (for two): $705.04

Maui, Hawaii.
Jay Spooner | Getty Images

1. New York
Total cost: $2,070.36
Hotel (3 nights): $773
Airfare (for two): $749.92

New York City skyline
Westend61 | Getty Images