The Most Expensive Summer Destinations in the USA

The destination of Montauk, in Long Island’s South Shore, ranks as the United States’ priciest travel destination this summer. A recent survey conducted by TravelMag.com came to this determination after comparing all of the country’s major locales.

Montauk (Photo: J.Confino via Flickr)

In establishing the rankings, the survey used hotel price as the basis of comparison. In particular, the minimum cost for each destination was determined, reflecting the cheapest amount, on average, travelers can expect to pay for an available double room during the month of August. It must be pointed out that the survey excluded hotels and inns with a non-central location and with an overall rating of less than three 3 stars based on the average reviews of past guests.

An average nightly rate of $316 for its least expensive double room put Montauk in the number one spot. Trailing by just a few dollars in the number two slot is Saratoga Springs. This fellow New York locale is averaging $312 per night this August. Rounding out the Top 3 is the Cape Cod peninsular island of Martha’s Vineyard. An average overnight price of $284 for its cheapest double room put this affluent summer colony in Massachusetts in the survey’s third position.

Nantucket, Falmouth, Provincetown and Boston, four other Massachusetts locations, also made it into the Top 10. Joining them there are Montauk’s village neighbor East Hampton, Delaware’s Rehoboth Beach and the California resort town of Santa Monica.

The following table shows the 20 most expensive locales in the United States this summer. The prices shown reflect the average rate for each destination’s cheapest available double room for the time period spanning August 1–31, 2015.