2021’s Best Cities for Spring Outdoor Activities
Birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, and vaccines are flowing — spring and hope have finally arrived.
After a winter in which we all stayed much closer to home than we would have liked, we’re desperate to get outside in the sun, fresh air, and nature.
But where to go and what to do?
LawnStarter ranked the Best Cities for Spring Outdoor Activities by comparing the 200 biggest U.S. cities across 17 key metrics — from the number of public gardens, trails, and campsites to walkability to amount of spring sunshine.
Check out our ranking below, along with some highlights, lowlights, and expert advice. Then grab a blanket, walk to your nearest park, and take a breath of fresh air!
Table of Contents
City RankingsHighlights and LowlightsMethodologyWhy This Study Matters
City Rankings
See how each city fared in our ranking:
OVERALL RANKCityOverall ScoreOutdoor Activities RankVisitor-Friendliness RankSpring Climate Rank
1San Francisco, CA58.7817651
2Portland, OR55.95511103
3Honolulu, HI55.62111011
4Mesa, AZ54.7193333
5Washington, DC54.27138110
6Tucson, AZ54.0866946
7Los Angeles, CA53.3410984
8Long Beach, CA52.77323318
9Huntington Beach, CA52.0544345
10Las Vegas, NV51.82197426
11Lincoln, NE51.41323155
12Salt Lake City, UT50.9884889
13New York, NY50.9713174
14Seattle, WA50.782210153
15Oakland, CA50.5423151
16Tempe, AZ50.48772133
17Fort Collins, CO49.732519102
18Miami, FL49.61204970
19Riverside, CA49.1641995
20Lexington, KY48.63562163
21Knoxville, TN48.621151139
22Scottsdale, AZ48.23616533
23Irvine, CA48.22133405
24Phoenix, AZ47.872313133
25Escondido, CA47.83910892
26Ontario, CA47.7785755
27Santa Ana, CA47.63139455
28San Jose, CA47.6586748
29Louisville, KY47.58884159
30Nashville, TN47.334817134
31Oxnard, CA47.21128793
32Glendale, CA47.17154465
33Anaheim, CA47.05120705
34Santa Rosa, CA47.05130912
35Boise City, ID46.72702776
36Alexandria, VA46.712835110
37Richmond, VA46.581657146
38Austin, TX46.55269066
39Sacramento, CA46.471325430
40Sunnyvale, CA46.421712849
41Pasadena, CA46.416411819
42Garden Grove, CA46.41160565
43Henderson, NV46.391435126
44Chandler, AZ46.271524133
45Omaha, NE46.22895172
46Boston, MA46.1729165
47Fremont, CA46.021473651
48Gilbert, AZ45.851764433
49Elk Grove, CA45.781505330
50Glendale, AZ45.691197633
51Rancho Cucamonga, CA45.64148785
52Moreno Valley, CA45.58551475
53Denver, CO45.546026105
54Hayward, CA45.431723954
55Peoria, AZ45.391068345
56Lubbock, TX45.311243261
57Madison, WI45.22120194
58Providence, RI45.12981195
59Chicago, IL45.034015182
60Salem, OR44.965324144
61North Las Vegas, NV44.271459726
62San Bernardino, CA44.271421125
63Reno, NV44.262913465
64Albuquerque, NM44.193714460
65Minneapolis, MN44.191187178
66Vancouver, WA44.149229103
67Colorado Springs, CO44.122493123
68El Paso, TX44.19510057
69San Diego, CA44.13411586
70Fullerton, CA44.046515619
71San Antonio, TX43.935410464
72Tulsa, OK43.696638121
73Tampa, FL43.681155968
74St. Petersburg, FL43.571146168
75Eugene, OR43.569918161
76Orlando, FL43.454596100
77Baton Rouge, LA43.324153160
78St. Paul, MN43.2611312178
79Spokane, WA43.256842131
80Santa Clarita, CA43.171381365
81Corona, CA43.0516410929
82St. Louis, MO42.9215128157
83Plano, TX42.511694377
84Laredo, TX42.371955062
85Rochester, NY42.313637185
86Philadelphia, PA42.264763156
87Brownsville, TX42.191798758
88Norfolk, VA42.17818196
89Grand Rapids, MI42.14330193
90Orange, CA41.9716114619
91Virginia Beach, VA41.971255896
92Torrance, CA41.6918813719
93Fontana, CA41.611801495
94Bakersfield, CA41.5215513832
95Tacoma, WA41.4430106153
96Yonkers, NY41.410025167
97Raleigh, NC41.3738119128
98Dallas, TX41.357912077
99Pittsburgh, PA41.3218103190
100Irving, TX41.271826077
101Jersey City, NJ41.1719914167
102New Orleans, LA40.99677116
103Corpus Christi, TX40.8313513559
104Salinas, CA40.7614615047
105Modesto, CA40.7315314050
106Cincinnati, OH40.722107200
107Chattanooga, TN40.612177145
108Oceanside, CA40.568212986
109Garland, TX40.441907377
110Hollywood, FL40.421868574
111Dayton, OH40.3714143186
112Springfield, MO40.346105158
113McKinney, TX40.31629277
114Buffalo, NY40.298616198
115Atlanta, GA40.2127163107
116Fort Worth, TX40.169413277
117Stockton, CA40.1214015944
118Frisco, TX39.931818977
119Hialeah, FL39.871969470
120Amarillo, TX39.821578695
121Newark, NJ39.7918522162
122McAllen, TX39.7418311062
123Pomona, CA39.6917317019
124Aurora, CO39.5917071105
125Palmdale, CA39.5816517419
126Bellevue, WA39.5650124151
127Baltimore, MD39.536384166
128Oklahoma City, OK39.4710812394
129Des Moines, IA39.385962187
130Grand Prairie, TX39.3418410277
131Paradise, NV39.2916816740
132Houston, TX39.1774121130
133Durham, NC39.0757141118
134Charlotte, NC39.0549155109
135Arlington, TX38.9617511377
136Cleveland, OH38.936966184
137Port St. Lucie, FL38.9211214290
138Lancaster, CA38.8514118619
139Fresno, CA38.815616656
140Milwaukee, WI38.711652177
141Cary, NC38.5314988128
142Chesapeake, VA38.3313412596
143Chula Vista, CA38.2316612686
144Akron, OH38.178764191
145Fort Wayne, IN38.1710280170
146Pembroke Pines, FL38.0519412770
147Overland Park, KS38.0473130147
148Fort Lauderdale, FL37.9616314870
149Wichita, KS37.93129117124
150Newport News, VA37.8215812296
151Toledo, OH37.7511772173
152Arlington, VA37.69107139110
153Midland, TX37.6816717555
154Columbus, OH37.6710955192
155Sioux Falls, SD37.4913168175
156Clarksville, TN37.3651168135
157Aurora, IL37.215947182
158Sunrise Manor, NV37.0518918440
159Spring Valley, NV37.0120018040
160Huntsville, AL36.9131182143
161Fayetteville, NC36.8680161120
162Springfield, MA36.8104116164
163Greensboro, NC36.7983158122
164Jacksonville, FL36.7684164113
165Rockford, IL36.7133154180
166Bridgeport, CT36.5912295176
167Memphis, TN36.1135190125
168Cape Coral, FL35.78174133127
169Augusta, GA35.54126157126
170Mesquite, TX35.3118716591
171Killeen, TX35.2617817866
172Tallahassee, FL35.24136145152
173Columbus, GA35.1810318593
174Kansas City, MO34.9475171147
175Enterprise, NV34.8519119440
176Macon, GA34.539196108
177Worcester, MA34.510582199
178Syracuse, NY34.41111111196
179Murfreesboro, TN34.2678183138
180Lakewood, CO34.16137172114
181Paterson, NJ34.02193114171
182Miramar, FL34.0119718174
183Shreveport, LA33.99121173137
184Pasadena, TX33.52177162140
185Mobile, AL33.2167192142
186Detroit, MI32.69151152169
187Indianapolis, IN32.6590169181
188Thornton, CO32.4192176114
189Montgomery, AL32.39127187141
190Savannah, GA32.2591197101
191Joliet, IL32.23123160188
192Kansas City, KS32.23101189149
193Little Rock, AR32.1976195119
194Birmingham, AL31.6662198136
195Anchorage, AK31.5252179197
196Metairie, LA31.12198188116
197Jackson, MS30.7371200132
198Winston-Salem, NC30.497199133
199Olathe, KS30.24144193149
200Naperville, IL29.16110191188
!function(e,i,n,s){var t=”InfogramEmbeds”,d=e.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];if(window[t]&&window[t].initialized)window[t].process&&window[t].process();else if(!e.getElementById(n)){var o=e.createElement(“script”);o.async=1,o.id=n,o.src=”https://e.infogram.com/js/dist/embed-loader-min.js”,d.parentNode.insertBefore(o,d)}}(document,0,”infogram-async”);
Highlights and Lowlights
West Is Best
While the top 50 Best Cities for Spring Outdoor Activities are all over the map, nine of the top 10 are from Western and Pacific states. For example, Honolulu ranked high in climate categories, and Portland received high marks in a multitude of categories, including bike score and number of trails.
Our top city for springtime outdoor activities is San Francisco, with an impressive walk score and number of attractions, among other attributes. With plenty of trails, activities, and sunshine, the West Coast really is the best region for enjoying the best this season has to offer.
The Nation’s Capital — of Walking
While most of our top cities are out west, there was one standout city back east: Washington, D.C. Washington is the most walkable city in America and outperformed in bike score, number of attractions, and number of public gardens.
And don’t forget the cherry blossoms that draw people from all over in springtime to Washington, D.C. While the District was slightly held back by its crime rate and low amount of spring sunshine, it’s still a capital spot for an outdoor spring on the entire East Coast.
Springing Out of the South
Cities across the South landed in the bottom of our ranking, often losing points on metrics in the weather and visitor-friendliness categories.
Jackson, Mississippi, for example, ranks near the bottom on walk score and pedestrian fatalities. Metairie, Louisiana, has the second rainiest spring in the country. And Little Rock, Arkansas, has one of the worst bike scores of any U.S. city.
Methodology
We ranked the 200 most populated U.S. cities in descending order — from best to worst — based on their individual score totals in the metrics list below.* The city that scored the highest ranked No. 1, or “best.”
MetricWeightingMin. ValueMax. Value
Number of Attractions301,290
Number of Public Gardens per 100,000 Residents30.002.69
Number of Arboreta per 100,000 Residents30.063.88
Number of Trails21235
Number of Camping Sites20128
Average Yard Size (sq. ft.)1274423951
“Outdoor Activities” Category Total14
Walk Score31398
Bike Score32497
Pedestrian Fatalities per Capita20.007.67
Natural Hazard Index Score2920
Violent Crime Rate264.241965.33
“Visitor-Friendliness” Category Total12
Average Monthly Temperature in Spring337.0077.70
Average Monthly Precipitation in Inches in Spring35.3765.28
Average Amount of Sunshine in Spring30.0085.00
Yearly Average Number of Very Cold Days in Spring20.0017.67
Yearly Average Number of Very Hot Days in Spring20.0011.67
Air Quality11977
“Spring Climate” Category Total14
Overall Total40
Sources: AllTrails, American Public Gardens Association, ArbNet, Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Center for Disaster Preparedness, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, TripAdvisor, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Walk Score, and Yelp
* Due to current public health restrictions, we excluded spring-festival and travel data from this year’s edition of our ranking of the Best Cities for Spring Outdoor Activities.
Why This Study Matters
This winter of our discontent was made worse by social distancing, mask wearing, and working from home. With warmer temperatures and soon the smell of fresh-mowed grass, we need to get outside.
Never before have people needed the mental relaxation of spring outdoor activities. A third of all U.S. adults have reported feeling stressed, anxious, or deeply sad during the pandemic.
And while spending time in nature isn’t a cure for anxiety or depression brought on or made worse by the pandemic, Harvard University researchers have found that even a relatively short outdoor stroll can improve one’s mental health, mood, and even the physical health of their brain.
Just as Americans need time in nature to improve their health, outdoor industries and attractions (theme parks, zoos, outdoor dining at restaurants, etc.) need consumers to be healthy again. Maybe hike along the Grand Canyon and in Rocky Mountain National Park, as visits to national parks plummeted in 2020.
Yes, spring is here (or nearly here in some parts of the U.S.), and vaccinations are increasing, but it’s still too early for mass tourism or traveling. An increase in travel could prolong the pandemic.
So what can you do now that spring has sprung? Get outside. Walk, run, ride a bike, or roller skate (if that’s your thing). The whole point, according to the Mayo Clinic, is to find ways to exercise at a safe distance and with plenty of moving air.
Main Photo Credit: Needpix
The post 2021’s Best Cities for Spring Outdoor Activities appeared first on Lawnstarter.
Read more: lawnstarter.com
The post 2021’s Best Cities for Spring Outdoor Activities appeared first on Patrizia Wish.
source http://patriziawish.com/2021s-best-cities-for-spring-outdoor-activities/
Comments
Post a Comment