The 10 Best States to See on Your Summer Road Trip and the 10 to Avoid

Summer is the time for vacations, outdoor explorations and soaking up the sunshine. What better way to enjoy everything that makes the season almost everyone’s favorite than by hitting the open road, rolling down your windows and seeing some new and exciting places?[slideshow:102121]

A road trip, a rite of passage for many Americans, is one of the most romanticized summer adventure concepts, and the actual journey tends to vary greatly. Taking into account that gas prices are down from a year ago, possibly marking this summer as the cheapest to fill up since 2005, you have no excuse not to get in the car and just drive. 

About 80 percent of families traveling this summer still plan to take road trips, a 10 percent increase since the previous year, according to AAA. One of the biggest factors in the success (or lack of success) on any given adventure lies in the location.

Since the route you choose plays such a big role in your expedition, WalletHub gathered and calculated data on the states you should see on your summer road trip—and the ones you should avoid.

The scores are based on 22 key metrics used to find the most fun, scenic and wallet-friendly road-trip destinations — plus those that’ll have travelers pulling a quick U-turn. The data set ranges from the number of attractions to road conditions to costs.

Click here to see the best and worst states for a summer road trip

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