50 Most Expensive US Cities for Spring Break
If you assume America’s most expensive spring break destination is a beach town, guess again. Vail, Colorado, actually ranks first in a new MoneyLion study analyzing the 50 most expensive U.S. cities for spring break.
Just how much can you anticipate paying? A seven-night stay in the popular ski mountain town sets visiting families back nearly $10,000.
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MoneyLion reviewed various online rankings of popular spring break locations for families, including those provided by Travel + Leisure and AAA Newsroom. The total expenses cover seven nights in a hotel (with costs determined using the average of the three cheapest hotels within five miles of the downtown area), 21 meals and airfare for four.
Key Findings
Colorado, Florida and California contain the three most expensive spring break cities. Families visiting Vail can anticipate shelling out $9,654 for seven nights. Total vacation costs amount to $8,836 in Key West, Florida, and $6,460 in San Francisco.
Florida leads the top-50 list with 12 pricey spring break destinations: Key West (#2), Miami (#5), Naples (#6), Fort Lauderdale (#15), Sarasota (#16), Ocala (#20), Panama City (#26), Fort Myers (#28), Daytona Beach (#33), Tampa (#42), Pensacola (#45) and Orlando (#47).
Average airfare costs more than $2,000 for families traveling to these three cities: Vail ($2,323); Flagstaff, Arizona ($2,283); and Ocala, Florida ($2,211).
Vail and Key West have the highest hotel costs. Families can anticipate paying $4,731 in Vail and $4,083 in Key West for seven nights.
From San Francisco to Miami, these 50 cities are America’s most expensive for spring break.
1. Vail, Colorado
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $4,731
Total cost of airfare: $2,323
Total cost of vacation: $9,654
2. Key West, Florida
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $4,083
Total cost of airfare: $1,598
Total cost of vacation: $8,836
3. San Francisco
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $859
Total cost of airfare: $1,781
Total cost of vacation: $6,460
4. Santa Barbara, California
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $1,399
Total cost of airfare: $1,843
Total cost of vacation: $6,379
5. Miami
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $1,264
Total cost of airfare: $1,386
Total cost of vacation: $6,332
6. Naples, Florida
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $1,363
Total cost of airfare: $1,378
Total cost of vacation: $6,200
7. Seattle
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $1,134
Total cost of airfare: $1,601
Total cost of vacation: $5,907
8. Boston
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $889
Total cost of airfare: $1,509
Total cost of vacation: $5,776
9. Washington, D.C.
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $882
Total cost of airfare: $1,498
Total cost of vacation: $5,718
10. Charleston, South Carolina
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $776
Total cost of airfare: $1,426
Total cost of vacation: $5,649
11. New York City
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $547
Total cost of airfare: $1,435
Total cost of vacation: $5,642
12. New Orleans
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $489
Total cost of airfare: $1,335
Total cost of vacation: $5,607
13. Hilo, Hawaii
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $1,990
Total cost of airfare: $942
Total cost of vacation: $5,556
14. Atlanta
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $765
Total cost of airfare: $1,674
Total cost of vacation: $5,490
15. Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $1,136
Total cost of airfare: $1,106
Total cost of vacation: $5,474
16. Sarasota, Florida
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $1,054
Total cost of airfare: $1,297
Total cost of vacation: $5,436
17. Flagstaff, Arizona
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $618
Total cost of airfare: $2,283
Total cost of vacation: $5,411
18. Anaheim, California
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $623
Total cost of airfare: $1,628
Total cost of vacation: $5,339
19. Santa Ana, California
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $593
Total cost of airfare: $1,628
Total cost of vacation: $5,309
20. Ocala, Florida
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $491
Total cost of airfare: $2,211
Total cost of vacation: $5,290
21. Chicago
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $1,229
Total cost of airfare: $1,244
Total cost of vacation: $5,289
22. San Diego
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $624
Total cost of airfare: $1,504
Total cost of vacation: $5,213
23. Huntington Beach, California
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $685
Total cost of airfare: $1,628
Total cost of vacation: $5,156
24. Moab, Utah
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $974
Total cost of airfare: $1,826
Total cost of vacation: $5,011
25. St. Louis
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $994
Total cost of airfare: $1,651
Total cost of vacation: $5,004
26. Panama City, Florida
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $546
Total cost of airfare: $1,652
Total cost of vacation: $4,981
27. Corpus Christi, Texas
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $511
Total cost of airfare: $1,987
Total cost of vacation: $4,968
28. Fort Myers, Florida
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $811
Total cost of airfare: $1,378
Total cost of vacation: $4,942
29. Newport, Rhode Island
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $586
Total cost of airfare: $1,332
Total cost of vacation: $4,921
30. Biloxi, Mississippi
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $519
Total cost of airfare: $1,792
Total cost of vacation: $4,897
31. Portland, Oregon
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $651
Total cost of airfare: $1,535
Total cost of vacation: $4,860
32. Asheville, North Carolina
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $640
Total cost of airfare: $1,303
Total cost of vacation: $4,843
33. Daytona Beach, Florida
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $474
Total cost of airfare: $1,857
Total cost of vacation: $4,827
34. Mammoth Lakes, California
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $1,571
Total cost of airfare: $1,563
Total cost of vacation: $4,796
35. Oklahoma City
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $404
Total cost of airfare: $1,789
Total cost of vacation: $4,770
36. Long Beach, California
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $815
Total cost of airfare: $1,382
Total cost of vacation: $4,766
37. Las Vegas
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $575
Total cost of airfare: $1,139
Total cost of vacation: $4,711
38. Austin, Texas
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $565
Total cost of airfare: $1,575
Total cost of vacation: $4,680
39. Galveston, Texas
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $731
Total cost of airfare: $1,438
Total cost of vacation: $4,650
40. Monterey, California
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $569
Total cost of airfare: $1,829
Total cost of vacation: $4,630
41. Colorado Springs
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $398
Total cost of airfare: $1,663
Total cost of vacation: $4,625
42. Tampa, Florida
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $661
Total cost of airfare: $1,326
Total cost of vacation: $4,534
43. Charlotte, North Carolina
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $470
Total cost of airfare: $1,759
Total cost of vacation: $4,519
44. Denver
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $551
Total cost of airfare: $1,454
Total cost of vacation: $4,459
45. Pensacola, Florida
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $624
Total cost of airfare: $1,619
Total cost of vacation: $4,438
46. Savannah, Georgia
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $592
Total cost of airfare: $1,583
Total cost of vacation: $4,373
47. Orlando, Florida
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $684
Total cost of airfare: $1,138
Total cost of vacation: $4,364
48. Nashville, Tennessee
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $541
Total cost of airfare: $1,456
Total cost of vacation: $4,353
49. Grapevine, Texas
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $484
Total cost of airfare: $1,673
Total cost of vacation: $4,295
50. San Antonio
Total hotel cost (seven nights): $457
Total cost of airfare: $1,630
Total cost of vacation: $4,236
Methodology: The most popular locations were sourced from Travel + Leisure's 2026 Spring Break Destinations, Viator.com's "How to Spend Spring Break in the United States," Viator.com's "Spring Break Destinations for Sunseekers," Viator.com's "Kid Friendly Spring Break Destinations for Families," EmilyMKrause.com's "Spring Break Destinations for Families," BloggeratLarge.com's "Really Great U.S.A. Spring Break Destinations for Families," AAA Newsroom's "Coast to Coast Getaways: AAA Reveals Top U.S. Spring Break Destinations," DetailOrientedTraveler.com's "Spring Break Destinations for Families," JessWandering.com's "Beautiful Places in the U.S. to Visit in the Spring" and MensJournal.com's "New Study Names No. 1 Spring Break Destinations in America." This study found the cost for a vacation from March 14 to March 21, with seven nights in a hotel, 14 inexpensive meals, seven mid-range meals, 14 domestic beers, 64 sodas and airfare for four people. The cost of the airfare was calculated using the average airfare costs to the nearest airport for each location, as sourced from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics for Q2 of 2025, and multiplied by four to account for the whole family. The hotel cost was sourced from Hotels.com, using the average of the cheapest three hotels within five miles of the downtown area in each location. Using Numbeo.com, the average cost of an inexpensive meal, a mid-range meal for two, domestic beer and a Coke/Pepsi were sourced for each location. All data is up to date as of March 4, 2026.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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