Driving isn’t always necessary on a vacation, especially when you check out the 11 best places to visit in the USA without a car.
Driving is expensive, especially when you’re on a trip, and you have to constantly get gas because of traffic and long drive times. If you fly somewhere and you choose to drive to your destination, you’ll have to pay for a rental car, which is ridiculously expensive as well. There are benefits to driving, such as total freedom over where you want to go and going places in your own time, but in some places, it’s just not feasible.
The destinations on our list are placed that people not just from the US but other countries frequent often. These cities have pretty good public transportation systems for when you’re not in the mood to walk an extremely long distance. This also helps cut down on sitting in dreaded traffic. There’s nothing worse than seeing pedestrians on the street going faster than your car. You lose so much time sitting in the car that could be better spent seeing the sites.
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The primary benefit to not driving on a vacation is the money you’ll save. There are a variety of benefits to public transit vs. private transit. It’s much cheaper to take a bus or a train than it is to fill up your tank with gas.
I prefer going to cities where I don’t have to drive. It’s extremely stressful to navigate a new area in a car because when you’re trying to listen to your navigation from your phone, you end up missing the exit and getting lost. So much time is wasted on figuring out the map and I’d much rather wander around and have a little extra cash in my pocket.
To choose the best places to visit in the USA without a car, we took to recommendations from reputable sources like Investopedia, NBC News, Pub Tran Travel, and Grist. If you’re planning a getaway, our list is the best place to help you lay down a basic travel plan.
If you’re looking for a more romantic getaway, check out the 10 Best Places to Visit in the USA for Young Couples. Keep reading for our car-less suggestions:
11. Eugene
If you’re considering the Pacific Northwest for your trip, make your way to Oregon. People in Eugene are strong supporters of green living, and if you share that mentality, you’ll fit in great here. You can enjoy all the perks of sophisticated city life here with wonderful locations, public transport, and rental bikes.
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10. San Francisco
For a west coast adventure that’s like New York City’s counterpart, head to San Francisco. San Francisco is a great place to walk around and see the sites. That’s why it’s on our list of best places to visit in the USA without a car. Just like other big cities, like New York, if you bring along a car you’ll be struggling with heavy traffic and steep parking charges. The city boasts a robust public transit system that includes a wide array of buses and a ferry service that enables you to travel hassle-free within and beyond the city for a reasonable price.
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9. Las Vegas
Party animals: leave your car at home. This is a city best explored by foot. You won’t be able to truly immerse yourself in the beauty of the place in a car. If you need to go downtown, there are several bus services to take you there, as well as a free monorail connecting the casinos.
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8. Honolulu
Next on our list of best places to visit in the USA without a car we have Hawaii that is an island and it would be foolish to try to drive there unless you want to pay an outlandish fee to put your car on a boat. Besides, there’s so much to be explored on foot. Everything is accessible via public transportation or foot. There are other tourist attractions scattered about the city like the Iolani Palace and Chinatown, which are also reachable by public transit.
7. Washington, DC
If you head to the nation’s capitol, you’re definitely going to end up at the National Mall, which is specifically designed for walkers. The city has a clean and efficient metro subway to take you to other parts of the city. You can also rent a bike from Capitol Bikeshare if you want to explore the city and get a little more exercise, too.
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6. Boston
When a city dubs itself “the walking city” you know from the start that it’s going to be a paradise for pedestrians, hence its addition to the list of 11 best places to visit in USA without a car. The city has a great public transportation system that includes subways, taxi services, and city buses. Boston’s been ranked number three on the America Walks list of Most Walkable US Cities, and it’s 6th on our list of best places to visit in the USA without a car.
5. Portland
Bring an umbrella if you want to visit Portland because of its notorious overcast weather. If you don’t mind a little rain, it’s a great place for pedestrians. The whole city is on a MAX light rail and buses at a really convenient price. Definitely deserves a place on our list of best places to visit in the USA without a car, right?
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4. Chicago
According to WalkScore, Chicago has very respectable scores in walking, transit, and biking criteria. The winter here can be a bit harsh for some people, so if you don’t like bundling up with a coat you might want to skip this. That being said, Chicago makes up for it by offering its visitors wonderful places to see. After all, Chicago is one of the largest cities in the US.
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3. Philadelphia
Number three on our list of best places to visit in the USA without a car is SEPTA, the transit authority of Philadelphia, operates a highly efficient and effective network of buses and trains. You can take full advantage of these for a cheap price to explore the full limits of the city. Philadelphia ranks highly when it comes to walkability scores, too.
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2. Minneapolis
If you like biking, Minneapolis is going to be your dream destination. It’s been given the first spot for bike-friendly cities in America. The city also has great public transit services.
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1. New York City
NYC is the most popular city for pedestrians, mostly because the traffic is absolutely ridiculous to maneuver, especially if you don’t live there and are used to it. All five boroughs can be reached by public transit. New York has taken the number one spot in walkability awards many times from America Walks. The city has an amazing bike service called “CitiBike” where you can rent a bike to explore the city in a new way.
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If you plan to take a trip soon and want to explore in new ways, hopefully, our list of the 11 best places to visit in the USA without a car gave you some ideas!
