Upgraded Points (https://upgradedpoints.com/most-and-least-pet-friendly-vacation-spots-study/) has recently unveiled the results of their latest study, which raties the degree of pet-friendliness for 50 of the most popular U.S. vacation destinations.
Cities with the Highest Pet-Friendly Ratings
The clear winner in this data study was the city of Asheville, North Carolina. It topped the list with a total score of 47.5 out of 50 points.
Asheville received maximum positive ratings for 6 of the 8 total criteria, including number of pet-friendly hotels and number of vacation rentals available that were considered pet-friendly.
The city also has a large number of hiking trails.
The number two city was Santa Fe, New Mexico. This city also had top-flight rankings for pet-friendly accommodations, pet-friendly vacation rental units and hotels.
The other most pet-friendly vacation spots are shown in the infographic below:
Cities with the Lowest Ratings for Pet-Friendliness
The lowest score was for Maui, Hawaii, which only received a 2.3 rating out of 50 possible points. It did get some rating for hiking opportunities, but failed to secure any points for accommodations that were pet-friendly or any points for pet-friendly activities (such as restaurants that were pet-friendly).
The major U. S. cities with poor pet-friendliness ratings were Los Angeles (ranked 14th out of 15), Chicago (ranked 11th), New York City (ranked 2nd poorest) and Philadelphia (ranked 8th out of 15).
Other least pet-friendly vacation spots are shown in the infographic below:
For this study, data was compiled on the following 8 criteria:
- Number of dog parks per 100K population
- Number of pet stores
- Number of pet-friendly hotels
- Number of vacation rentals that will accommodate pets
- Number/extent of pet-friendly restaurants
- Availability of veterinarians per 100K population
- Total miles of hiking trails available
- Total number of hiking trails per 100K persons
The 8 criteria, when summed, gave each location a possible maximum value of 50. Each city rated was then ranked numerically according to their calculated score.
For a fuller discussion of the weighting and details of the various ratings, visit the full report HERE. Upgraded Points also provides useful tips for traveling with your pet and a list of pet-friendly airports.
About Upgraded Points LLC
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Upgraded Points is a travel company that provides insider strategies on maximizing travel points and rewards. Launched in 2016 by Alex Miller, Upgraded Points uses targeted research efforts and in-depth studies to give travelers, as well as those looking to travel a real understanding of how to maximize their points and miles.
Learn more at: UpgradedPoints.com.
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