10 Fun‑Packed U.S. Places to Travel (and the Hotels That Make Them Even Better!)

Photo: Unsplash

Swap your spreadsheets for slot machines, roller coaster shrieks and rooftop guitar riffs because summer travel season just sent the fun meter soaring. Domestic travel is booming: Americans took a record 119 million holiday trips in 2024, smashing the pre‑pandemic high, and industry forecasters expect total U.S. travel spending to top $1.35 trillion in 2025. Translation? Fun is officially in the budget!

At Travelmyth we’re all about matching that fun to the perfect place to crash, whether you crave a casino hotel on the Strip, an adults‑only retreat steps from Miami’s sand, or a music‑lover’s hideout in Nashville. We’ve rounded up ten fun places to travel in the U.S. that dish up every flavor of good time, and we’ll point you toward stays that keep the party going long after last call. Pack your dancing shoes and an extra phone charger; you’re going to need both.

1. Las Vegas, Nevada

Photo by: Ron Reiring via flickr

Why it’s fun

Sin City still wears the entertainment crown, with unbeatable nightlife, over-the-top attractions, and a nonstop party atmosphere that draws millions each year. The numbers back it up: 41.7 million visitors rolled into town in 2024, dropping a record $87 billion into the local economy, proof that the party shows no signs of slowing. Add the mind‑bending, 160 k‑sq‑ft LED immersion of the new $2.3 billion Sphere and you’ve got a playground that literally glows day and night.

Can’t‑miss experiences

• Get spherical. Snag a seat inside the Sphere for an immersive concert or “Postcard from Earth” film. The 16‑K wraparound screen and 167 k speakers redefine “sensory overload.”
• Ride high on the High Roller. Step into the world’s tallest observation wheel, soaring 550 feet above the Strip for unbeatable skyline views. It's especially dazzling after dark with a cocktail in hand from the Happy Half Hour cabin.
• Zip beneath 12.5 million LEDs. Soar on the SlotZilla zipline over Fremont Street and watch the Viva Vision canopy fire up its free hourly light shows after dusk.

Where to stay

The LINQ Hotel and Casino puts you at the center of the Strip with a modern, social vibe and quick access to the High Roller, the world’s tallest observation wheel, just steps from your room. With sleek, tech-savvy accommodations and a lively pool scene, it’s one of the top dog friendly hotels Las Vegas has to offer, welcoming four-legged companions alongside human partygoers. Grab a drink at 3535, the on-site infusion bar, then dive into the nightlife or explore The LINQ Promenade right outside your door.

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2. Orlando, Florida

Photo: flickr

Why it’s fun

America’s “Theme‑Park Capital” lives up to its name as the most‑visited destination in the U.S., welcoming 74 million travelers in 2023 and packing more thrills per square mile than almost anywhere else. With four Disney parks, three Universal parks (and a brand‑new DreamWorks land on the way), plus year‑round food festivals and downtown craft‑cocktail districts like the Milk District, Orlando is one of those fun U.S. places to travel that offers nonstop entertainment across generations.

Can’t‑miss experiences

• Race TRON Lightcycle / Run at Magic Kingdom. Disney’s newest coaster launches you to 60 mph under a glowing canopy straight out of the Grid.
• Survive Jurassic World VelociCoaster at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, crowned Theme Park Insider’s “world’s best coaster” for 2024.
• Belt out ’80s anthems at Pat O’Brien’s dueling‑piano bar in Universal CityWalk, a Bourbon‑Street‑style after‑party where the Hurricanes flow until 2 a.m.

Where to stay

Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort brings retro fun to the heart of the action, with vibrant 1950s–60s décor, two massive pools, a bowling alley, and its own Galaxy Bowl restaurant. As one of the Orlando hotels with lazy river, it invites guests to float their cares away between theme park thrills, while family suites with kitchenettes and walking paths to Volcano Bay make it both playful and practical for group getaways.

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3. New York City, New York

Photo: Freepik

Why it’s fun

The city that never sleeps pulses with nonstop energy, hosting over 600 nightlife events on any given evening. With 64.3 million visitors in 2024 (the second‑highest total ever for the Big Apple) New York’s round‑the‑clock buzz has fully roared back to pre‑pandemic volume.

Can’t‑miss experiences

• Float 1,131 feet above Hudson Yards at Edge. The highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere tilts you over Manhattan through angled glass walls.
• Score a same‑day seat at a Broadway smash. The 2023‑24 season sold 12.3 million tickets and grossed $1.5 billion. So yes, the Great White Way is roaring.
• Ring the phone booth at PDT. Behind the hot‑dog shop façade lurks the East Village speakeasy that sparked a national craze.

Where to stay

A 612‑room playground in the shadow of Broadway, MOXY NYC Times Square turns midtown into your personal carnival: candy‑pink carousel booths and mini‑golf at Magic Hour (NYC’s largest all‑season rooftop bar), smartly compact rooms that stash fold‑down desks and peg‑wall closets, and a lobby that morphs from co‑working spot by day to cocktail lounge after dark.

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4. Miami, Florida

Photo: Unsplash

Why it’s fun

Sun‑kissed days slide seamlessly into neon‑lit nights here: Miami welcomed 26.5 million visitors in a single year, pumping $20 billion into the local party economy. Add a dazzling lineup of megaclubs and a nationally acclaimed foodie scene, and it's easy to see why Miami ranks high among the most exciting fun places to travel in the U.S.

Can’t‑miss experiences

• Strike a pose on Ocean Drive’s pastel parade. The Art Deco Historic District packs 800+ illuminated beauties between 5th and 23rd Streets.
• Graffiti‑hop through Wynwood Walls. This open‑air museum showcases 100+ street artists and draws 3 million art lovers a year.
• Confetti‑blast ’til dawn at LIV. The Fontainebleau’s 18,000‑sq‑ft megaclub hosts A‑list DJs and keeps beats thumping past 5 a.m.

Where to stay

South Beach glamour is codified at Fontainebleau Miami Beach, the iconic curving beachfront hotel in Miami Beach where a 40‑foot arched lobby ushers you toward 11 sparkling pools, celeb‑chef eateries and the legendary LIV nightclub. Meaning your day can drift from cabana cocktails to sunrise DJ sets without ever leaving the property.

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5. New Orleans, Louisiana

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Why it’s fun

With Bourbon‑Street brass bands, open‑container cocktail laws and a culture that turns every night into a celebration, New Orleans cements its reputation as one of the fun places in the U.S. to travel, where every evening feels like a block party. And it’s not just Mardi Gras hype. Carnival alone lures nearly one million revelers and spurs an $ 900 million spending surge for local bars, bead vendors and king‑cake bakeries. Live jazz pours from Frenchmen Street till sunrise, and the gumbo pot of Creole cuisine keeps visitors happily refueling between parades.

Can’t‑miss experiences

• Catch beads on Bourbon (or Royal) Street. Nightly brass bands, balcony throws and to‑go hurricanes make the French Quarter a movable feast year‑round.
• Ride the St. Charles Avenue streetcar past Spanish‑moss mansions, then hop off for an oak‑shaded picnic in Audubon Park.
• Sail the Mississippi at sunset on the paddle‑wheel Steamboat Natchez, complete with a live Dixieland set and a who‑dat view of the skyline.

Where to stay

In the French Quarter, 19th‑century Hotel Monteleone serves Southern charm on a lazy Susan: its revolving Carousel Bar spins Sazeracs beneath a stained‑glass canopy, while a heated rooftop pool and pet‑friendly rooms make it as welcoming to pups as it once was to literary greats like Capote and Williams.

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6. Nashville, Tennessee

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Why it’s fun

Music City has evolved into America’s undisputed bachelorette‑party capital (more than 11,000 “bach” trips were booked for 2023 alone) and overall tourism is charging toward 17 million visitors a year, continuing to thrive as one of the liveliest fun U.S. places to travel for nightlife and live music lovers. Broadway’s neon honky‑tonks pump out live sets from noon till 3 a.m., while superstar stadium shows (and surprise dive‑bar cameos) keep the playlist fresh every weekend.

Can’t‑miss experiences

• Two‑step the Honky‑Tonk Highway. Legendary spots like Tootsie’s and Robert’s Western World never charge a cover, and rarely close before last call.
• Pedal (or just sip) on a party wagon down Demonbreun Street. The rolling karaoke bar has become a rite of passage for birthday and bach crews.
• Catch a show at the Ryman Auditorium, “Mother Church of Country Music,” which still hosts 200+ concerts a year in perfect acoustic glory.

Where to stay

Glass‑walled infinity pool 27 stories up, craft cocktails at L27 Rooftop Lounge and a restorative Rhapsody Spa make The Westin Nashville a skyline pit‑stop between honky‑tonk marathons on Lower Broadway. Floor‑to‑ceiling guest‑room windows frame the neon glow of Music City, so the party vibe follows you upstairs.

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7. Austin, Texas

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Why it’s fun

Austin continues to live up to its reputation as a hotspot for nightlife, live music, and good eats, drawing over 30 million visitors a year for its unbeatable mix of tunes, tacos, and Texas sunshine. The annual SXSW festival alone pumped $377 million into the local economy in 2024, proving the Live Music Capital still knows how to monetize a party.

Can’t‑miss experiences

• Visit the SXSW Festival (mid-March). 300k creatives take over downtown with 1,200+ bands, 491 screenings and every tech buzzword imaginable.
• Cannonball into Barton Springs. This spring‑fed, 68‑degree pool draws more than a million swimmers a year. It feels downright magical on a 100‑degree day.
• Neon‑crawl Sixth Street. Seven blocks between Congress Ave. and I‑35 overflow with live‑music dives and late‑night queso.

Where to stay

Hotel ZaZa Austin pairs art‑pop themed suites with a palm‑fringed rooftop pool and buzzy cabana bar, so you can plunge, pre‑game and wander to Sixth Street’s live‑music dives in minutes. After the encore, ZaSpa’s deep‑tissue reboot and in‑room record players keep the Austin groove going.

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8. Los Angeles, California

Photo: Los Angeles

Why it’s fun

LA continues to dazzle with its entertainment and nightlife scene, drawing 49.1 million visitors last year and inching back toward its 50‑million goal. From Hollywood premieres to beach bonfires, fun is literally baked into the city’s job description, while new toys like Super Nintendo World keep leveling it up.

Can’t‑miss experiences

• Race Mario Kart. Bowser’s Challenge at Super Nintendo World, the 2023 land that’s been boosting park attendance ever since.
• Sip at 1,100 feet. Perched atop the InterContinental, Spire 73 is the tallest open‑air bar in the Western Hemisphere, with sunset views included.
• Ride the Pacific Wheel. Santa Monica’s solar‑powered icon anchors Pacific Park, which draws 10 million guests annually.

Where to stay

Soaring 73 floors over DTLA, InterContinental - Los Angeles Downtown by IHG stands out as one of the skyscraper hotels in Los Angeles, delivering a 70th‑floor sky‑lobby, sleek infinity pool and Spire 73—North America’s loftiest open‑air lounge—pouring cocktails across a glittering urban sprawl. Inside, floor‑to‑ceiling windows and smart‑tech rooms turn every sunrise into a cinematic establishing shot.

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9. Chicago, Illinois

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Why it’s fun

The Windy City marries big‑town buzz with Midwest friendliness, drawing nearly 52 million visitors in 2023 and generating $19 billion for local businesses, with music festivals, parades, and pop‑up parties fueling the fun. From house‑music street fests to river‑dyeing parties on St. Patrick’s Day, Chicago blends culture, music, and mayhem into one of the most distinct fun places to travel in the U.S.

Can’t‑miss experiences

• Sail an architecture cruise along the Chicago River and geek out over 50‑plus skyscrapers in 90 minutes. Chicago Architecture Center’s docent tours are the gold standard.
• Stroll The 606. This 2.7‑mile elevated park threads four hip neighborhoods and now sees 1 million+ walkers and bikers a year.
• Sink your teeth into deep dish. Local legends like Lou Malnati’s and Pequod’s continue to spark fierce debate, proving that Chicago’s pizza wars are as passionate (and saucy!) as ever.

Where to stay

Set in a 1920s-era building in the heart of the Gold Coast, Viceroy Chicago exudes polished luxury with art-deco flair, upscale dining, and rooms framed by panoramic skyline views. As a standout rooftop pool hotel in Chicago, it offers a chic, sky-high escape where you can swim above the city or sip cocktails at the sleek rooftop lounge. With Oak Street Beach just a short stroll away, the Viceroy blends urban energy with lakeside calm.

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10. Honolulu (O‘ahu), Hawaii

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Why it’s fun

Picture-perfect beaches by day, tiki torches and rooftop DJs by night: Honolulu blends high-energy nightlife with laid-back island vibes, making it one of the fun places in the U.S. to travel if you're looking to both rage and relax in equal measure. Visitor stats back it up: 903,891 sun‑seekers landed in March 2025 alone, nearly a full recovery to pre‑pandemic highs.

Can’t‑miss experiences

• Catch your first wave on Waikiki. Honolulu has been called a dream solo escape precisely because you can roll from surf lesson to mai tai in minutes.
• Snorkel Hanauma Bay, the state’s most popular aquatic park, historically drawing around 1 million visitors a year to its coral‑ringed crater.
• First Friday in Chinatown. Galleries, clubs and courtyard bars throw a downtown block party every month, with DJs, street art and late‑night dim sum on till 2 a.m.

Where to stay

Across from Waikiki Beach, 'Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach layers a saltwater infinity pool and nightly DJ sets at SWELL Pool Bar above a lobby aquarium teeming with reef fish, so surf sessions segue straight into sunset beats. Contemporary rooms with private lanais and sashimi platters seal the island‑escape vibe.

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From neon deserts and theme‑park kingdoms to bluesy bayous and tiki‑lit beaches, the United States packs an almost ridiculous range of ways to let loose. Whatever “fun” looks like for you—margarita‑by‑the‑pool lazy or club‑til‑sunrise crazy—there’s no shortage of fun U.S. places to travel that can match your energy, and one (or more) of these ten cities will hit the spot.

Travelmyth makes the hunt for a crash pad painless by sorting every property into 60 categories, from casino hotels and rooftop pools to dog-friendly retreats, so zeroing in on the stay that matches your vibe is just a matter of picking the category that speaks to you.

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