Who's ready for some fun?
Thought so.
Florida residents won't have far to go, no matter how you define fun.
Personal finance company WalletHubranked all 50 states to determine "the most fun states in America."
Shop Amazon for fun activity ideas
Florida came in No. 1, behind California.
"Ideally the place we live should match our personal interests and favorite ways to spend free time," WalletHub said.
It's ranking compared 26 "key indicators of enjoyable experiences that won’t break the bank. These range from movie costs to accessibility of national parks to nightlife options per capita."
What are the most fun states in the US?
WalletHub's top 10 fun states in America are:
- California
- Florida
- Illinois
- Nevada
- New York
- Colorado
- Washington
- Texas
- Minnesota
- Arizona
Florida ranks No. 2 in US when it comes to fun. Here's why
"Florida is the second-most fun state in 2026, leading the country when it comes to the number of restaurants, amusement
parks, arcades and music festivals per capita," according to WalletHub.
"But even if those particular activities aren’t of interest to you, Florida has the fourth-most attractions per capita, and the seventh-best variety of arts, entertainment and recreation establishments.
"In addition, Florida is a great state for people who like to be outside. Although it does have very hot summers, the state has the 12th-best weather overall. It also has the most marinas per capita and the second-most miles of shoreline.
"Finally, the Florida government spends a lot on parks and recreation, the 18th-most per capita. The average Floridian also spends nearly $2,300 per year on recreation expenses, the 18th-most in the country."
Breaking down Florida 'fun' ranking
WalletHub ranked "fun" activities in each state. Here's how Florida ranked in each category, per capita:
- Amusement parks: No. 1
- Restaurants: No. 1
- Fitness centers: No. 3
- Golf courses and country clubs: No. 5
- Performing arts theaters: No. 5
- Movie theaters: No. 6
- Variety of arts, entertainment and recreation establishments: No. 7
- Casinos: No. 29
Florida set tourism record in 2025
In February, Gov. Ron DeSantis said preliminary estimates from Visit Florida indicated Florida welcomed 143.3 million visitors in calendar year 2025, setting a record.
In the fourth quarter of 2025, an estimated 33.5 million visitors traveled to the state, making it the highest fourth quarter visitation on record, DeSantis said.
Breakdownof where visitors came from were:
- Domestic travelers: 131.1 million
- International travelers: 9.3 million
- Candian travelers: 2.9 million
Why was California ranked top most fun state?
"California is the most fun state in 2026, with an especially large number of restaurants, amusement parks, movie theaters, and fitness centers per capita," according to WalletHub. "It also boasts the second-most attractions per capita overall.
"For those who enjoy nightlife, the Golden State has a very high number of performing-arts establishments and music festivals per capita, along with the ninth-best access to bars.
"When it comes to the outdoors, California has the most scenic byways per capita and the sixth-longest ones in the country. It also has the best beach access in the country and the fourth-best weather (at least, when it’s not too hot to go out)."
Living in fun states help residents stay active, socialize
“Living in one of the most fun states can boost your mental, physical and emotional health by giving you a wide range of activities to choose from, both indoor and outdoor," said Chip Lupo, WalletHub analyst.
"These states help residents stay active and socialize, and they’re also ideal for travelers who want to make the most out of the limited amount of time that they have to explore.”
What are the bottom states when it comes to fun?
The states ranking at the bottom of WalletHub's most fun states were:
- No. 50: West Virginia
- No. 49: Mississippi
- No. 48: Vermont
- No. 47: Arkansas
- No. 46: Delaware
- No. 45: Rhode Island
- No. 44: Connecticut
- No. 43: New Hampshire
- No. 42: Alabama
- No. 41: Maine
Methodology used by WalletHub to rank most fun states in America
To determine the most fun states in America, WalletHub compared all 50 states across two categories:
- Entertainment and recreation
- Nightlife
Cheryl McCloud is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida's service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Want to have fun? Study says Florida's right place for it, but not No. 1
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