Ah, the joys of the summer road trip. As a kid, I saw a good portion of this country from the back seat of a Buick. My parents believed, as I do, that before you go off to see the rest of the world, you should take a look at your own backyard first. However, according to a new study from WalletHub, Illinois might not be on anyone's list of must-see places.

WalletHub's new piece on the best and worst states for summer road trips has our state as the 16th Worst State for Summer Road trips. Here's how Illinois stacks up when compared to other states:

Illinois as a Road-Trip Destination (1=Best; 25=Avg.):

  • 5th – Number of Attractions
  • 29th – Lowest Price of Three-Star Hotel
  • 20th – Number of Nightlife Options per Capita
  • 6th – Vehicle Miles Traveled per Capita
  • 15th – Car Thefts per Capita
  • 15th – Lowest Price of Camping
  • 1st – Driving Laws Rating
  • 13th – Number of Fatalities per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled

Okay, if we're the 16th worst, which states are the best?

  1. Oregon
  2. Nevada
  3. Utah
  4. North Carolina
  5. Minnesota
  6. Washington
  7. Idaho
  8. Colorado
  9. Louisiana
  10. Vermont

Oh, you don't have time for a big road trip this summer? Luckily, others have done all the work for you:

For WalletHub's complete report on hitting the road this summer, click here.

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