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Sacramento Ranks In Top 10 Most Affordable Travel Spots

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A recent study ranks the city of trees as one of the most affordable travel spots in the nation.

Mallery Tuck and his wife toured Old Sacramento for the first time this month. The Dallas couple loves to travel on a budget. That's one of the reasons Sacramento was so appealing to them.

"In Dallas, our Ubers are $16. Here they are 12. That's a start right there," Tuck said.

SmartAsset, a New York-based financial services company, looked at airfare, hotel expenses, and other costs and found Sacramento was the ninth most affordable place in the country.

The average cost for one person is just over a grand for a three-day stay.

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Elaine Alaketu flew in from New York City to visit her son for the first time.

"We think you get more for your money," Alaketu said. "It's affordable, it's beautiful, it's safe. Safety is key."

She travels a lot and said it's not just the affordability, it's the attitude in Sacramento that she likes.

"People are more mellow, calm, and willing to be of assistance. They are not rushed, like in the big city feel," Alaketu said.

Tourists brought in $3.3 billion in 2018, up 5% from the year before. Local businesses are starting to notice.

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Troy Paski owns the new Hoppy Brewing Company in Old Sacramento. He expected he would get tourists.

"What I wasn't counting on was people going and coming from the airport. We get a lot of people who just get off a plane and their first stop is right here. With their luggage in their hand. I was impressed," Paski said.

Tuck and his wife say from the dollars they save on airfare here to the donuts they got in Old Sacramento, it's a desirable destination.

Orlando, Florida topped the list of affordable cities. You can vacation there for just over $850.

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