Jill Wellington
What does America's "perfect" vacation look like? According to a new study, it lasts 11 days, is three hours from home, and costs $8,807 per person.
The poll of 2,000 U.S. travelers found six in 10 believe their perfect vacation exists within the U.S., and 71% want more than just a long weekend to enjoy it.
They love destinations like sunny beaches (63%), somewhere in the great outdoors (53%), major cities (43%), historic locations (42%) and amusement parks (30%).
While on vacation, people said they prioritize the food (52%), relaxing (47%), their hotel (38%), the local weather (34%) as well as outdoor attractions and landmarks (31%).
But according to many, a vacation can only be considered "perfect" if they can completely relax and recuperate (67%), create meaningful moments with others (63%) or can travel alongside people whose company they enjoy (62%). Two in five (41%) only think their vacation is perfect if they can check off bucket list items, like seeing landmarks and going to local attractions.
Keeping vacations perfect is a fragile business. Commissioned by Go City — a global sightseeing and attraction pass brand — and conducted by Talker Research, the study showed 92% have "make-it-or-break-it" stipulations, meaning if even one thing goes wrong, it would ruin everything.
The top culprits that can derail an otherwise perfect vacation were unexpected costs (45%), travel hiccups (44%), local weather (41%), if their hotel is far away from local attractions (40%), lack of temperature control (35%) and bad food (34%).
Other vacation-ruiners include a bad bed (31%), if the hotel/lodging doesn't have public amenities (25%), not getting into must-visit attractions and landmarks (19%), poor water pressure in the hotel room (18%), bad entertainment experiences (12%), poor shopping options (11%) and if the hotel isn't pet-friendly (11%).
In contrast, 88% said there's something they'd give up if it guaranteed having a perfect vacation. Top compromises were having a direct flight (15%), sleeping in (14%), having their preferred seat on their flight (11%) and an extra day of PTO (9%).
“The idea of the ‘perfect’ vacation can feel overwhelming. Luckily, you don’t need to travel halfway around the world to find this,” said Judy Gauthier, Chief Commercial Officer at Go City. “Our research shows it’s often the simple things that matter most—spending time with loved ones, feeling relaxed, and making memories—even if you have to make a few concessions along the way.”
The results also revealed the specific trade-offs many Americans would make to have a better vacation.
A third said they'd give up "expensive hotels," if it meant "having more time to unwind" (29%). Nearly as many (32%) would trade off "splurge spending for three months prior to traveling" for "more money on food and drinks" (28%).
And, 28% would go without "extra leg room on flights" to have "an upgraded hotel room with a nice view and free breakfast" (27%).
Respondents also said they'd be willing to spend big on vacation. Per person, respondents said they'd spend anywhere from $677 on museums and $970 on outdoor attractions and nearby landmarks, to $1,502 on airfare for a perfect vacation.
They'd set aside $331 for wellness treatments and spa days, $330 for sporting events, $294 on interactive experiences and $275 on tours. The grand total for these activities and experiences comes to $3,883, on average — nearly half of their $8,800 budget.
"Every vacation deserves to be 'perfect,'" continued Gauthier. “What really makes the difference is knowing how to travel smarter to make your trip as stress-free as possible. A well-planned trip that balances activities and downtime with little indulgences like skip the line passes, flexible reservations, and an upgraded view can turn a good trip into a great one.”
GeoJango Maps
TOP VACATION TRADE-OFFS
Respondents were given a fill-in-the-blank, where they shared what they would give up for a better vacation experience.
Top items people said they'd give up
- A more expensive hotel/rental - 33%
- Splurge spends for three months before traveling - 32%
- Extra leg room on the flight - 28%
- Any access beyond economy on a full flight - 21%
- Having a carry-on bag - 19%
Sasha Kaunas
Top items people said they'd want in return
- More time to relax and unwind on vacation - 29%
- More money to spend on food and drinks - 28%
- An upgraded hotel room with a nice view and free breakfast - 27%
- The ability to afford more premium vacation experiences (e.g. skip line, VIP access, private tours, etc.) - 23%
- Premium access to every other experience on my trip - 20%
Survey methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans who traveled in the past 12 months; the survey was commissioned by Go City and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Apr. 30 and May 7, 2025.
We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:
- Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentive
- Programmatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in
Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.
Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.
Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.
Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:
- Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speeders
- Open ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant text
- Bots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify bots
- Duplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once
It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.
