Baltimore Ranks 37th for Thanksgiving Travel in New WalletHub Analysis

Baltimore placed 37th among 100 U.S. cities in WalletHub's 2026 Best Places to Go for Thanksgiving report, posting an overall score of 54.84. The ranking positions the city ahead of several major metropolitan areas, including Chicago at No. 50, San Francisco at No. 52, Seattle at No. 64, and Nashville at No. 91.

WalletHub evaluated the cities using 18 specific metrics. These factors included holiday celebrations, affordability, safety, volunteer opportunities, and weather conditions. Baltimore's individual performance varied across these categories. The city ranked 13th nationwide for giving thanks and 40th for celebrations and traditions. However, it placed 55th for affordability.

Nearby regions showed different results in the same study. Washington, D.C., landed at No. 14. Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, both in Virginia, secured spots in the top 10. The national leader in the list was Dallas, followed by Atlanta and San Antonio. Louisville, Las Vegas, and Scottsdale rounded out the top five.

The report also examined financial trends associated with the holiday period. Americans spent an average of $338 between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday in the previous year. This spending data served as a contextual metric alongside the qualitative assessments of local culture and infrastructure.

The full ranking list includes 100 cities. Top positions were held by Texas and California locations, with Dallas, San Antonio, San Diego, San Jose, and Los Angeles all appearing in the upper tier. Pittsburgh and Cincinnati also made the top 20, reflecting a mix of major and mid-sized urban centers.