Remember When A Trip To The US Felt Like A Bargain?
For generations, Canadians headed south for affordable vacations, shopping weekends and winter escapes. But some familiar American destinations don't feel like bargains anymore. Hotels, restaurants, parking and attractions have climbed—and a weaker Canadian dollar makes everything hurt a little more. So, which old favorites have become surprisingly expensive?
New York City
New York was always expensive, but lately it's entered another league. The city's average hotel rate reached roughly US$334 per night in 2025, before taxes. Add Broadway tickets, restaurants and attractions, and the classic Canadian weekend in Manhattan now requires considerably more planning.
Honolulu, Hawaii
Hawaii has always been a splurge, but Honolulu has become increasingly difficult to do cheaply. Oahu hotels averaged roughly US$284 nightly in 2025. Flights, restaurant meals, rental cars and activities pile on quickly—and Canadians get the added pleasure of converting everything afterward.
Daniel Ramirez, Wikimedia Commons
Maui, Hawaii
Maui has become particularly expensive for travelers looking for that classic Hawaiian getaway. Its average hotel rate was around US$395 in 2025, before taxes and other charges. Add restaurant prices, transportation and excursions, and a week in paradise can now require a genuinely luxurious budget.
Sharon Hahn Darlin, Wikimedia Commons
Boston, Massachusetts
Boston once made an easy road-trip destination for Canadians from Ontario and Quebec. Hotels averaged approximately US$233 nightly in 2025, however, and downtown parking can add another unpleasant surprise. History may be everywhere, but unfortunately, 1970s hotel prices aren't.
Miami, Florida
Miami's transformation into a luxury playground is hard to miss. Miami-Dade hotels averaged approximately US$224 nightly in 2025, while beachfront properties can cost much more. Expensive restaurants, cocktails, parking and resort charges can turn an old-fashioned Florida getaway into a serious splurge.
San Francisco, California
San Francisco has long carried an expensive reputation, and travelers aren't imagining it. Average hotel rates reached approximately US$226 in 2025, about 6% higher than 2024. Restaurants, attractions and transportation add up quickly, making this beautiful city increasingly difficult to visit on a modest budget.
San Diego, California
San Diego still feels relaxed, but vacation prices aren't always following the vibe. Hotels averaged approximately US$213 nightly in 2025, before taxes. Add beachfront premiums, restaurants, attractions and transportation, and that laid-back Southern California vacation suddenly requires a surprisingly serious budget.
Anaheim, California
For Canadian families, Anaheim usually means Disneyland—and that's where things get interesting. Hotels averaged roughly US$210 nightly in 2025, before anyone even enters a park. Add admission, food, parking and souvenirs, and Mickey can empty a vacation budget with impressive efficiency.
Orlando, Florida
Orlando used to feel like an affordable way to give the kids an enormous vacation. Hotel rates averaged about US$203 in 2025, up 4.2% from 2024. But theme-park admission, food, parking and extras are what can turn a week here into a major expense.
Las Vegas, Nevada
Remember when Vegas practically gave away hotel rooms to get visitors through the casino doors? Those deals still appear, but they're harder to judge by the advertised rate alone. Resort fees can add US$15–$50 or more nightly, before restaurants, shows, drinks and entertainment enter the picture.
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles isn't just about paying for the hotel. Visitors often need to factor in rental cars, ride-shares and parking simply to move between attractions. Hotels averaged around US$196 nightly in 2025, making the classic Hollywood-Santa Monica-theme park vacation surprisingly expensive before you've even bought movie-star sunglasses.
Washington, DC
Washington still has an impressive money-saving advantage: many Smithsonian museums are free. Accommodation is another story. Area hotels averaged around US$187 nightly in 2025. Restaurants and parking can further inflate the bill, making those free museums suddenly feel even more valuable.
Seattle, Washington
Seattle has traditionally been an easy cross-border getaway for British Columbians. But hotels averaged around US$180 nightly in 2025, before taxes. Add parking, restaurants, attractions and several obligatory coffees, and that spontaneous weekend south of the border doesn't feel quite as spontaneous anymore.
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans still offers plenty of free atmosphere, but accommodation has become harder to ignore. Hotels averaged approximately US$176 nightly in 2025, up 2.7% from 2024. Restaurants, drinks and live entertainment can quickly turn a carefree French Quarter weekend into a surprisingly pricey getaway.
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville's tourism boom has changed the city's vacation costs considerably. Hotels averaged roughly US$174 nightly in 2025, while concerts, restaurants and nightlife pile onto the total. The honky-tonks may still sound wonderfully old-fashioned. The prices outside them can feel considerably more modern.
Phoenix And Scottsdale, Arizona
Arizona remains a favorite escape for Canadian snowbirds, but resort-heavy Scottsdale can get expensive during peak winter season. Phoenix-area hotels averaged around US$173 nightly in 2025. For Canadians staying weeks rather than days, higher accommodation and dining costs become particularly noticeable.
Domenico Convertini from Zurich, Schweiz, Wikimedia Commons
Chicago, Illinois
Chicago still offers tremendous value compared with some coastal cities, but it isn't necessarily a cheap weekend anymore. Hotels averaged approximately US$171 nightly in 2025. Museums, restaurants, sports tickets and downtown parking can push the total considerably higher. Thankfully, staring at the Bean remains affordable.
Key West, Florida
Key West's small size and enormous popularity make bargains difficult during busy periods. Hotels can easily run several hundred dollars nightly, while restaurant meals, activities and transportation add more. For Canadians remembering inexpensive Florida vacations, Key West can now feel surprisingly close to luxury-resort territory.
Aspen, Colorado
Nobody exactly arrives in Aspen expecting a bargain. Still, ski vacations have become remarkably easy places to spend money. Accommodation, lift tickets, equipment rentals, restaurants and transportation all come at premium prices. For Canadians, currency conversion simply adds another expensive layer to an already luxurious destination.
Daniel Case, Wikimedia Commons
Vail, Colorado
Vail presents much the same problem. A ski vacation doesn't stop at accommodation: travelers need lift access, food, equipment and transportation. Put those expenses together and this classic Colorado destination can quickly become inaccessible to families who once considered American ski trips reasonably attainable.
Napa Valley, California
Napa isn't designed around bargain travel. Hotels, vineyard experiences and acclaimed restaurants all encourage visitors to splurge. That's wonderful until several days of splurging accumulate. Canadians may arrive expecting a relaxing wine-country weekend and discover they've accidentally booked something resembling a luxury vacation.
Domenico Convertini from Zurich, Schweiz, Wikimedia Commons
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston's soaring popularity has helped transform what was once a relatively affordable Southern getaway. Historic accommodations, celebrated restaurants and tours can command premium prices, especially during popular seasons. Canadians searching for an inexpensive alternative to America's biggest cities may be surprised by what Charleston now costs.
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah can still offer better value than New York or Hawaii, but its popularity has grown tremendously. Historic-district hotels, tours and restaurants can become expensive during busy periods. It's still possible to visit affordably—but the days of assuming every Southern city is automatically cheap are disappearing.
Florida's Gulf Coast
For generations, Florida's Gulf Coast was practically Canadian territory every winter. But snowbirds don't stay for three nights—they stay for weeks or months. Higher accommodation, restaurant, grocery and entertainment costs therefore multiply, while exchange rates make extended American stays particularly painful for Canadian retirees.
The American Road Trip
This may be the biggest change Canadians notice. Hotels, restaurants, attractions and everyday travel expenses have all become harder to shrug off. Canadian visits to the US fell by 7.1 million in 2025 compared with 2024, suggesting the traditional cross-border vacation isn't quite the automatic choice it once was.
Canadians Haven't Stopped Traveling—They're Just Looking Elsewhere
Here's the interesting part: Canadians haven't simply stopped vacationing. Overseas visits actually increased 10.2% in 2025, including jumps of 13.6% to Europe and 16.7% to Asia.
Cost isn't the only reason Canadians are reconsidering American travel. But when familiar US destinations start competing financially with trips much farther away, suddenly crossing an ocean doesn't seem quite so extravagant.
Crisoforo Gaspar Hernandez, Unsplash
You May Also Like:
