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Is North Carolina the Most Fun State in the Country?

By Babydoll on Foxy99 and Brandon Plotnick
North Carolina has lots of fun things to do, but how does the fun here rank compare to the rest of the country?

As we dip head on into summer, it’s time to think about all the fun you could be having in North Carolina with your family and friends.

But is North Carolina the spot with the most fun? Or should you be looking elsewhere for all the entertainment you can handle?

Our friends over at WalletHub.com ventured out to determine this once and for all. Their annual ranking of the Most Fun States are out, and while North Carolina is a lot of fun, it’s sadly not even in the Top 10.

“There are certain states where fun is not just an option but also a way of life,” Adam McCann said in his WalletHub piece. “These states offer such a variety of activities that everyone will be able to find something that excites them, from people who crave the outdoors and athletics to those who would rather sit down for a film.”

WalletHub ranked 26 key indicators to figure out where the entertainment was flowing most. Everything from the cost of a movie, to accessibility to national parks, or even nightclubs.

While North Carolina didn’t come in the Top 10, it did land at a comfortable 15. That’s probably a good amount of fun. After all, you don’t want to have TOO much fun this summer. We’re nestled nicely between Pennsylvania and Missouri in the rankings. And we managed to beat our neighbors to the south, as South Carolina came in at No. 19.

The Tarheel State did decently in all but one of the key rankings:

  • 8th – Restaurants per Capita
  • 19th – Movie Theaters per Capita
  • 10th – Golf Courses & Country Clubs per Capita
  • 16th – Amusement Parks per Capita
  • 29th – Performing-Arts Theaters per Capita
  • 9th – Fitness Centers per Capita

So let’s dive into the rest of the rankings, taking a look at the Top 5 most fun states, and the Bottom 5, so you know where to stay away from.

  • Top 5 Most Fun States

  • 1. California

    This makes sense. California has literally every possible kind of fun you could possibly want. Theme parks, nightlife, beaches, mountains. Like, literally everything.

  • 2. Florida

    Again, this makes sense. Florida is a massive family fun destination, with theme parks, beaches, nightlife, NASCAR, college and pro football. There’s a little bit of everything down there.

  • 3. Nevada

    VIVA! This is undoubtedly boosted by the fact that Las Vegas is the top tourism city in the country. But don’t sleep on Reno and Lake Tahoe.

  • 4. New York

    As a whole, the entire state of New York has most anything you’d want to experience for fun. It’s not quite the same as visiting California or Nevada, but there’s still plenty to do.

  • 5. Illinois

    Apparently Chicago scores REALLY well in nightlife, and look, we’re sure the whole state is plenty of fun. But this one seems weirdly high.

  • The Bottom 5 - The LEAST Fun

  • 46. Arkansas

    Well, there’s college football. And the Ozarks. And there’s… umm… We’ll get back to you on the rest.

  • 47. Rhode Island

    Our nation’s smallest state doesn’t have room for a whole lot of fun. But this kite thing looks pretty cool.

  • 48. Delaware

    Another small state, with very little room for fun stuff. It’s a lovely place, but not somewhere we think of to go for fun.

  • 49. West Virginia

    Oh bless their hearts. It is a lovely state to drive through, with natural beauty everywhere. But that’s about it.

  • 50. Mississippi

    We’ll politely disagree with this ranking, as Mississippi may not be the most entertaining place to go, but there are casinos and beaches and… well, that’s it.

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