RVshare, the largest community for RV owners and renters, in partnership with Cairn Consulting Group, announced exclusive findings about the outdoor adventures awaiting those who live in and visit America’s major metropolitan areas.
After analyzing multiple factors including the behavior of residents within each city, access to outdoor recreational activities and geographic proximity, as well as how each U.S. city is perceived by its own residents and visitors, RVshare ranked the 10 The Most Outdoor-Friendly Cities (and The Least Outdoor-Friendly Cities).
Earlier this year, RVshare conducted separate research and found that while the majority of Americans know that time spent outdoors is beneficial for one’s physical and mental wellbeing, 57% of Americans still crave more time outside and do not feel like they get enough time in nature. Americans reported feeling stir-crazy after spending 10.5 consecutive hours inside, and that time outdoors had people feeling more relaxed, clear-minded and in a better mood, while avoiding feelings of loneliness, anxiety and depression. Inspired to help people improve their mental and physical health by getting outdoors, RVshare said it embarked on a second extensive research campaign to identify where Americans are participating in outdoor recreation and where they are not.
The research resulted in comprehensive rankings. The results:
The 10 Most Outdoor-Friendly Cities
- Seattle, Washington
- Denver, Colorado
- Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Miami, Florida
- Portland, Oregon
- Nashville, Tennessee
- San Francisco, California
- Richmond, Virginia
- Los Angeles, California
- Charlotte, North Carolina
The 10 Least Outdoor-Friendly Cities
- Houston, Texas
- Rochester, New York
- Hartford, Connecticut
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Detroit, Michigan
- Buffalo, New York
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- Fresno, California
Following the publication of the report, RVshare said it is going the extra mile to give Americans up to $500,000 off RVshare rentals to break down barriers for city dwellers and help everyone access nature and the freedom of the open road.
“The central mission of RVshare is to get people outdoors to create unforgettable memories and experiences. When we learned that the majority of Americans want to be outdoors more but don’t feel that they have the opportunities to do so, we took it upon ourselves to research further,” said RVshare CEO Jon Gray. “We dove deep into which U.S. cities’ residents find it difficult to access outdoor recreation — even when state and national parks are not too far away. Concurrently, we learned which cities are perceived to have abundant opportunities to be outside, and how those residents and visitors take advantage of their natural surroundings.”
“RVshare is flipping the script on the 10 cities ranked ‘Not-So-Great’ (or ‘Least Outdoor-Friendly’) too — we intend to prove that despite preconceived notions, it is possible to get outdoors more often — anywhere,” continued Gray. “I can’t wait for people to read through our report and map out their own adventures to discover the great outdoors — even if just beyond their city limits.”
Read more on the methodology and results in RVshare’s Outside Lifestyle Research & Ranking Report here.
