The most (and least) sustainable US cities to visit

Miyo McGinn

July 15, 2022

This planet-conscious guide to US cities is a starting point for your next sustainable vacation. But let the record show that there’s more to planning a planet-friendly vacation than one index.

Ah, vacation—a chance to rest, unwind, and restore from the stresses of day-to-day life. Except, in the last few years, it hasn’t felt quite that easy. Whether it’s ever-changing COVID-19 travel restrictions or climate catastrophes like the recent flooding in Yellowstone National Park or the melting of Everest Base Camp, current events have been nothing short of an in-your-face reminder of our broad (and direct) impact on our planet.

So if you’re one of the majority of people globally who are concerned about climate change, there’s really no vacation that truly allows us to ‘escape’ the stress that is being on planet Earth in 2022. But there are still opportunities to see how miraculous the world is. And—just as importantly—to reduce our impact on it. Maybe then, you enjoy your trip knowing that you’re traveling in the best possible way for the planet. (But don’t be too hard on yourself, either—no one expects you to single-handedly slow global temperature rise).

A new study by travel blog ParkSleepFly has some useful info if you do decide to make sustainability a priority when you plan your next vacation. Their index ranks the 31 most-visited US cities from most to least sustainable, based on the percentage of sustainable hotels, accessibility of public transit, percentage of energy from renewable sources, air pollution, light pollution, miles of bike paths, carbon emissions per person, and traffic congestion.

By their measure, Portland, Oregon, is the most sustainable city in the US to visit; Nashville, Tennessee, is the least. Seattle and New York City, two metro hubs of progressive states, round out the top three, while Houston, Dallas, and Columbus, Ohio, join Nashville at the bottom of the rankings.

Studies like this, which show how a city can offer you more sustainable choices, are a great place to start. But they aren’t gospel. There’s a lot more to planet-friendly travel than the metrics considered in this study. There are region-specific concerns like water use in the southwest that are also worth considering.

But most importantly, these types of studies give us broad strokes of information, saying nothing of the particulars of your specific trip. Depending on how you travel, where you stay and what you eat, and what activities you do, it’s possible to have a more sustainable visit to one of the cities at the bottom of ParkSleepFly’s list than to have an eco-conscious metropolis like Portland or Seattle.

And the environmental impacts of your vacation aren’t contained by city limits. The distance you travel to get to your destination, and how you get there, is also a pretty important part of the equation. Staying closer to home is usually more sustainable, no matter where you end up. If you live near enough to Nashville to get there by train, bus, or car instead of plane, the reduced emissions more than make up for the Music City’s air pollution and lack of protected walking paths.

So if you do find yourself wanting to make your next trip more sustainable, take a moment to think about your personal choices, as well as tools like sustainable city rankings. Think about looking past the first, cumulative number and digging into the specifics. And consider applying some of the factors they’re prioritizing—like energy sources and overall public transportation access. Can you fit those into your specific trip? Can you stay near bike paths and bus lines instead of renting a car? Can you stay at a sustainable hotel? Remember, it’s a starting point, not the final grade.

Miyo McGinn

Miyo McGinn is a writer, fact-checker, and self-described aspiring ski bum based in Washington. Her bylines can be found at Grist, High Country News, and Outside. She covers US and global news stories for Adventure.com.