Former California meth capital ranked among the best staycation cities just in time for summer

The hits keep on coming for Fresno… and not the kind you take from a pipe.

The Central Valley city once infamous for its meth-fueled reputation has landed on yet another national list — this time WalletHub’s 2026 ranking of the best and worst cities for staycations.

Fresno ranked No. 138 overall out of 182 US cities in the personal finance site’s latest study, which compared places across 41 metrics tied to recreation, food and entertainment, and rest and relaxation.

The ranking comes as WalletHub says about 72% of Americans are planning to travel this summer, though stubborn inflation could push many to cut costs and opt for fun closer to home.

Fresno was famously spotlighted in British filmmaker Louis Theroux’s 2009 documentary “The City Addicted to Crystal Meth,” which explored the devastating toll drug use had taken on parts of the city.

But lately, Fresno has been showing up on a very different series of lists.

The city previously ranked No. 84 in WalletHub’s 2026 Best Summer Travel Destinations ranking and No. 138 in the company’s Best Places to Raise a Family list.

It was also disgustingly crowned as the 39th sweatiest city in America.

This time around, Fresno posted a total score of 39.35 in the staycation study.

Fresno’s Staycation Rankings:

• Recreation: No. 162
• Food & entertainment: No. 110
• Rest & relaxation: No. 55

WalletHub said it measured everything from parks, golf courses, tennis courts and swimming pools to restaurants prices, nightlife options, museums, coffee shops, spas, beaches and summer weather.

“It’s fun to visit an exotic location on vacation, but during rougher economic times, a staycation can save you a lot of money while being just a memorable,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said.

California’s top-ranked staycation city was San Diego, which came in at No. 11 nationally, San Francisco followed at No. 19, while Los Angeles landed at No. 36.

At the bottom of the California pack were cities including Santa Clarita, Oakland, Santa Ana, Chula Vista and Fremont.

Nationally, Orlando, Florida, took the top overall spot, followed by Cincinnati; Las Vegas; St. Louis; and Honolulu. Pearl City, Hawaii finished dead last.

Top 10 California cities for staycations:

• San Diego — No. 11
• San Francisco — No. 19
• Los Angeles — No. 36
• Sacramento — No. 49
• Modesto — No. 70
• Ontario — No. 72
• Bakersfield — No. 93
• Riverside — No. 97
• San Bernardino — No. 102
• Glendale — No. 114

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