No One Wants to Vacation in Lubbock, Not Even People Who Live in Lubbock
Now that the world is slowly emerging from Pandemania, people are rediscovering the joys of being free to do whatever they feel like and travel if they wish to destinations that just 12 months ago were completely verboten.
All over this majestic land of ours, families are deep in discussion over vacation plans.
"So, kids...where do you want to go on vacation?"
"DISNEYLAND!"
"Hawaii!"
"Florida!"
"You got it, kids! Lubbock, it is!"
...said no one, ever.
Well, then. Perhaps if people aren't clamoring to fill up our local AirBNB options, then perhaps they're thinking about sticking around and enjoying a lovely West Texas staycation, right?
That's a negative, Ghost Rider.
According to a survey this week courtesy of Wallethub, even people who live in Lubbock have no intention of visiting Lubbock this summer.
Of the 182 cities ranked for staycation desirability, Lubbock came in at a less than impressive #145, narrowly beating out such vacation wonderlands as Memphis, Tennessee, Birmingham, Alabama, and the always exciting Huntington, West Virginia.
It could have been worse, because Lubbock also scored higher than Texas cities like Arlington, Irving and Grand Prairie...whose own residents are clearly planning their escape to "anywhere but here."
Knowing that even such crap-buckets as Stockton, California, Worcester, Massachusetts, and Shreveport, Louisiana all ranked higher on the list of cities that people want to staycation in seems a bit harsh. I've lived in two of those cities, and unless you want to spend your vacation looking to score fentanyl, there is no reason to be there.
Also, Portland, a city that has literally been on fire for the past two years with nightly riots, is no. 20 as far as staycation desirability, so the data seems a little flawed. Heck, even Amarillo made the Top 100 in this list. And Lubbock is number 145? Maybe we need to bury some rusted out Ford F-150s into the earth near the fireworks stands on I-27 and watch the tourist dollars roll in.
Oh, and by the way, Honolulu was the no. 1 spot for a staycation. Mahalo.