8 US cities to visit that offer spectacular value for money

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River walk in San Antonio city downtown skyline cityscape of Texas, US at sunset

Heading stateside in search of a city break that won’t leave your bank balance in the red? We’ve got the lowdown on eight fantastic, affordable US cities that should be on your radar right now. Each city has an incredible food scene to discover, from tacos in California to Chicago's famous pizza, alongside plenty of memorable attractions to fill your trip with – all with clever tips that will get you more bang for your buck.

For more travel inspiration, check out our guides to 11 incredible UNESCO cities of gastronomy to visit and 9 cities that should be on every foodie's bucket list.

8 affordable US cities to visit

Huntington Beach, California

Huntington Beach (also known as Surf City USA) is a haven for surfers, offering year-round surf, extensive sandy beaches and a relaxed vibe. And, you don’t have to be an A-lister to enjoy it: with 16 kilometres of beaches, it’s a perfect city for water babies and there are plenty of memorable ways to spend your time (rather than money). Regular free events are held on the beaches, including the weekly Surf City Nights street fair and the Pacific Airshow in October. The Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve has free admission and is spread over 1,3oo acres – filled with hiking trails and guided tours to help you explore the estuary. Bonus points if you spot a rare California gnatcatcher – the small, fluffy grey bird is one of the region’s cutest winged wonders.

The Surf City USA Foodie Awards celebrate local, affordable cuisine, so there's plenty to eat and drink after all that surfing and hiking. Visit Tacos Los Cholos – the current holder of the Best Tacos award – where tacos start from just £2.23. For those with a sweet tooth, Handel’s offers around 50 rotating flavours of ice cream every month (the caramel apple flavour is a must-try all year round).

Aerial shot of the coastline at Huntington Beach, a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California on a sunny day in Fall.

Portland, Oregon

One of Portland's main value-for-money USPs is that Oregon is one of only five US states without sales tax, which means you can save that bit extra on souvenir shopping. We like the Pearl District – famous for its eclectic mix of craft breweries, cafés, galleries and bookstores – for picking up something special.

Plan your trip for the start of the month to make the most of 'free Thursday'. On the first Thursday of every month, shops, galleries and restaurants offer extended hours and hold free special events. Plus, various attractions – including the Portland Art Museum, the west coast’s oldest museum – waive admission fees. Book lovers should check out Powell’s Books, which covers an entire block and is the world’s largest new and used bookstore – sign up for a tour of this historic site to make sure you see it all.

Then, there’s the food: surrounded by vineyards and farmland, Portland has an incredibly diverse food scene. The city's famous food carts are great options for wallet-friendly fare, and a chance to try plenty. With over 500 to choose from, track the best ones down using the city's Food Cart Finder. Alternatively, start your search in Hawthorne, a hip, foodie-friendly neighbourhood where you’ll find carts specialising in everything from burritos to baklava. For a chocolate fix, try Jinju Patisserie, which scooped the prestigious James Beard award for Best Bakery in 2025 (the chocolate cinnamon coffee cake is our top recommendation).

Portland, Oregon, USA downtown skyline with Mt. Hood at dawn.

Detroit, Michigan

The innovative, vibrant city of Detroit has a true pioneer spirit, and is now a magnet for chefs, mixologists and entrepreneurs, all lured here by the sense of creativity. Exploring the city is affordable, too, with a free metro travelling through downtown.

Detroit chefs have a passion for local, seasonal cuisine. At the Selden Standard, executive chef Andy Hollyday sources almost all his ingredients from local farms, serving up creative takes on American classics, such as grilled Michigan pork with kohlrabi and coriander vinaigrette. “Detroit's food scene is a reflection of its resilience and creativity,” says owner Michael Symon. "We're not just serving meals; we're telling stories through our dishes.”

Some of the most legendary food spots in Detroit are also its most casual ones. At Eastern Market, one of the oldest and largest year-round markets in the US, you’ll find dozens of stalls run by local farmers alongside a wide range of cafés and speciality stores. Stop off at Anthology Coffee for rare brews, such as fruity Red Catuai coffee beans from Guatemala.

The city’s hotels are wonderfully wallet-friendly, too. Rooms at the Siren Hotel – inside the Wurlitzer Building, which was built in the 1920s and is the site where the company’s organs and jukeboxes were once made and played – start from just £110 per night.

Galveston, Texas

Galveston offers it all: a vibrant culinary scene, unique museums and broad beaches for relaxing. And, you can enjoy everything regardless of your budget. The 51 kilometres of beaches are one of Galveston’s biggest attractions, and they're all free to visit. We recommend East Beach for its boardwalk and packed calendar of events (ranging from sandcastle competitions to music festivals) or family-friendly Stewart Beach for calm, shallow water.

Galveston is an incredibly walkable city, thanks in part to the magnificent architecture you’ll see at every turn. Free attractions include the Galveston County Museum and Rosenberg Library Museum, or you can take a free tour of the Grand 1894 Opera House, built by New Orleans architect Frank Cox. If you've got plenty to see on your list, get a Galveston Island Pass (from £22) – you’ll save up to 40 per cent on admission to the city’s most popular attractions.

All that sightseeing will make you hungry, but luckily, Galveston's fantastically diverse food scene has plenty to discover. For ocean-fresh seafood, try Gaido’s Seafood, while a visit to the family-run Sunflower Bakery is a great place to start the day – try the Texas Crab Cakes & Eggs or the challah french toast.

Homes built on stilts in a beachfront subdivision located on Galveston Island, Texas along the Gulf of Mexico shot via helicopter from an altitude of about 600 feet over Galveston Bay.

Chicago, Illinois

A world-famous food scene, rich history and distinctive architecture mean there are plenty of reasons to visit Chicago, and it’s surprisingly affordable. You can visit the Chicago Cultural Centre (sign up for one of the free tours to learn more about its architecture, which includes the world’s largest Tiffany glass dome) for free, as well as the National Museum of Mexican Art.

Find your bearings with a free Chicago Greeters tour – an initiative during which you're guided around the city by an expert local. It's a good way to walk off your meals while planning the next! And, we’re not just talking about pizza (although you can’t visit Chicago without checking out Uno Pizzeria, the first to serve deep dish pizzas in 1943) – Chicago has a huge number of Bib Gourmand restaurants (awards given to restaurants serving fantastic food at wallet-friendly prices). Our favourites include South Carpenter Street’s HaiSous for Vietnamese cuisine and West Kinzie Street’s library-like Gilt Bar for hearty comfort food – the handmade pasta dishes are legendary.

Manchester, New Hampshire

The compact city of Manchester is an hour’s drive north of Boston, easy to explore on foot and has a laid-back food scene that's perfect for exploring. Plus, as it's in New Hampshire, you'll enjoy all it has to offer without paying sales tax. This is also a state that's mad about sport: visit Manchester's Delta Dental Stadium, home to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, to take in a baseball game from just £7.45 for single tickets.

One of the city's most popular events is May’s downtown Taco Tour Manchester, where you can check out hundreds of restaurants serving signature tacos for just $3. Fans of fried chicken will be happy here, too: Manchester is known as the 'Chicken Tender Capital of the World'. The best place to have them is Puritan Backroom Restaurant, credited with creating the dish in 1974 (if you visit, request the moreish cracker crumb topping).

Manchester, New Hampshire, USA Skyline on the Merrimack River at dusk.

San Antonio, Texas

Don’t get us wrong – we’ve got a lot of love for the more famous Texas cities of Austin and Dallas, but you’ll pay significantly less for hotels in San Antonio. Enjoy old-school opulence at the historic Menger Hotel (the oldest continuously operating hotel west of the Mississippi) starting at around £105 per night.

The hotel is located just across the road from the UNESCO-listed Alamo, one of the city’s countless free attractions. Others include the San Antonio Missions National Park and Japanese Tea Garden. San Antonio is one of only two UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy in the US, and 2024's inaugural Texas Michelin Guide awarded various accolades to San Antonio restaurants like Mixtli, which bagged the city’s first Michelin star. Michelin Bib Gourmand awards were even more prolific – recipients included The Jerk Shack, Ladino, Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery and Cullum’s Attaboy, famous for its brunches.

It’s the diversity that truly sets this city’s cuisine apart – this is a place where you can head to a Mexican bakery for breakfast before feasting on German-influenced dishes for lunch and Asian-Latin fusion cuisine for dinner. Our top pick? Best Quality Daughter restaurant’s curry guisada dan dan, which combines Asian noodles with carne guisada stew. Sounds unusual, but trust us – it works.

River walk in San Antonio city downtown skyline cityscape of Texas USA

Jacksonville, Florida

There’s never a bad time to visit sunny Jacksonville, although November is the perfect month for families, thanks to Kids Free November – attractions such as the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens and Museum of Science and History offer free or discounted entry to families during this period.

While many visitors flock to Jacksonville for its 35 kilometres of beaches, its food scene alone makes this a destination worth visiting. Explore the quirky coffee and donuts trail to discover local cafés and indulge your sweet tooth. The Mayport shrimp trail was also created to showcase the city’s fabulous seafood – specifically Mayport shrimp, caught at the nearby mouth of the St Johns River. Visit Chowder Ted’s, where an enormous platter of seafood will set you back just £16.