The Best Touristy Towns To Own Rental Property

Imagine owning a rental property that generates a constant stream of passive income because it’s in so much demand with tourists. This can become your reality if you decide to buy property in a town that offers popular local attractions, such as adventurous theme parks, plentiful wineries or majestic mountains.

If you want to invest in a rental property, the next step is to find the most worthwhile places to buy. To determine the best touristy towns to own rental property, GOBankingRates used U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Places to Visit in the USA” rankings, “Best Family Vacations in the USA” and “Best Romantic Getaways” to create a list of top vacation destinations in the U.S. These touristy towns then were analyzed in terms of median monthly rental revenue and average daily rental rate for properties in each place. The ranking was developed based on cumulative scores.

With growing platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo, it’s easier than ever to find renters for your properties. Overall, there are plenty of U.S. cities where you can own a lucrative investment property.

• Attraction(s): Road to Hana, Ka’anapali Beach, Haleakala Crater
• Median monthly rental revenue: $4,594
• Average daily rental rate: $324

• Attraction(s): Yellowstone National Park
• Median monthly rental revenue: $6,274
• Average daily rental rate: $226

• Attraction(s): Uptown Sedona, Red Rock State Park, Chapel of the Holy Cross, Bell Rock
• Median monthly rental revenue: $5,128
• Average daily rental rate: $309

• Attraction(s): Cape Cod National Seashore, John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum, Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum
• Median monthly rental revenue: $4,526
• Average daily rental rate: $347

• Attraction(s): Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park, Aiken-Rhett House Museum, The Battery
• Median monthly rental revenue: $5,495
• Average daily rental rate: $310

• Attraction(s): Disneyland Resort, Los Angeles Angels baseball, Downtown Disney
• Median monthly rental revenue: $5,848
• Average daily rental rate: $319

• Attraction(s): Wineries, Napa Valley Wine Train, Russian River
• Median monthly rental revenue: $5,106
• Average daily rental rate: $367

• Attraction(s): Henderson Beach State Park, Destin Harbor Boardwalk, Crab Island, Big Kahuna’s Water and Adventure Park
• Median monthly rental revenue: $5,629
• Average daily rental rate: $342

• Attraction(s): Glacier National Park
• Median monthly rental revenue: $5,703
• Average daily rental rate: $347

• Attraction(s): Acadia National Park
• Median monthly rental revenue: $6,132
• Average daily rental rate: $334

• Attraction(s): Lake Tahoe, ski resorts
• Median monthly rental revenue: $5,155
• Average daily rental rate: $412

• Attraction(s): Lanai Island, Puu Pehe overlook, beaches
• Median monthly rental revenue: $6,968
• Average daily rental rate: $327

• Attraction(s): Beaches, snorkeling, helicopter tours
• Median monthly rental revenue: $6,871
• Average daily rental rate: $372

• Attraction(s): Grand Canyon
• Median monthly rental revenue: $7,148
• Average daily rental rate: $379

• Attraction(s): Martha’s Vineyard, Edgartown Lighthouse, Oak Bluffs
• Median monthly rental revenue: $6,461
• Average daily rental rate: $511

• Attraction(s): Zion National Park
• Median monthly rental revenue: $8,308
• Average daily rental rate: $400

• Attraction(s): Yosemite National Park
• Median monthly rental revenue: $7,835
• Average daily rental rate: $460

• Attraction(s): Grand Teton National Park, Teton Village
• Median monthly rental revenue: $7,430
• Average daily rental rate: $534

• Attraction(s): Florida Keys, Duval Street, Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, abundant fishing
• Median monthly rental revenue: $8,505
• Average daily rental rate: $493

• Attraction(s): Wineries, Taylor Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve
• Median monthly rental revenue: $9,288
• Average daily rental rate: $581

• Attraction(s): Rocky Mountains, ski resorts, film festival
• Median monthly rental revenue: $8,646
• Average daily rental rate: $642

• Attraction(s): Ski resorts, Maroon Bells, Independence Pass
• Median monthly rental revenue: $9,282
• Average daily rental rate: $795

• Attraction(s): Grand Teton National Park
• Median monthly rental revenue: $10,500
• Average daily rental rate: $790

• Attraction(s): Whaling museum, beaches, lighthouses
• Median monthly rental revenue: $11,800
• Average daily rental rate: $962

• Attraction(s): U.S. Highway 1, a designated American National Scenic Byway through the area; Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park; Pfeiffer and Sand Dollar beaches
• Median monthly rental revenue: $15,512
• Average daily rental rate: $890

Sophia Zolan contributed to the reporting for this article. 

Methodology: To find the Best Touristy Towns to Own Rental Property, GOBankingRates used U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Places to Visit in the USA in 2023,” “Best Family Vacations in the USA” and “Best Romantic Getaways in 2023” to create a list of top vacation destinations in the U.S. for 2023. These towns were analyzed in terms of average daily rental rate and median monthly revenue for rental properties in each location. These two factors were scored with the higher rates being favored, then the scores were combined and ranked to show the top locations. All data was collected and up to date as of June 2, 2023. Larger area locations like national parks show the town where someone is most likely to stay while visiting the vacation area.