This Is the Happiest Destination in North America, According to a New Ranking

When it comes to vacation happiness is a priority — and according to a new study, that happiness is found most in Las Vegas.

According to data from Club Med, Las Vegas, Nev. ranks No. 1 as the happiest destination in North America.

Following Las Vegas for top North American "happy" destinations are New Orleans, Vancouver, San Francisco, and Washington D.C.

To determine the outcome, Club Med focused on a variety of factors that go into achieving vacation bliss. The resort company sampled the 50 most visited international destinations and gathered info from living database Numbeo on levels of pollution, crime, and the average cost of beer, among other factors, to help structure their methodology.

Club Med also credited Vegas for its multitude of daytime activities and excellent safety rating in its ranking.

"Tripadvisor was scraped for the number of outdoor activities, day trips, spas, and wellness centers in each city per 100,000 people," according to Club Med. "Nomadlist, which ranks the best places for digital nomads, was also used to find the overall happiness of individual cities and LGBTQ+ friendliness."

The full list of factors that contributed to the list include crime, safety, pollution, cost of a domestic beer, number of outdoor activities per 100,000 people, number of spas per 100,0000 people, and LGBTQ+ friendliness.

Those metrics gave Las Vegas a score of 73.7, out of 100. The second highest North American city of New Orleans scored 26.8.

As for the full international rankings, Bali had the top overall spot followed by Las Vegas, New Orleans, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Budapest, Vancouver, San Francisco, Dubai, and Rio de Janeiro rounded out the top 10.

For visitors planning an upcoming trip to Las Vegas, beyond casinos and shows, an exhibit dedicated to Princess Diana, a new restaurant by Martha Stewart, and plenty of natural sites nearby await.