As summer unfolds and travel plans take shape, some travelers may seek the warmth and hospitality of a bed and breakfast. For those who prefer the charm of bed and breakfast getaways over hotel chains or Airbnb rentals, we aim to shed light on the delightful world of B&Bs and the cities that house them. These cozy establishments offer not only increased privacy but also the pleasure of waking up to a homemade breakfast.
In this study, we ranked 100 popular vacation cities across the United States, evaluating them based on various bed and breakfast criteria. Keep reading to find out the top cities to travel to with some of the best bed and breakfast stays near you.
The Best Cities for a Bed and Breakfast Vacation
To earn a spot among our top cities, we assigned perfect scores in two key categories to any city that had more than 20 bed and breakfasts (B&Bs) per 10,000 residents and at least 15 B&Bs offering free Wi-Fi. We also look at factors like the type of entertainment each city has, including bars, restaurants, and historic downtowns.
Madison, CT, exceeded all other cities on our list with a phenomenal score of 88.4 out of 100. Madison is home to 37 B&Bs per 10,000 people and 28 B&Bs with free Wi-Fi for every 10,000 residents. Not only that, but Madison also features 63 historic buildings and 1,030 restaurants for every 10,000 people.
The Homestead Bed & Breakfast in Madison is the best bed and breakfast by all accounts. It offers in-room record players, complimentary breakfast with options like pastries and quiche, as well as multiple outdoor patios and fire pits.
Placing second on our list is Portsmouth, NH, which received a high score of 78 out of 100. Portsmouth is home to 19 B&Bs per 10,000 residents and 16 B&Bs with free Wi-Fi for every 10,000 people. You can visit one of their four historic districts in Portsmouth or one of their 66 bars (per 10,000 residents).
Enjoy a night out at The Press Room, located in Portsmouth, which serves up specialty cocktails, wine, and more.
Placing third on our list as one of the top cities for bed and breakfasts in Malibu, CA, which received a score of 72.6 out of 100. Malibu offers 171 bed and breakfast getaways and 142 B&Bs with free Wi-Fi per 10,000 people.
Malibu may not be home to as many historic buildings or districts, however, it boasts plenty of restaurants (728) and bars (75) per 10K people for B&B guests to enjoy in the surrounding area. Malibu is home to everything from wineries to stunning beaches, making it the perfect place to unwind and get away.
Securing the fourth and fifth positions on our list are Potomac, MD, and Kennebunkport, ME, both earning impressive scores of 72.2 out of 100 and 71 out of 100, respectively. Potomac is home to 27 B&Bs per 10,000 residents and a low property crime rate of 6.2 per 10,000.
Kennebunkport features tons of B&Bs and offers plenty of entertainment, including six historic buildings and three historic districts. Plus, it has low noise pollution from transportation (48.1 dBA), which is lower than the average in our study (52.8 dBA). Who wouldn’t enjoy sipping a glass of wine on their balcony in the quiet evenings at their B&B?
Ranking America’s Best Cities To Stay at a Bed and Breakfast
Are you looking for the best bed and breakfast in the U.S., but don’t know which city to narrow it down to? You can explore our interactive table and see which city caters to B&Bs the best!
If you need to answer emails on vacation, you can locate the number of bed and breakfast getaways with free Wi-Fi. We also calculated the number of historic buildings and districts per 10,000 residents so you could indulge in leisurely strolls through captivating historic sites such as museums.
While the majority of B&Bs offer a generous breakfast spread, it’s worth noting that not all may have on-site restaurants. To address this, we tallied the number of restaurants and bars per 10,000 people, ensuring a diverse culinary scene to complement your B&B experience.
When you spend the night at a B&B, nothing beats the tranquility of a low property crime rate and minimal noise pollution, allowing you to enjoy a restful and rejuvenating slumber.
We also tallied the number of local hiking trails for those who want to go off the beaten path during their B&B getaway!
Closing Thoughts
There’s nothing better than waking up to the smell of coffee and a platter of pancakes and sizzling bacon at a B&B and spending the rest of the day exploring the city you’re staying in!
If you’re looking to fund your next bed and breakfast and sightseeing adventure, consider selling your unused life insurance policy to Coventry Direct. See if you qualify to sell your policy and get started planning your dream B&B getaway!
Methodology
To determine the best cities to stay at a B&B, we ranked 100 popular vacation cities around the U.S. on nine different ranking factors that would create the ultimate bed and breakfast destination.
The factors were weighted based on their importance when it comes to finding the perfect bed and breakfast spot, scaled, and totaled to give each city we indexed a score of 0 to 100. A score closer to 100 represents the most ideal city to stay at a B&B. A full list of our ranking factors can be found below.
| Ranking Factor | Source |
| No. of Bed and Breakfasts | Yelp |
| No. of B&Bs with Free Wi-Fi | Yelp |
| No. of Historic Buildings | National Park Service |
| No. of Historic Districts | National Park Service |
| No. of Restaurants | Yellow Pages |
| No. of Bars | Yellow Pages |
| Hiking Trails | Hiking Project |
| Property Crime Rate | Neighborhood Scout |
| Transportation Noise Pollution | Arcgis |