Families trade coastal crowds for mid-size city getaways

Travel data points to a shift away from expensive coastal destinations as families look for cheaper, slower-paced trips in mid-tier markets. Oklahoma City is benefiting from that trend, with tourism spending and family-focused attractions helping drive demand for local hotels.

Why it matters: - Families facing high housing costs, traffic congestion and quality-of-life concerns are steering trips toward smaller cities and mid-tier markets. - The shift is boosting regional economies in central U.S. cities like Oklahoma City. - Hotels and attractions are adjusting to serve more road-tripping families looking for value, space and hands-on activities.

What happened: - A 2025 study by the Worldwide ERC on U.S. migration and mobility found more travelers moving away from crowded coastal areas. - A late-2025 economic report from the Tourism Economics division of Oxford Economics for Visit OKC said Oklahoma City received 24.5 million visitors over the previous year. - Those visitors spent $2.8 billion directly and generated a $4.6 billion total economic impact for the region. - The Winslow Hotel on the Northwest Expressway corridor is positioning itself around this family travel demand.

The details: - Travel analysts are seeing strong demand for domestic road trips built around hands-on learning, or edutainment. - The 2024 Visit OKC Economic Impact summary said Oklahoma City’s cultural and outdoor spaces are a major draw for families. - The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, the Oklahoma City Zoo and programming at OKC Fair Park are among the attractions cited as key family drivers. - The Winslow Hotel offers King Bunk Studios with standard twin bunk beds to fit more people in one room. - The hotel’s outdoor patio includes a pool table, cornhole boards and a grilling station. - The property is a 79-room select-service hotel at 1511 NW Expressway in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. - Room types include King rooms, Double bed rooms, Suites and ADA-accessible rooms. - Every room includes a pullout sleeper sofa, microwave, mini-refrigerator and a 50-inch flat-screen TV with built-in Netflix streaming. - The hotel also has an outdoor patio with a fire pit, barbecue grills and lawn games. - Guests can use a lobby bar, a lobby pantry and a 24-hour fitness center with a Peloton Bike. - The property includes a meeting room for up to 60 people for receptions or 24 in a classroom setup.

Between the lines: - The travel shift is not just about cheaper vacations. It is also about cities that can offer family-friendly experiences without the cost and congestion of major resort markets. - Oklahoma City’s tourism numbers suggest mid-size cities can compete for a larger share of domestic travel when they combine attractions, affordability and room to spread out. - Hotels that can add bunk-style rooms, shared gathering spaces and practical amenities may be better positioned for this changing demand.

What's next: - More mid-size cities are likely to market themselves as family-friendly alternatives to coastal destinations. - Hotels serving those markets may continue to redesign rooms and common areas for multi-person stays and road-trip travelers. - Oklahoma City’s tourism economy will likely keep leaning on museums, outdoor spaces and event venues to attract visitors.

The bottom line: - Families are voting with their wallets, and mid-size cities like Oklahoma City are capturing the upside.