The Most Blissed-Out Neighborhoods in America

Life can take its toll. Regardless of how happy you are or how much you love your job, many of us still need a little “me time.” We know a lot of you spend that time playing Classic Solitaire, but how do you spend that time to yourself? Whether you are a fan of meditation centers and spas or prefer to indulge in chocolate or tea shops, there are plenty of blissful establishments all across the country to choose from.

To determine where exactly these types of businesses are most abundant, the Solitaire Bliss team collected Google Business reviews for more than 177,000 establishments throughout the U.S. We used this data to then rank cities based on the number of relaxing activities to determine which parts of the country are most “blissed-out.” Read on to see if the city you call home made the list.

Key Takeaways

• Hood River, OR, Cambridge, MA, and Ithaca, NY rank as the most blissful cities in the country.
• Of the top 50 most blissed-out cities, 25 are in the West.
• Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, are the only cities in the Midwest to rank among the top 50 nationwide.
• On average, Oregon is home to the most blissed-out establishments per square mile, followed by Pennsylvania and Vermont.

The Most Blissed-Out Cities in America

Everyone needs a break from time to time. Whether it’s from work, school, or just life in general, there are many aspects of our day that leave us feeling drained on occasion. So how do Americans unwind? For some people watching TV, reading a book, or taking a hot shower can be the perfect way to relax, but for others, time outside of the house is the best medicine.

To determine where in the U.S. Americans have the most access to blissful escapes, we calculated the number of establishments known for their relaxing offerings per square mile in cities across the country.

Leading the way as the most blissed-out city is Hood River, OR, with 21.8 establishments per square mile. Across all businesses in the small Western city, massage establishments rank the highest.

Next up on our list with 18.2 blissed-out establishments per square mile is Cambridge, Massachusetts, followed by Ithaca, New York in third with 16.8 establishments. About a four-hour drive from New York City, Ithaca’s highest-rated category for blissful activities is meditation centers. At meditation centers you can choose to unwind solo or alongside others. According to experts, there are many benefits to meditation including stress relief, sleep improvement and more. It is also believed that meditation may help reduce age-related memory loss and help fight addictions.

The Most Blissed-Out Places Among the Largest U.S. Cities

To gain a full view of the most blissful parts of the country, we decided to break the data down further into multiple categories.

Of the most populous cities, Honolulu, HI, leads the way for the most blissed-out establishments with 7.3 per square mile. In second is Minneapolis, MN, followed by Pittsburgh, PA, with 7.0 and 6.6 businesses, respectively.

The Most Blissed-Out Cities in the Northeast

Next in our research, our team analyzed the number of blissed-out establishments per square mile in cities in each region of the country.

Leading the way in the northeastern part of the country is Cambridge, MA, with 18.2 establishments per square mile that specialize in relaxing activities. In second place is Ithaca, NY, with 16.8 businesses per square mile followed by Carlisle, PA, with 11.2.

The Most Blissed-Out Cities in the Midwest

In this section, we collected data for cities across the Midwest. Topping the list is Ann Arbor, MI, with 9.6 businesses per square mile. Minneapolis, MN, and Grand Rapids, MI, take the second and third place positions with 7.0 and 6.6 blissed-out establishments per square mile, respectively.

The Most Blissed-Out Cities in the South

Next up is the South, where Virginia reigns supreme for bliss, claiming the top three spots. Leading the way is Charlottesville, VA, with 16.6 blissed-out establishments per square mile. In second is Alexandria, VA, with 14.1 businesses, followed by Fredericksburg, VA, with 14.0. In Charlottesville and Fredricksburg, the highest-rated category for blissful activities is meditation centers, while float tanks rank highest in Alexandria.

The Most Blissed-Out Cities in the West

Finally in the West, Hood River, OR, claims the title of the most blissed-out city with 21.8 establishments per square mile. Two cities tied for second, Olympia, WA, and Costa Mesa, CA both have 14.5 businesses per square mile. In Olympia, WA, meditation centers rank highest while gardens hold the top spot in Costa Mesa, CA. In fourth place is Berkeley, CA, with 12.2 businesses specializing in relaxing activities.

Favorite Blissful Activity in Large U.S. Cities

After finding the best cities to visit for blissed-out experiences, we turned our attention to the types of businesses that are the highest rated. In 20 of the 50 largest cities, sound bath establishments receive the most positive reviews of any blissful experience.

While the word “bath,” may paint a picture of a tub full of water, a sound bath is something quite different. In this meditative experience, people immerse themselves in sound rather than water. During a sound bath, singing bowls are struck to fill the space with a rich, full-bodied tone that seems to linger in the air, creating a soothing auditory experience.

These sounds are played while one person or a group of people lay on mats and simply relax while listening. Sound baths are often used as a form of therapy to relieve stress and help process emotions, among other things.

In Charlotte, NC, and Nashville, TN, mediation centers reign supreme, while in Houston TX, residents rank cannabis dispensaries highest.

Another blissful activity catching Americans’ eyes is float tanks, which rank highest in Dallas, TX. A float tank, also known as a sensory deprivation tank, is a dark, soundproof tank that is filled with about a foot of saltwater.

Due to the salinity of the water, a person is easily able to float in the tank, allowing for quiet relaxation. Studies suggest these tanks help users experience muscle relaxation, better sleep, reduced stress and anxiety, and more.

Let Solitaire Bliss Help You Find Your Bliss

There are many activities a person can do to relieve stress, unwind from a busy week, or to simply have fun during free time. Whether you prefer to spend your self care time floating in a tank with saltwater or spend time meditating with others, there are plenty of options across the country.

At Solitaire Bliss, we understand the importance of taking time for yourself. Finding new ways to relax can be important for mental health, physical health, and overall happiness. If you are just starting your journey into bliss, perhaps online games are the perfect activity for you. With no need to leave your home or find a parking spot in a busy lot, these free online games are available to you at any time without the need for a subscription, providing a low-cost way to bliss out.

Get started today and try your hand at a game of Yukon Solitaire or Spider Solitaire to give yourself a break from life and take time to yourself to feel blissed out.

Methodology

In this study, we set out to determine the most blissed-out cities and neighborhoods in America. First, we reviewed data on over 177,000 business establishments from Google. Cities and neighborhoods were ranked based on the number of blissed-out establishments—which include Google search results for sound baths, float tanks, cannabis dispensaries, meditation centers, gardens, chocolate shops, cupcake shops, tea shops, spas, and massages—per square mile.

For this analysis, we only included cities and neighborhoods with at least eight of the 10 categories of blissful establishment types. We used the U.S. Census Bureau’s TIGER program city boundary definitions, while neighborhood boundary definitions were gathered from Zillow. In addition, data was aggregated in GIS using establishment location coordinates from Google.