Best Destinations for Vegetarians and Vegans

Vegetarian or vegan? Traveling can come with some challenges if you’re not a carnivore, but WalletHub released a study that not only proves skipping meat can be worth it (to the tune of saving $750 per year in grocery and dining cost — that’s enough for a pretty nice weekend getaway!), but it also shows where you can travel to find the best and most affordable dining options for your special diet.

Some options may come as no surprise, while others are unexpected but not unwelcome.

The Top 10 cities for vegans and vegetarians, in descending order, are New York, N.Y.; Portland, Ore.; Orlando, Fla.; San Francisco, Calif.; Los Angeles, Calif.; Seattle, Wash.; Washington, D.C.; Scottsdale, Ariz.; Miami, Fla.; and San Diego, Calif.

New York has the highest percentage of restaurants serving vegetarian fare, at 56.25 percent. The city with the lowest percentage is Newark, N.J., at 21.72 percent.

However, for the highest share of vegan-catering restaurants, head to Orlando, where the share is 31.14 percent, compared to Chicago at 3.52 percent, the lowest in the country.

The study also found San Francisco has the most community-supported agriculture programs per square root of population, while San Antonio has the fewest. New York has the most salad shops per square root of population, while Laredo, Texas, has the least.