Nancy Trejos

USA TODAY

The U.S. destinations that make travelers the most satisfied are Las Vegas, Austin, Orlando, New York and — Columbus, Ohio. That’s according to JD Power’s inaugural assessment of most popular vacation spots in the USA.

The study found a direct link between traveler satisfaction and the money spent at the locale: Happy travelers spend $277 more than the average traveler on restaurants, souvenirs and more. Those travelers who were not so satisfied spent $250 less per trip than the average traveler, the study found.

JD Power has for years gathered opinions on electronics, automotive, health care and other segments of society that consumers want to rate.

Out of a possible 1,000 index points, the cities with the highest overall satisfaction scores for traveling were: Las Vegas with 827; Austin, 818; Orlando, 814; New Orleans and Miami, tied with 814; New York 805; and Columbus, 799.

Columbus scored high for its infrastructure, food and beverage scene, and affordability.

Travelers also rated their top foodie and beverage cities. Their choices were: New Orleans, Oahu in Hawaii, New York City, San Antonio and Las Vegas.

For best hotels, they chose Vegas, New Orleans, Orlando, Miami, and Fort Worth. Best entertainment destinations were Orlando, Las Vegas, Anaheim, Oahu and New Orleans.

The study was based on responses between February and July 2016 from more than 26,000 travelers who visited a U.S. metropolitan city between December 2015 and July 2016.

Phoenix doesn't crack top 30 vacation destinations, according to J.D. Power