What Makes a Neighborhood Safe for Tourists?

In 2025, platforms like Airbnb are still competing heavily with hotels. This means you may be planning on staying at a home for your next vacation. As a tourist unfamiliar with the area you are visiting, it’s crucial that you ensure you stay in a safe neighborhood. 

Neighborhood safety can have a massive impact on a tourist's overall experience, from peace of mind to convenience of location. For perspective, Orlando receives a ‘C’ grade for city crime, which is respectable but it might not be what you’re looking for. This is why doing the proper research on what makes an area nice is important.

1. Low Crime Rates: A Key Indicator of Safety

It should go without saying that low crime rates are one of the most important factors when determining the safety of a neighborhood. This indicates whether or not there are violent and non-violent offenders in the area on average. 

As a tourist, you should access local crime data via police reports and websites, neighborhood apps like Nextdoor, or even through online travel forums with prior visitors. All of these resources can give you valuable information on any and all crime in the area you are considering staying in.

Checking for areas with a track record of low crime may seem like a hefty endeavor, but it can ensure a more relaxed and worry-free stay. As a tourist, especially if traveling with your family, this should always be the number one priority. 

2. Proximity to Emergency Services

One often overlooked tip for finding out which neighborhoods are safe to travel to is to look up proximity to emergency services. Being close to hospitals, police stations, and fire departments contributes to neighborhood safety by deterring criminals from coming out.

To find out if any of these are nearby where you are considering staying, simply look them up on Google and add in your intended accommodation as a destination, then look at the drive time. 

On top of keeping you safe, having emergency services nearby can simply give you peace of mind during your travels. Many people often have anxiety in unfamiliar areas, but knowing help is close by can ease some of those worries. 

3. Well-Lit Streets and Safe Walking Areas

While this tip may be harder to check on if you’ve never been to your destination before, it’s important nonetheless. Well-lit streets and safe walking paths, especially at night, can all help a neighborhood to feel more secure. On top of this, wide sidewalks and secure crosswalks also enhance safety for tourists. 

You should aim to prioritize accommodations that encourage walking or provide easy access to transportation options. The best way to find these is to look up the walk score in the area you are considering living in. You can also choose to look up the address of your accommodation on Google Maps and then check out the street view. This will show you what the area looks like during the day, but you can still scope out whether there are lights on the sidewalks and how safe the area looks. Just be sure the date on Google Maps is somewhat recent so that you don’t get surprised upon arrival. 

4. Positive Local Reputation and Reviews 

Another often overlooked measure of safety in a neighborhood is its local reputation and reviews. If you know anyone who’s from an area close to where you are vacationing, ask them their thoughts about where you are staying. Alternatively, reach out to forums in the area to ask locals themselves for their thoughts. Platforms like Airbnb, Google, and TripAdvisor will also be helpful for garnering insights into the safety of an area.

You should specifically look at any online reviews, social media posts, and local recommendations to paint an accurate picture of the neighborhood you want to move to. As with the prior tip, just make sure that any and all reviews are up to date so that you don’t accidentally stay somewhere that has taken a turn for the worse in recent years. 

Make an informed decision for a safe and enjoyable vacation

Low crime rates, proximity to emergency services, well-lit streets, and a positive local reputation or all indicators of a safe neighborhood. As a tourist, you should be prioritizing your safety above all else when vacationing to ensure you have a positive experience. Safety needs to be a top consideration when choosing somewhere to stay on any trip, so research heavily before going to your next destination.