Summer is the most competitive season for travel nurse jobs. Nurses flood into the same hotspots every year. Contracts fill fast, housing costs spike, and the trails get crowded on your days off.
There is a better way to approach summer. Some cities have strong clinical demand, solid pay packages, and genuinely great summers. They just do not get the same attention. Below you will find five destinations where Wanderly has open travel nurse jobs right now.
Why do underrated cities work well for summer assignments?
You are competing with fewer applicants
A hospital in a smaller city posts an opening and fewer nurses chase it. That shifts the odds in your favor and gives you more room to negotiate on start date, shift preference, and pay.
Your housing stipend goes further
In a major metro, your housing stipend barely keeps up with rent. In a mid-sized city, the gap between what you receive and what you pay is real money back in your pocket each week.
Asheville, NC
Blue Ridge Mountains and a strong clinical market
Mission Hospital is the primary facility in Asheville — a Level II Trauma Center that consistently recruits travel nurses in critical care, ER, telemetry, and med-surg. North Carolina is a compact state, so multistate license holders can start without a separate application.
The Appalachian Trail passes through the region. Dozens of day hikes are accessible within an hour of downtown. The city has a strong arts scene, craft breweries, and farmers markets running through summer. A good fit if you want a slower pace on your days off after a demanding shift.
Portland, OR
Pacific Northwest adventures and strong pay
Oregon ranks among the highest-paying states for travel nurses nationally. Portland’s market includes Oregon Health and Science University and Legacy Health. Demand runs strong for critical care, OR, and specialty nurses. Oregon is not compact — that extra step keeps applicant volume lower and can mean better contract availability for prepared nurses.
Waterfall hikes in the Columbia River Gorge are less than an hour away. Mount Hood is reachable for a day trip. Portland has a food truck scene unlike anywhere else in the region, strong local breweries, and a dog-friendly culture. Cannon Beach is about 90 minutes west. Summer here runs late June through September — warm, dry, and ideal for being outside.
Rapid City, SD
Gateway to Badlands, Black Hills, and Mount Rushmore
Rapid City Regional Hospital handles trauma, cardiac, and general acute care for a large regional population. South Dakota is compact — multistate holders can start quickly. The market is smaller, which means less competition and a closer working relationship with your facility.
Badlands National Park is about an hour east. Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, and the Black Hills are close by. Nurses who take assignments here are consistently surprised by both the clinical experience and the scenery. Summer is warm and sunny, with crowds far smaller than you would expect.
Madison, WI
Lakes, farmers markets, and a steady job market
UW Health anchors Madison’s healthcare system. The University of Wisconsin Hospital is one of the state’s academic medical centers, offering exposure to a range of specialties and patient acuity that can strengthen your resume. Wisconsin is not compact — give yourself four to six weeks of lead time for licensing.
Madison sits on an isthmus between two lakes — Mendota and Monona — and the city makes full use of both. The Dane County Farmers Market runs Saturday mornings throughout summer. Outdoor concerts, lakeshore bike paths, and a strong restaurant scene fill the rest of your days off.
Tulsa, OK
River district culture and a bigger job pool than you would expect
Tulsa is home to Saint Francis Health System and Ascension St. John. Both systems regularly recruit travel nurses in ICU, ER, progressive care, and labor and delivery. Oklahoma is a compact state. The cost of living is low relative to the national average — your stipend goes further here than in a higher-cost market.
The Arkansas River runs through the city. The Gathering Place — a 100-acre riverbank park — has walking trails, kayak rentals, and open green space. The Tulsa Farmers Market runs through summer, and the Utica Square outdoor concert series runs Thursday evenings from May through August.
How do you find and compare contracts in these cities?
What to look for
The posted hourly rate is only part of the picture. A complete pay package includes your taxable wage, housing stipend, meals and incidentals, travel reimbursement, and any contract bonuses. Two offers in the same city can look very different when you compare everything side by side.
How Wanderly helps
Wanderly shows pay packages from multiple agencies on one screen. You are not piecing together information from separate recruiter conversations. Compare total compensation for the same market and apply directly through the platform.
Your next summer assignment could be somewhere new
The most obvious markets are not always the best fit. A city with real clinical demand, a lower cost of living, and a summer you will actually enjoy can add up to a great contract.
- Compact states — North Carolina, South Dakota, and Oklahoma — let you start quickly with a multistate license
- Mid-sized markets often mean less competition and more room to negotiate your contract
- Wanderly lets you compare packages transparently across agencies before you commit