{"id":4308,"date":"2026-04-27T10:20:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T10:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/?p=4308"},"modified":"2026-05-11T17:09:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T17:09:16","slug":"5-underrated-locations-for-summer-travel-nursing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/5-underrated-locations-for-summer-travel-nursing\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Underrated Locations for Your Summer Travel Nursing Assignment"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"art\">\n<style>\n.art *{box-sizing:border-box}\n.art{font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',sans-serif;color:#1a1208;max-width:100%}\n.art p{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.75;color:#5a4a2a;margin:0 0 1rem}\n.art a{color:#22b0cf}\n.art .wh-intro{padding:0 0 1.5rem;border-bottom:2px solid #f0ede8;margin-bottom:2rem}\n.art .wh-why{background:#f7f5f1;border-radius:12px;padding:1.75rem;margin-bottom:2.5rem}\n.art .wh-why h2{font-size:1.15rem;font-weight:700;margin:0 0 1.25rem;color:#1a1208;border:none;padding:0}\n.art .wh-why-row{display:table;width:100%;border-collapse:separate;border-spacing:12px 0}\n.art .wh-why-col{display:table-cell;width:50%;vertical-align:top;background:#fff;border:1px solid #e8e0d0;border-radius:10px;padding:1.25rem}\n.art .wh-why-col h3{font-size:0.88rem;font-weight:700;margin:0 0 0.5rem;color:#1a1208;border:none;padding:0}\n.art .wh-why-col p{font-size:0.85rem;line-height:1.65;color:#5a4a2a;margin:0}\n.art .wh-card{border:1px solid #e0dbd2;border-radius:14px;overflow:hidden;margin-bottom:2rem;background:#fff}\n.art .wh-card-head{padding:1.5rem 1.5rem 1.25rem;border-bottom:1px solid #e0dbd2}\n.art .wh-card-meta{display:table;width:auto;margin:0 0 0.75rem 0 !important}\n.art .wh-num{display:table-cell;vertical-align:middle;width:30px;height:30px;border-radius:50%;background:#0d3d38;color:#fff;font-size:13px;font-weight:700;text-align:center;line-height:30px;padding:0}\n.art .wh-badge{display:table-cell;vertical-align:middle;padding-left:10px}\n.art .wh-badge span{display:inline-block;font-size:11px;font-weight:600;padding:3px 10px;border-radius:20px}\n.art .wh-compact-y{background:#e1f5ee;color:#0a5c44}\n.art .wh-compact-n{background:#fdf0dc;color:#7a4800}\n.art .wh-card-head h2{font-size:1.5rem;font-weight:800;margin:0 0 0.3rem;color:#1a1208;border:none;padding:0;font-family:Georgia,serif}\n.art .wh-card-head .wh-sub{font-size:0.875rem;color:#888;margin:0}\n.art .wh-card-body{display:table;width:100%;border-collapse:collapse}\n.art .wh-col{display:table-cell;width:50%;vertical-align:top;padding:1.5rem}\n.art .wh-col:first-child{border-right:1px solid #e0dbd2}\n.art .wh-col-lbl{font-size:10px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.1em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#22b0cf;margin:0 0 0.75rem;display:block}\n.art .wh-col p{font-size:0.85rem;line-height:1.7;color:#5a4a2a;margin:0}\n.art .wh-card-foot{border-top:1px solid #e0dbd2;background:#faf8f5;padding:0.875rem 1.5rem}\n.art .wh-card-foot-inner{display:table;width:100%}\n.art .wh-foot-note{display:table-cell;vertical-align:middle;font-size:0.78rem;color:#aaa}\n.art .wh-cta{display:table-cell;vertical-align:middle;text-align:right}\n.art .wh-cta a{display:inline-block;background:#fa8340;color:#fff !important;font-size:0.82rem;font-weight:700;padding:8px 18px;border-radius:8px;text-decoration:none}\n.art .wh-compare{background:#0d3d38;border-radius:14px;padding:2rem;margin-bottom:2.5rem}\n.art .wh-compare h2{font-size:1.15rem;font-weight:700;color:#fff;margin:0 0 1.25rem;border:none;padding:0;font-family:Georgia,serif}\n.art .wh-compare-row{display:table;width:100%;border-collapse:separate;border-spacing:12px 0;margin-bottom:1.5rem}\n.art .wh-compare-col{display:table-cell;width:50%;vertical-align:top;background:rgba(255,255,255,0.08);border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.14);border-radius:10px;padding:1.25rem}\n.art .wh-compare-col h3{font-size:10px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.1em;text-transform:uppercase;color:rgba(255,255,255,0.5);margin:0 0 0.6rem;border:none;padding:0}\n.art .wh-compare-col p{font-size:0.85rem;line-height:1.65;color:rgba(255,255,255,0.82);margin:0}\n.art .wh-compare-cta a{display:inline-block;background:#22b0cf;color:#fff !important;font-size:0.875rem;font-weight:700;padding:10px 20px;border-radius:9px;text-decoration:none}\n.art .wh-conclusion{border-top:2px solid #f0ede8;padding-top:2rem}\n.art .wh-conclusion h2{font-size:1.25rem;font-weight:800;color:#1a1208;margin:0 0 0.875rem;border:none;padding:0;font-family:Georgia,serif}\n.art .wh-conclusion p{font-size:0.95rem;line-height:1.75;color:#5a4a2a}\n.art .wh-tklist{list-style:none;margin:0 0 1.5rem;padding:0}\n.art .wh-tklist li{font-size:0.9rem;line-height:1.65;color:#5a4a2a;padding:0.6rem 0 0.6rem 1.5rem;border-bottom:1px solid #ece7e0;position:relative}\n.art .wh-tklist li:last-child{border-bottom:none}\n.art .wh-tklist li::before{content:'\\2713';position:absolute;left:0;color:#22b0cf;font-weight:700}\n.art .wh-final a{display:inline-block;background:#fa8340;color:#fff !important;font-size:0.95rem;font-weight:700;padding:12px 24px;border-radius:10px;text-decoration:none}\n<\/style>\n<div class=\"wh-intro\">\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-why\">\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/5-underrated-locations-for-summer-travel-nursing\/#Why_do_underrated_cities_work_well_for_summer_assignments\" >Why do underrated cities work well for summer assignments?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/5-underrated-locations-for-summer-travel-nursing\/#You_are_competing_with_fewer_applicants\" >You are competing with fewer applicants<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/5-underrated-locations-for-summer-travel-nursing\/#Your_housing_stipend_goes_further\" >Your housing stipend goes further<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/5-underrated-locations-for-summer-travel-nursing\/#Asheville_NC\" >Asheville, NC<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/5-underrated-locations-for-summer-travel-nursing\/#Portland_OR\" >Portland, OR<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/5-underrated-locations-for-summer-travel-nursing\/#Rapid_City_SD\" >Rapid City, SD<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/5-underrated-locations-for-summer-travel-nursing\/#Madison_WI\" >Madison, WI<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/5-underrated-locations-for-summer-travel-nursing\/#Tulsa_OK\" >Tulsa, OK<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/5-underrated-locations-for-summer-travel-nursing\/#How_do_you_find_and_compare_contracts_in_these_cities\" >How do you find and compare contracts in these cities?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/5-underrated-locations-for-summer-travel-nursing\/#What_to_look_for\" >What to look for<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/5-underrated-locations-for-summer-travel-nursing\/#How_Wanderly_helps\" >How Wanderly helps<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/5-underrated-locations-for-summer-travel-nursing\/#Your_next_summer_assignment_could_be_somewhere_new\" >Your next summer assignment could be somewhere new<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_do_underrated_cities_work_well_for_summer_assignments\"><\/span>Why do underrated cities work well for summer assignments?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"wh-why-row\">\n<div class=\"wh-why-col\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"You_are_competing_with_fewer_applicants\"><\/span>You are competing with fewer applicants<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-why-col\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Your_housing_stipend_goes_further\"><\/span>Your housing stipend goes further<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-card\">\n<div class=\"wh-card-head\">\n<div class=\"wh-card-meta\">\n<div class=\"wh-num\">1<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-badge\"><span class=\"wh-compact-y\">&#10003; Compact state<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Asheville_NC\"><\/span>Asheville, NC<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wh-sub\">Blue Ridge Mountains and a strong clinical market<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-card-body\">\n<div class=\"wh-col\"><span class=\"wh-col-lbl\">On assignment<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Mission Hospital is the primary facility in Asheville &#8212; 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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-col\"><span class=\"wh-col-lbl\">Off the clock<\/span><\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-card-foot\">\n<div class=\"wh-card-foot-inner\">\n<div class=\"wh-foot-note\">Asheville, North Carolina<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-cta\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/jobs\/asheville\">Browse jobs &rarr;<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-card\">\n<div class=\"wh-card-head\">\n<div class=\"wh-card-meta\">\n<div class=\"wh-num\">2<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-badge\"><span class=\"wh-compact-n\">&#9888; Non-compact &#8212; plan ahead<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Portland_OR\"><\/span>Portland, OR<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wh-sub\">Pacific Northwest adventures and strong pay<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-card-body\">\n<div class=\"wh-col\"><span class=\"wh-col-lbl\">On assignment<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Oregon ranks among the highest-paying states for travel nurses nationally. Portland&#8217;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 &#8212; that extra step keeps applicant volume lower and can mean better contract availability for prepared nurses.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-col\"><span class=\"wh-col-lbl\">Off the clock<\/span><\/p>\n<p>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 &#8212; warm, dry, and ideal for being outside.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-card-foot\">\n<div class=\"wh-card-foot-inner\">\n<div class=\"wh-foot-note\">Portland, Oregon<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-cta\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/jobs\/portland\">Browse jobs &rarr;<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-card\">\n<div class=\"wh-card-head\">\n<div class=\"wh-card-meta\">\n<div class=\"wh-num\">3<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-badge\"><span class=\"wh-compact-y\">&#10003; Compact state<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rapid_City_SD\"><\/span>Rapid City, SD<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wh-sub\">Gateway to Badlands, Black Hills, and Mount Rushmore<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-card-body\">\n<div class=\"wh-col\"><span class=\"wh-col-lbl\">On assignment<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Rapid City Regional Hospital handles trauma, cardiac, and general acute care for a large regional population. South Dakota is compact &#8212; multistate holders can start quickly. The market is smaller, which means less competition and a closer working relationship with your facility.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-col\"><span class=\"wh-col-lbl\">Off the clock<\/span><\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-card-foot\">\n<div class=\"wh-card-foot-inner\">\n<div class=\"wh-foot-note\">Rapid City, South Dakota<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-cta\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/jobs\/rapid-city\">Browse jobs &rarr;<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-card\">\n<div class=\"wh-card-head\">\n<div class=\"wh-card-meta\">\n<div class=\"wh-num\">4<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-badge\"><span class=\"wh-compact-n\">&#9888; Non-compact &#8212; allow 4 to 6 weeks<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Madison_WI\"><\/span>Madison, WI<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wh-sub\">Lakes, farmers markets, and a steady job market<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-card-body\">\n<div class=\"wh-col\"><span class=\"wh-col-lbl\">On assignment<\/span><\/p>\n<p>UW Health anchors Madison&#8217;s healthcare system. The University of Wisconsin Hospital is one of the state&#8217;s academic medical centers, offering exposure to a range of specialties and patient acuity that can strengthen your resume. Wisconsin is not compact &#8212; give yourself four to six weeks of lead time for licensing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-col\"><span class=\"wh-col-lbl\">Off the clock<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Madison sits on an isthmus between two lakes &#8212; Mendota and Monona &#8212; 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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-card-foot\">\n<div class=\"wh-card-foot-inner\">\n<div class=\"wh-foot-note\">Madison, Wisconsin<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-cta\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/jobs\/madison\">Browse jobs &rarr;<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-card\">\n<div class=\"wh-card-head\">\n<div class=\"wh-card-meta\">\n<div class=\"wh-num\">5<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-badge\"><span class=\"wh-compact-y\">&#10003; Compact state<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tulsa_OK\"><\/span>Tulsa, OK<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wh-sub\">River district culture and a bigger job pool than you would expect<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-card-body\">\n<div class=\"wh-col\"><span class=\"wh-col-lbl\">On assignment<\/span><\/p>\n<p>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 &#8212; your stipend goes further here than in a higher-cost market.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-col\"><span class=\"wh-col-lbl\">Off the clock<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The Arkansas River runs through the city. The Gathering Place &#8212; a 100-acre riverbank park &#8212; 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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-card-foot\">\n<div class=\"wh-card-foot-inner\">\n<div class=\"wh-foot-note\">Tulsa, Oklahoma<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-cta\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/jobs\/tulsa\">Browse jobs &rarr;<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-compare\">\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_you_find_and_compare_contracts_in_these_cities\"><\/span>How do you find and compare contracts in these cities?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"wh-compare-row\">\n<div class=\"wh-compare-col\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_to_look_for\"><\/span>What to look for<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-compare-col\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Wanderly_helps\"><\/span>How Wanderly helps<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-compare-cta\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/nurse\/jobs\/travel-nursing-destinations\">Browse all travel nursing destinations &rarr;<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-conclusion\">\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Your_next_summer_assignment_could_be_somewhere_new\"><\/span>Your next summer assignment could be somewhere new<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wh-tklist\">\n<li>Compact states &#8212; North Carolina, South Dakota, and Oklahoma &#8212; let you start quickly with a multistate license<\/li>\n<li>Mid-sized markets often mean less competition and more room to negotiate your contract<\/li>\n<li>Wanderly lets you compare packages transparently across agencies before you commit<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"wh-final\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/nurse\/jobs\/travel-nursing-destinations\">Browse open travel nurse jobs by city &rarr;<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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 [&hellip;]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":{"author_name":"Kelley","author_description":"","author_user_level":10,"author_avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/28242fd85278fbe21bcf98bc993e389ab1b3e1bbabb8ad21bb0ea366e5511e3b?s=96&r=g"},"featured_media":3701,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[73,63,118,391,104,62,111,57,71],"class_list":["post-4308","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel-nursing-destinations","tag-money","tag-nurse","tag-nursing","tag-states","tag-travel","tag-travel-nurse","tag-travel-nursing","tag-wanderly","tag-wanderly-nurse"],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/tmp_dcjYkJ_6c2a2a0d38b50dc9_natalie-toombs-449036-unsplash.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Kelley","author_link":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/author\/manshu\/"},"featured_image":{"size_thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/tmp_dcjYkJ_6c2a2a0d38b50dc9_natalie-toombs-449036-unsplash-150x150.jpg","size_medium":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/tmp_dcjYkJ_6c2a2a0d38b50dc9_natalie-toombs-449036-unsplash-300x200.jpg","size_large":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/tmp_dcjYkJ_6c2a2a0d38b50dc9_natalie-toombs-449036-unsplash-1024x683.jpg","size_full":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/tmp_dcjYkJ_6c2a2a0d38b50dc9_natalie-toombs-449036-unsplash.jpg"},"loftocean-view-count":["1616"],"category":[{"id":20,"slug":"travel-nursing-destinations","name":"Travel Destinations"}],"post_tag":[{"id":73,"slug":"money","name":"money"},{"id":63,"slug":"nurse","name":"Nurse"},{"id":118,"slug":"nursing","name":"nursing"},{"id":391,"slug":"states","name":"States"},{"id":104,"slug":"travel","name":"travel"},{"id":62,"slug":"travel-nurse","name":"Travel nurse"},{"id":111,"slug":"travel-nursing","name":"travel nursing"},{"id":57,"slug":"wanderly","name":"wanderly"},{"id":71,"slug":"wanderly-nurse","name":"wanderly nurse"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4308","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16637"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4308"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4308\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7837,"href":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4308\/revisions\/7837"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3701"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4308"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4308"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4308"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}