'Cash is king,' but it may not be accepted on your next vacation

Cash is king — or is it?

Frequent flyers know that cash was dethroned as a payment method for inflight purchases more than a decade ago. In fact, even credit cards have lost their in-air swiping privileges with some airlines in favor of entirely in-app payments.

There's no doubt that in recent years, more and more merchants, including sports stadiums and concert venues, have made the choice to go cashless, opting instead to accept only debit cards, credit cards and other electronic forms of payment.

It's to the point now where cash may not even be particularly welcome on your next vacation. From national parks to theme parks and beyond, the list of places that want your money, but not your cash, is only growing.

Related: These are the best credit cards for earning cash back

Which tourist attractions no longer accept cash?

Since last year, a string of national parks have announced that they will no longer accept cash for entrance and permit fees. The list of parks is getting longer by the day, with parks like Death Valley National Park and Rocky Mountain National Park planning to join the cash-free list June 1.

And now, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Sesame Place Philadelphia and SeaWorld San Antonio announced they will also be going cashless beginning this month, joining the growing list of theme parks that don't want your cash either.

National parks and theme parks

More and more national parks are only accepting credit card or mobile payments for entrance, campground and permit fees. Check with the park you plan to visit before you leave to determine whether or not it accepts cash.

To give a flavor of how widespread this already is, here's a list of theme parks and amusement parks that no longer accept cash:

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• Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia (beginning May 11).
• California's Great America in Santa Clara, California.
• Carowinds in Charlotte.
• Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio.
• Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
• Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
• Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana.
• Idlewild Park in Ligonier, Pennsylvania.
• Kennywood Park in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania.
• Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia.
• Kings Island in Mason, Ohio.
• Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California.
• Lake Compounce in Bristol, Connecticut.
• SeaWorld San Antonio in San Antonio.
• SeaWorld Orlando in Orlando.
• Sesame Place Philadelphia in Philadelphia (beginning May 13).
• Silverwood Theme Park in Athol, Idaho.
• Valleyfair in Shakopee, Minnesota.

Airport check-in desks

Some airport check-in desks are also cashless. If you have purchased your ticket and paid for your checked baggage before arriving at the airport, this shouldn't cause an issue. But, if you need to pay for checked or overweight baggage at the airport and only have cash, you could be in a bit of a pickle if you don't have another way to pay.

Restaurants and hotels

While not as common, there are a handful of hotels and restaurants that will turn your cash away. The Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa in Palm Coast, Florida, for example, is a completely cashless property. All purchases made at the resort can either be charged to your room or paid with a credit card.

The Cartoon Network Hotel next to Lancaster's Dutch Wonderland also runs a cashless operation.

Train, bus and underground transportation

Certain train services, including Amtrak, have gone cashless on select routes. Once on board, you cannot use cash to purchase food, beverages or other goods. Many major cities have cashless payment options for public transit, but these are currently only a means of giving customers more payment options. And of course, there are train stations where the only way to buy your tickets is via an app or kiosk.

Related: The best credit cards for train travel

Why are businesses going cashless?

Although some businesses are just now banning cash payments altogether, cashless payment methods have been prevalent for decades.

If you've ever used a MagicBand at Walt Disney World or Disneyland to pay for a meal or souvenir or used a credit card to purchase public transit tickets from a kiosk, you're already playing the cashless game.

Cashless payments are still optional at many businesses, but spots that have shifted to being 100% cashless cite safety, security and speed as the driving forces behind the change.

When Cedar Point announced in September 2021 that it would go cashless starting with the 2022 season, Cedar Fair spokesperson Gary Rhodes told Spectrum News 1, "There are plenty of benefits, both for guests and our parks ... Guests can spend less time in the check-out waiting on change and more time hitting up their favorite rides or other attractions."

The less time customers spend waiting in line at a theme park, the better their overall experience and the more likely they are to return again and again (with their credit card in hand, of course).

Cashless payment systems are also safer and more efficient for theme parks and their employees. The absence of cash eliminates the opportunity for theft and frees up time that would have otherwise been spent handling cash.

Handling cash can also carry a hefty cost for businesses. Death Valley National Park, for example, collected $22,000 in cash fees in 2022. Between counting money, processing paperwork and armored car transportation, it cost $40,000 – almost double that amount – to process that cash. Now, the National Park Service can use those funds to directly benefit park visitors.

For other businesses, safety is at the forefront of their decision to go cashless. Gringo's Mexican Kitchen, a restaurant in Cypress, Texas, made the decision to go cashless after enduring four robberies in a 12-month period, according to ABC13.

Chicago-based hot dog chain Portillo's went cashless at its drive-thrus at all 71 locations earlier this year to provide faster, smoother service and a safer environment for its team members, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

And though they may not want to admit it, theme parks know guests are likely to spend more when using cashless methods instead of cold, hard cash.

Think about it. If you have to take the time to count out $50 in cash for a Mickey Mouse T-shirt, you have enough time to second-guess whether that is an acceptable amount to pay for a souvenir. When all you have to do is tap your MagicBand or swipe your credit card, you are much more likely to make even the most impulsive of purchases.

What payment types do cashless merchants accept?

Some businesses may not want your cash, but they certainly want your money.

The businesses listed above that no longer take cash still accept a variety of payment methods. You can often buy tickets and make other purchases with a physical debit card or credit card, and most accept contactless payments through virtual wallet apps like Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Some, including many theme parks, offer their own payment systems, like RFID-enabled wristbands or in-app mobile wallets, like Universal Orlando's Universal Pay system.

What happens if you show up with cash?

Don't fret if you show up at a cashless business sans credit card or mobile-based payment method. In order to make the transition as simple as possible, many spots have what are called "reverse ATM machines."

Rather than spitting out cash when you enter your debit card, these "cash-to-card" kiosks convert your cash into a prepaid debit card you can use to make purchases. At most destinations, these prepaid debit cards can be used to make purchases anywhere prepaid debit cards are accepted.

Related: The best credit cards for Universal vacations

There is no fee for using these cash-to-card kiosks, but some will deduct a monthly fee from your card if you do not make any transactions on the card within an allotted amount of time (usually 90 days).

Some national parks, including Rocky Mountain National Park, allow guests to purchase prepaid passes using cash at select visitor centers.

If you find yourself or your kids in need of a cash alternative while you are traveling and a cash-to-card kiosk isn't available, many stores sell gift cards and prepaid debit cards that you can purchase with cash.

Related: The best credit cards for your Disney vacation

Even if you are among those who already rarely use cash on vacation, you may still keep some on hand for emergencies or to use for tipping valets, hotel housekeeping staff or restaurant servers, which is still largely done using cash.

Bottom line

While cash is still alive and well at most businesses, it is on life support at others, if you will. With more electronic payment options coming onto the scene and more businesses adopting them in lieu of cash, it could be only a matter of time before more major players go cashless, too.

Even if you still choose to use cash where you can, it's in your best interest to familiarize yourself with these cashless payment methods before your next vacation. Before you know it, they may be your only choice.

Related reading:

• The best airline credit cards
• The best travel credit cards
• The best hotel credit cards
• Cash back vs. travel rewards points: How to choose a credit card
• 6 of the best starter travel credit cards