Popular Colorado ski resort named the most expensive vacation destination in the US - with the average seven-day trip costing over $5,000 PER PERSON

Aspen has been named as the most expensive vacation destination in the US, where a week-long trip costs $5,330 per person. 

At the other end of the scale, Outer Banks, North Carolina - at $1,237 per person - was the cheapest of the 100 popular spots considered in the study by Optimos Travel.

Looking at costs for a family of four, it is a huge $13,691 at the high-end ski resort - but just $3,247 in the cluster of islands off the coast of the Atlantic. The price per family member is lower than for individuals as they would share lodgings.   

To coincide with tens of millions of Americans looking to book summer getaways, researches looked at the cost of food, transport, accommodation and attraction fees. 

While Aspen became world famous in the 1960s and 70s as a quiet and peaceful retreat for hippies and writers such as Hunter S Thomson, it is now known as a favorite spot for the mega-wealthy. 

Scroll down to see a graphic showing the ten most - and ten least - expensive of the destinations. 

Aspen has become famous as a resort for the mega-wealthy

The well-heeled resort is frequented by celebrities, Wall Street financiers, real estate moguls and tech founders (Pictured: Luxury hotel The Little Nell)

Outer Banks, North Carolina, was ranked as the least expensive of the top 100 US vacation destinations

The well-heeled ski resort, which is frequented by celebrities, Wall Street financiers, real estate moguls and tech founders, counts more than 100 billionaires among its homeowners. 

The daily cost for one person in the luxury ski town - which is also a popular destination for hikers in the summer - is a huge $761.39, according to Optimos Travel. 

It found that hotels or rental properties in Aspen cost an average of $494.56 per night, and meals will set travelers back $100 a day.

The study named Park City, Utah, as the second most expensive vacation destination in the US, with individual daily costs of $710 and a seven-day trip for a family of four costing a whopping $12,632.

Park City, which is located east of Salt Lake City, is known for its rugged natural beauty, world-class skiing and snowboarding and hiking trails.

Maui, Hawaii, ranked as the third most expensive, followed by Montauk, New York, and Santa Monica, California.

Maui has the highest accommodation costs at $534.11 a night per person, while New York City, which ranks eighth, has the highest meal expenses at $142.50 per person.

Key West, Florida, also made the top 10 most expensive vacation spots, alongside Charleston, South Carolina, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, and Jackson Hole, Wyoming. 

Kim Kardashian on Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen earlier this year

Aspen has been named as the most expensive vacation destination in the US, where a week-long trip costs more than $5,000 per person

Optimos Travel took into account the cost of food, transport, accommodation and attraction fees in 100 of the most popular holiday destinations in the country

Pyramid Peak and the Maroon Bells, Aspen, Colorado

A ski lift in Aspen

Santa Monica in Los Angeles costs $4,448 per person - one of the most expensive travel destinations of the 100 popular spots considered by the study

Long road leading towards Monument Valley as seen from Forrest Gump Point, Utah. Monument Valley at $1,529 per person is one of the least expensive in the stury

Cape Cod at $1,447 is another of the best value US holiday destinations

Meanwhile Outer Banks, North Carolina was ranked as the least expensive travel destination of the 100 popular spots considered by the study.

A week-long stay amounts to $1,237 per person - or $3,247 for a family of four.

The second-least expensive destination is Charleston, West Virginia, which is located in the heart of Appalachia. 

For a week, it would set back a family of four just under $3,000 on average.  

Georgia is home to two of the most affordable destinations, with Helen ranked at number three and Tybee Island at number four.