Special Report
Where Americans Are Traveling This Fourth of July and What They’ll Do
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With summer officially here, Americans are finalizing their travel plans for the July Fourth holiday. Major U.S. cities, and some international destinations, will attract the most travelers. From amusement parks, beaches, and golf courses, to museums, historical sites, and nightlife, there are plenty of options for Americans once they arrive.
The automobile services organization AAA predicts that a record 44.2 million Americans will travel over the five-day holiday period starting June 30, a 2.9% increase from 2016. If true, this would make this Fourth of July holiday the most traveled ever.
A projected 37.5 million Americans will travel by car, up 2.9% from a year ago. The AAA national average price for gasoline is about $2.25 a gallon.
Click here to see where Americans are traveling this Fourth of July and what they’ll do.
Roughly 3.4 million Americans will journey to their destination by air, a 4.6% increase from 2016. According to AAA’s Leisure Travel Index, average airfares for the top 40 domestic flight routes will be 10% lower this year, with an average round-trip ticket costing $186.
Daily car rental rates will average $65, which is 14% less than the last Independence Day period. Hotel costs are the same as last year, with the average AAA Three Diamond Rated hotel costing $185 a night.
According to AAA, destinations in Florida, Canada, and California are among the top North American travel spots for Americans this summer.
The list of top destinations that follows is based on AAA in-office and online air and tour product passenger counts for travel June 1-Aug. 15, 2017. Annual tourism revenue and annual visitors for each city were obtained from each location’s chamber of commerce, or tourism marketing organizations hired by the city. When unavailable, third party sources including travel magazines and local news publications were used. All data are as of the most recent periods available.
This is where Americans are traveling this Fourth of July and what they’ll do.
10. Orlando, Florida
> Tourism revenue (2016): $60 billion
> Number of visitors (2016): 68 million
With Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando theme parks, Orlando is often billed as a family fun vacation. Other attractions include the Coca-Cola Orlando Eye ferris wheel and the Kennedy Space Center. For the adults who prefer a quiet day on the links, golfing is another big draw to central Florida.
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9. Vancouver, Canada
> Tourism revenue (2016): $4.4 billion
> Number of visitors (2016): 10 million
The West Coast City of Vancouver, just three hours drive from Seattle, is surrounded by mountains is renowned for its neighborhood diversity and is often voted among the best cities in the world. Offering plenty of outdoor activities in and around the city, including hiking, cycling, and water sports, visitors also enjoy urban attractions from the Museum of Anthropology to the market in Granville Island.
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8. Cancun, Mexico
> Tourism revenue (Jan-Aug 2016): $13.3 billion (total for Mexico)
> Number of visitors (Jan-Apr 2016): 11.4 million (total for Mexico)
U.S. tourists visiting Cancun hit the beaches during the day and enjoy the nightlife at the Mexican resort on the Yucatan Peninsula. Visitors can also explore Mayan culture nearby, experience ecotourism, and visit the underwater museum. Of course, there is also golf.
7. Seattle, Washington
> Tourism revenue (2016): $7 billion
> Number of visitors (2016): 38.9 million
People know about the Space Needle and the Seattle Mariners baseball team. But Pike Place Market, which opened in 1907, is an inner city draw. Among the many attractions in the city are Chihuly Garden and Glass, the Museum of Flight, and the Museum of Pop Culture, which was founded by Microsoft founder Paul Allen, and celebrates the creative process and tries to inspire personal expression.
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6. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
> Tourism revenue (2016): $12.5 billion (total for Dominican Republic)
> Number of visitors (2016): 6.1 million (total for Dominican Republic)
Visitors to the Dominican Republic destination go to beaches on the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean. Tourism in Punta Cana was bolstered in the early 1980s when its international airport became operational. Punta Cana has surged in popularity for American tourists in recent years, who come to the resort to enjoy nightlife, snorkeling, zip lines, golf, ecotourism, and to explore the historic capital of Santo Domingo.
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5. Honolulu, Hawaii
> Tourism revenue (2015): $15.1 billion
> Number of visitors (2015): 8.7 million
Hawaii is a surfer’s paradise, but there are lots of ecotourism opportunities in the lush tropical forests and volcanoes. Visitors to Honolulu often go to the Pearl Harbor memorial sites such as the USS Arizona Memorial to honor the victims of the Japanese attack in 1941.
4. Anaheim, California
> Tourism revenue (2016): $8.1 billion
> Number of visitors (2016): 23 million
Sixty years after its opening, Disneyland remains a powerful draw in Southern California. Apart from all things Disney, visitors can go to the Anaheim Packing District. This walkable section of the city is home to the Anaheim Packing House — the former Sunkist Packing Plant built in 1919 — that is now a refuge for foodies. Visitors who prefer a day at the ballpark can go see the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim baseball team’s stars such as Mike Trout and Albert Pujols.
3. Anchorage, Alaska
> Tourism revenue (2015): $1.94 billion
> Number of visitors (2015): 2.1 million
Visitors to Anchorage often arrive by cruise boats. They take excursions to see glaciers and wildlife discovery tours. Tourists go on bicycle and railroad tours, fish, and go four-wheeling in the wild. Museums have a blend of Russian, Native, gold rush, and pioneer history.
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2. Las Vegas, Nevada
> Tourism revenue (2016): $35.5 billion
> Number of visitors (2016): 42.9 million
People have been gambling legally in Las Vegas since Prohibition. When visitors aren’t gambling, they go to nightclubs. And when they tire of the Las Vegas Strip, a popular side trip is a visit to the Hoover Dam, 35 miles south of Las Vegas, and one of the great man-made achievements of the 20th century.
1. Montego Bay, Jamaica
> Tourism revenue (2015): $2.4 billion (total for Jamaica)
> Number of visitors (2016): 2.1 million (total for Jamaica)
Tourists to Montego Bay visit beaches, sample the nightlife, enjoy Jamaican cuisine, play golf, go sailing, and relax on cruises. There are also interesting great houses built by the British in the 18th century.
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