Travel Tips for 4th of July Holiday

It's that time again: give Americans an extended weekend in the middle of summer and you betcha we'll be traveling! This 4th of July, we're celebrating by giving you some helpful tips on how to get the best vacation out of the weekend. Read on to learn more.

Many Americans travel over the holidays to enjoy backyard barbecues with their extended family and experience a different city's 4th of July events. While many cities and small towns in America are planning on hosting the traditional 4th of July events this year, some are going virtual or have canceled their events because of the pandemic. It's important to be prepared, so make sure to research 4th of July events in your desired destination if you're planning on participating in a celebration.

The top 4th of July destinations this year, according to VacationRenter, are mostly warm-weather destinations filled with outdoor family-friendly fun. The most popular destinations include Destin, Florida; Hilton Head Island, South Carolina; Panama City Beach, Florida; and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. If you're looking to avoid the crowds this Independence Day weekend, it's important to stay away from warm-weather, beach-style vacation destinations, and opt instead for less touristy options.

Road tripping is an American pastime, and it has grown in popularity since the beginning of the pandemic. TripIt from Concur's newest data has found that demand for car rentals has risen 262 percent since 2020...So perhaps take your own car on a road trip this year, or rent a car from a less popular car rental location. For instance, if you'll first be flying into a destination before renting a car, you'll want to avoid the airport car rental services, which will see the most demand and, therefore, the highest rates for car rentals. Make sure to also factor in the historically high gas prices and choose a more economical car. If you'll be taking your own car, Goodyear recommends taking stock of your car's health and maintenance, checking tire pressure and your tread, inspecting your vehicles' load rating if you'll be pulling a camper or trailer, adding that spare tire you've been putting off purchasing...you get the idea.

TripIt's data also found that domestic flights are up 146 percent from last year. In fact, a new survey from AAA Travel estimates that around 47.7 million Americans will travel for the 4th of July weekend, just over two percent less than pre-pandemic levels. An estimated 3.5 million will fly over the weekend, reaching 90 percent of pre-pandemic levels. While this bodes well for the domestic travel industry, it might make flying a bit more expensive and more crowded. Anticipate longer wait times going through security, especially in more popular destinations, like warm-weather beach destinations. Also, if money is a greater consideration than date, it might be better to book your vacation dates around the cheapest flights you can find. Average prices for a round-trip flight are around $302. Prices, according to Hopper, will spike the week before the 4th, so if you haven't bought tickets yet, you might want to now.

If you're planning on escaping the crowds and feasting your eyes on America's natural wonders this Independence Day weekend, make sure to check whether you need a reservation to enter your national park of choice. The nation's most popular national parks, including Acadia, Glacier and Yosemite National Parks, are requiring reservations booked ahead of time because of the parks' record visitor numbers. Reservations can be easily checked and booked on Recreation.gov's new app and should be booked as early as possible. If you can't book you and your family in the national park of your choice, consider going to a lesser-known but no less beautiful national park. Here's a list of underrated national parks to get your search started.

With almost 48 million Americans expected to take to the roads and the skies this Independence Day weekend, it might get tricky trying to find accommodations of all sorts. TripIt's data indicates that reservations for hotels are up 163 percent from last year. No matter whether you'll be driving or flying to your destination, it's important to book accommodations early to get the best rates and to ensure that you'll get a room. Furthermore, rental home reservations are also up 109 percent, so plan ahead to make sure you'll get a rental.

Looking to escape the celebratory festivities and take advantage of the countries that are newly reopening? Prices for international flights are still down 18 percent from pre-pandemic levels, with an average of $775 per round-trip flight. The cheapest destinations on the Internet seem to be Rome, Athens, Paris, Madrid and Dubrovnik for Europe, while tickets to San Jose, Costa Rica can be as cheap as $450 round-trip. As always, make sure to research the specific country's entry requirements and adhere to any rules or regulations while you're there.