Record Number Of Ohioans Road Tripping For July 4th

OHIO — More than 2 million Ohioans are expected to travel for the July 4th holiday this year, according to a new analysis by AAA.

“Travel is in full swing this summer, as Americans eagerly pursue travel opportunities they’ve deferred for the last year-and-a-half,” said Paula Twidale, senior vice president, AAA Travel. “We saw strong demand for travel around Memorial Day and the kick-off of summer, and all indications now point to a busy Independence Day to follow.”

The Independence Day holiday weekend takes place July 1 through July 5 in 2021. Travel volumes are expected to rebound to pre-pandemic levels this year, with 47.7 million Americans expected to hit the road for the holiday.

In Ohio, AAA said, 2 million travelers represents the third-highest Independence Day travel volume on record, trailing only 2019 and 2018. A record number of Ohioans are planning to travel by car this year, the organization said.

Compared to 2020, 21 percent more Ohioans are planning road trips this year for Independence Day. Of those planning trips, 95 percent (1.9 million Ohioans) are planning to travel by car, AAA said.

“Higher gas prices won’t deter road trippers this summer. In fact, we’re expecting record-breaking levels of car travel this July Fourth,” said Jeanette C. McGee, AAA spokesperson. “Though prices will remain above $3 a gallon, travelers are likely to look for more free activities or eat out less, but still take their vacations as planned.”

Here are the top 10 destinations for July 4th travelers:

1. Orlando, FL
2. Anaheim, CA
3. Denver, CO
4. Las Vegas, NV
5. Seattle, WA
6. Chicago, IL
7. New York, NY
8. Atlanta, GA
9. Boston, MA
10. Kahului, Maui, HI