Southern Californians will likely be visiting San Diego in large numbers this Fourth of July. America’s Finest City ranks number one on the Automobile Club of Southern California’s (AAA) list of top Fourth of July destinations. Behind San Diego the other top destinations are:
- 2. Las Vegas
- 3. San Francisco
- 4. Yosemite National Park
- 5. Grand Canyon
Fourth of July travel is expected to increase by 5.3 percent locally and statewide this year, breaking the record for Independence Day travel. More than 5.4 million Californians and 3.4 million Southern Californians are expected to fly, drive or take another form of transport, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California.
The traffic should be the worst on the Tuesday before the Fourth, especially between 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. when travel times may be doubled, according to transportation analytics from INRIX Traffic.
Most travelers (79 percent, 2.6 million from Southern California) will likely travel by car, while air travel is expected to increase by 9.2 percent. 435,000 people in Southern California and 702,000 statewide and 285,000 people will likely travel by train, bus, cruise, etc. Car travel and public transportation are up by 4.7 percent and 5.3 percent respectively.
“Gas prices continue to hover near their highest levels since 2015 and Southern Californians are paying among the highest prices at the pump nationally, but that has not been enough of a negative factor to dampen enthusiasm for traveling,” said Auto Club spokesperson Jeffrey Spring. “The strong growth in air travel is an especially positive sign that consumers are placing a high priority on vacations.”
While travelers are paying more for gas, airfares are down nine percent from last year, with an average of $171 for a round-trip flight, the lowest in five years.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Source: NBC San Diego
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