There is still time to plan a last-minute getaway for the July 4 holiday weekend if you have flexibility, book your flight or hit the road the morning of July 4 when most people will already be at their destination.
鈥淟eaving on the holiday itself is typically the best game plan when you鈥檙e looking for less stress,鈥� said Katy Nastro, a spokesperson for the travel app Going. 鈥淭here are deals out there but being a little bit flexible on the ‘where’ and ‘when’ you’re leaving is going to give you the best bang for your buck.鈥�
Nastro found affordable flight options, leaving on July 4, from D.C. to New Orleans, Nashville, and the West Coast.
鈥淚t’s one of the best days to be in the airport, because there is no one around,鈥� Nastro said. 鈥淔light prices at this point are going to be less leaving on the Fourth and then coming back a day or two later.鈥�
Also. consider forgoing the big cities as your destination and choosing a smaller town instead.
鈥淒on’t go to the usual suspects,鈥� said WTOP Travel Contributor Peter Greenberg. 鈥淓very small town in America is going to have a July 4 celebration, so head there.鈥�
He recommends visiting the midwest and exploring the lesser-known parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa or Indiana.
鈥淭he flyover towns are my secret getaway because they have so much to offer, and people don’t think about it,鈥� Greenberg said. 鈥淭hat’s where I would go, because you’re not going to be disappointed.鈥�
With airfare and gas prices high, this summer is being dubbed 鈥淏ackyard Summer,鈥� as “staycations” and road trips see a rise in popularity. Often large cities will run promotions only for locals, offering deals on attractions and hotels.
鈥淢aybe you’re not going super far, but you are having that out-of-home experience that can make it feel like a true vacation,鈥� Nastro said.
The low-stress, budget-friendly trips are reminiscent of vacations Americans took during the COVID-19 pandemic.
鈥淲e got a chance to discover our own communities [and] our own neighborhoods that we never took seriously, or we took for granted,鈥� Greenberg said. 鈥淭his is the time to do it again, simply because of the cost of travel.鈥�
According to AAA, about 72 million Americans will travel during the week of Independence Day this year.
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