As this summer’s blockbuster travel season wraps up, Americans are squeezing in one last adventure. According to AAA, the Pacific Northwest is the hotspot for Labor Day travel this year.
That’s right, travelers are swapping swimsuits for parkas to cap off the sunny season and heading to Seattle. The city of rain and coffee is experiencing a 30% jump in popularity since last year. Orlando, Florida comes in at number two, but after that Alaska is the place to be. Anchorage and Juneau—at number three and number nine respectively—are in the top ten must-visit spots for the long weekend.
“If there’s a prime time for an Alaska cruise, this is it,” says Paula Twidale, Senior VP of AAA Travel. “The crowds have thinned out, and if you’re lucky, you’ll catch a sneak peek of those fall colors starting to pop. No wonder Alaska cruises are totally booked up for Labor Day!”
If you missed the boat this year, AAA’s travel experts say you can book now to score the best cabin and lock in early-bird rates to hop on the trend next year.
According to AAA’s booking data, domestic travel overall is up 9% this Labor Day compared to last year, and costs are down 2%. If you’re hitting the road, gas prices are hovering around $3.50 on average, down from last year’s $3.81.
If you’re still looking for somewhere to go for the long weekend, check out AAA’s list of the top spots for Labor Day Travel (or head to D.C. for the celebratory Labor Day weekend concert).
The 10 most popular Labor Day destinations in the U.S.
- Seattle, WA
- Orlando, FL
- Anchorage, AK
- New York, NY
- Boston, MA
- Las Vegas, NV
- Denver, CO
- Chicago, IL
- Juneau, AK
- San Francisco, CA