Colorado Most Planned U.S. Destination For Road Trippers In 2020

Most travelers in the United States won’t be boarding planes or cruise ships this summer amid the new coronavirus pandemic. Instead, Americans will take 700 million road trips this summer, accounting for 97 percent of all vacation-related travel, the American Automobile Association estimates.

According to AAA search data from March 15 to June 14, many people across the U.S. are planning to drive to Colorado. In 2019, Denver was ranked the 10th most-searched road trip destination — this year, the city is ranked No. 1, surpassing even Las Vegas.

AAA estimates air travel will drop by 74 percent this summer compared with last year, and travel by cruise ship and bus is projected to decrease by 86 percent. Meanwhile, road trips are likely to climb by 3.6 percent.

“AAA travel experts have begun to see positive trends in travel, noting that hotel and rental car bookings have been gradually increasing since April,” AAA Manager of Public and Government Affairs Ragina C. Ali said in a statement.

“Air travel has been slower to rebound. The share of travelers making plans 48 hours to 7 days before departure — a sign that people are arranging last-minute trips — is significantly higher than normal.”

Don’t miss the latest news updates in Colorado. Sign up for free Patch news alerts and newsletters for what you need to know daily.

The good news is while the summer of road trips is in full swing, gas prices are expected to remain near an average of $2.25, down 15 percent from last year.

According to AAA, vacationgoers are trending away from large urban metros, opting instead to visit less-congested regions.

The top 10 most popular vacation destinations for summer 2020 are:

1. Denver
2. Las Vegas
3. Los Angeles
4. Seattle
5. Phoenix
6. Portland, OR
7. Myrtle Beach, SC
8. Orlando
9. San Diego
10. Nashville

Read the full AAA report here.