As gas prices remain flat, Orbitz.com also recommends top driving destinations and average hotel rates by region for the holiday weekend
Orbitz promo code 'GETHAPPY' saves customers 15 percent off hotel stays over Memorial Day weekend
CHICAGO, May 16, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gas prices remain steady, temperatures are finally on the rise after a rough winter and Americans are ready to hit the road for Memorial Day weekend. Orbitz.com predicts a healthy summer travel season this year, with 88 percent of Americans reporting they are taking a summer vacation in 2014, up 11 percent year-over-year, according to a recent survey. 1 The latest Orbitz Insider Index rounds up the best drive destinations by region for the holiday weekend along with options for those looking to travel to the top 10 hot spots on a budget.
"A quick Memorial Day getaway is deemed the unofficial start to the packed summer travel season, so most Americans want to get away but look for ways to cut corners on costs to save up for a bigger summer trip," said Jeanenne Tornatore, senior editor for Orbitz.com. "Memorial Day is a big drive holiday and trips tend to be closer to home. But for those that are planning on hopping a flight, a great way to save would be getting a hotel room in a slightly less popular area of the city or in a neighboring suburb."
The glitz and glamour of Las Vegas helps the destination take the number one spot again this Memorial Day, rounded out by Latin-American locales Cancun and Punta Cana at number two and three, respectively. Many of Orbitz.com Top 10 Memorial Day destinations, ranked based on hotel bookings, have stress-free access to cheaper neighborhoods just outside the city center. Looking outside of the destination-proper allows travelers to soak up the heart of the action – at a much more attractive price.
| Top 10 Destinations Memorial Day Weekend 2014 2 | Alternative Accommodations Neighborhoods/Suburbs | Savings | ||
| Las Vegas, NV | $146 | East of Strip | $126 | 14% |
| Cancun, Mexico | $235 | Playa Del Carmen | $214 | 9% |
| Punta Cana, Dominican Republic | $233 | Cap Cana | $158 | 32% |
| New York, NY | $286 | Madison Square Garden | $247 | 14% |
| Chicago, IL | $193 | Millennium Park | $186 | 4% |
| Orlando, FL | $111 | International Drive – Convention Center | $96 | 14% |
| San Francisco, CA | $212 | Financial District – SOMA | $198 | 7% |
| San Diego, CA | $159 | Mission Valley | $109 | 31% |
| London, UK | $275 | Kensington – Chelsea | $230 | 16% |
| Honolulu, HI | $196 | Oahu | $128 | 35% |
Top Drive Destinations by Region
With gas prices remaining steady, a road trip is many travelers' best bet for scoring an additional escape outside of their big summer vacations over the holiday weekend. Nearly one-third of Americans reported they were planning to consider a more budget-friendly destination closer to home as a cost-saving tactic.
Orbitz.com names the top three driving destinations and corresponding hotel rates for each region of the country, based on places where the number of room nights booked sees the biggest increase during the busy summer season.
| Orbitz.com Top Memorial Day Drive Destinations by Region | ||
| Rank | Destination | Average Daily Hotel Rates |
| East Coast | ||
| 1 | Ocean City, MD | $207 |
| 2 | Ogunquit, ME | $147 |
| 3 | Niagara Falls, NY | $159 |
| Southeast | ||
| 1 | Virginia Beach, VA | $192 |
| 2 | Gatlinburg, TN | $111 |
| 3 | Myrtle Beach, SC | $182 |
| Midwest | ||
| 1 | Branson, MO | $108 |
| 2 | Traverse City, MI | $193 |
| 3 | Cincinnati, OH | $149 |
| Southwest | ||
| 1 | Flagstaff, AZ | $128 |
| 2 | Santa Fe, NM | $168 |
| 3 | South Padre Island, TX | $171 |
| West Coast | ||
| 1 | Santa Cruz, CA | $195 |
| 2 | Lake Tahoe, CA | $158 |
| 3 | Oceanside, CA | $117 |
For those looking to explore the great outdoors for the holiday weekend, Orbitz.com recommends choosing between West Yellowstone, Nev., Carson City, Nev. or Rapid City, S.D. From Mount Rushmore to one of America's most beloved national parks, travelers can truly escape the city and experience the best that nature has to offer with these three destinations.
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1 The Orbitz.com summer survey was fielded by Orbitz from April 14-18, 2014 via insightexpress. 751 U.S. adults aged 18 and older who had traveled within the past 12 months were surveyed.
2 The Orbitz Insider Index 2014 Top 10 Memorial Day Destinations were ranked based on all hotel bookings made on Orbitz.com for travel between May 22-26, 2014.
About Orbitz.com
Orbitz.com is a leading travel website that enables consumers to search for and book a broad range of hotels , flights , car rentals , cruises , vacation packages and destination activities . Since launching in June 2001, Orbitz.com has become one of the world's largest online travel sites. Orbitz.com now offers the groundbreaking Orbitz Rewards loyalty program — the only program where customers can earn rewards immediately on flights, hotels and packages, and redeem instantly on tens of thousands of hotels worldwide. Use the Orbitz Rewards Visa® Card to earn even more rewards. Orbitz.com is the #1 way to book travel on mobile devices, be it using our apps (get them at www.orbitz.com/mobile ) or our smartphone-optimized website (m.orbitz.com), both of which are tailored for smartphones and tablets. The Orbitz app for iPhone is one of only 48 apps out of nearly 900,000 available apps chosen by Apple to be inducted into its App Store Hall of Fame. Orbitz also ranks #1 in Online Travel Website Customer Satisfaction in the 2014 American Customer Satisfaction Index. Orbitz members get exclusive access to Insider Steals hotel deals, promotions and other saving opportunities. Follow Orbitz on Facebook , Twitter and through the Orbitz Travel Blog . Orbitz.com is operated by Orbitz Worldwide (NYSE: OWW ).
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