Cities to get the most bang for your buck this Fourth of July
With the Brexit, all eyes are on the United Kingdom and what some are calling their “Independence Day.” But in the United States, Americans are probably more concerned with planning their own July 4 celebrations.
While some with stick to barbecues in their backyards, AAA is predicting that 43 million Americans will travel over the holiday weekend (defined as Thursday, June 30 to Monday, July 4).
Of those travelers, 36 million are expected to drive – and can you blame them? Gas is currently $2.31 a gallon, an astounding 47 cents cheaper than last year. AAA expects most US drivers will pay the lowest Independence Day gas prices since 2005.
But road trips aren’t for everyone, and 3.3 million Americans are expected to fly to their destinations this weekend. The average price of a round-trip ticket is hovering around $207 (although you can expect to pay more if you haven’t booked already).
The remaining 3.3 million Americans will travel by train, bus or boat — with cruise bookings up 35% compared to the last Fourth of July.
For procrastinators who haven’t planned their holiday yet, WalletHub has pinpointed the best and worst cities for Independence Day celebrations by taking the 100 most populated cities and comparing factors like entertainment, food, cost and weather.
Topping the list is Seattle, which ranked in the top 5 for both weather and attractions. In addition to a forecast of sunny and 70 degrees, there are a number of free activities going on in the city including free outdoor concerts, free admission to some museums, parades and a handful of fireworks displays.
Minneapolis came in second overall, but ranked #1 in the attractions category. Called the Red, White, and Boom celebration, Minneapolis is pulling out all of the stops with family activities, a half marathon, and live music. The festivities culminate with a fireworks show that’s best viewed from the famous Stone Arch Bridge.
Rounding out the top three is New Orleans, which no doubt earned its ranking thanks to its unlimited options for food and entertainment. Spend the day dining on beignets and gumbo in the French Quarter, before taking in the Dueling Barges fireworks show, ranked as the fifth “must see” fireworks show in the US by the American Pyrotechnic Association.
On the other end of the spectrum, Loredo, Texas, was named as the worst city for fourth of July celebrations, followed by North Las Vegas, and Irving, Texas. All three ranked low because frankly, there just isn’t much to do there.
When all’s said and done, Wallethub says the average household will spend $370.75 on July 4 festivities. Travel certainly eats up a lot of that budget, but we weren’t surprised to learn that Americans will spend close to $1 billion on another holiday essential — beer.
Go America!
Here are the 10 best cities for fourth of July celebrations:
Seattle, Wash.
Minneapolis, Minn.
New Orleans, La.
Washington, DC
Portland, Ore.
St. Louis, Mo.
San Diego, Calif.
Milwaukee, Wis.
San Francisco, Calif.
Orlando, Fla.
Have questions about fourth of July travel? Email us at yfmoneymailbag@yahoo.com.
