AAA: Holiday Travel Up Compared To Last Year
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DULUTH - High gas prices and traffic jams aren't stopping people from traveling to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
"Yesterday it started picking up but today's been our busiest day for sure," said the manager of London Road Car Wash, Payton Sullivan.
For many Americans, grilling out, watching fireworks, and celebrating with family and friends is what the Fourth of July is all about.
In past years, high gas prices and the cost to hit the road have held Americans back from celebrating Independence Day.
AAA says more people are traveling this year than last. Forty-one million Americans are expected to hit the road to celebrate the Fourth of July weekend.
That number is up compared to last year's 40.3 million people.
When you pin the Fourth of July weekend up against this year’s Memorial Day Weekend, there's a 14 percent increase in people deciding to travel.
When it comes to tourists visiting Duluth they say it's the great weather, and the beautiful views that make the trip worth it.
“Just sightseeing, we love to come up and look at the rose garden and along the north shore, just taking a vacation day,” said Judy Kelch while leaning against her motorcycle.
“We're going to go to the Anchor Bar and Grill and have a hamburger,” laughed her husband and Luck, WI native, Steve Kelch.
While some tourists are making Duluth their final destination, others are just making a pit stop on their way up the North Shore, or on their way to the Iron Range.
Area gas stations have noticed a definite difference in who is stopping by to fill up.
"Yesterday and today we're seeing a lot of customers that aren't regulars,” Sullivan said. “We're seeing a lot of people from out of town coming up from the cities area and even down in Wisconsin a little bit."
When it comes to gas prices, AAA says this year's gas is 20 cents more expensive than last year’s average.
Stations say there's a little grumbling over the price, but the nice weather makes up for it all.
Travelers stopping at the pumps said they couldn't have asked for better weather, and we deserve to have nice fourth after the winter we lived through, and the rainy month of June.
Sunday is expected to be the busiest day for traffic.