The most popular fall destinations for Americans, according to Tripadvisor

Good news! Americans are traveling more than ever before — going farther and with more frequency, says Tripadvisor, whose fall survey captures all the data.

The report says that 60 percent of Americans will travel this season despite fuel costs, inflation and Covid. Half of Americans will travel more this fall than they did last year at this time (and two-thirds plan to open up their wallets and spend more). However, costs are still kept in mind when we choose our destinations and travel dates. According to the research, 35 percent of us will probably travel for shorter lengths of time, and 24 percent will probably stay closer to home than originally planned.

However, while the vast majority of Americans (81 percent) prefer domestic travel, more than 40 percent will travel long-haul (more than seven hours) this fall, and more than half have chosen destinations that involve air flight. And while some are choosing to take brief getaways, more than half of Americans plan to stay away for at least four nights this fall (33 percent for five or more nights). Are staycations over?

It won’t surprise many to hear that the number one destination for Americans overall this season is Cancún, Mexico. And for those who choose to stay domestic, here are the top 10 US travel destinations this fall:

1. Las Vegas, Nevada
2. New York, New York
3. Orlando, Florida
4. Honolulu, Hawaii
5. Lahaina, Hawaii
6. Key West, Florida
7. Nashville, Tennessee
8. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
9. New Orleans, Louisiana
10. Miami Beach, Florida

The study also shows that Americans tend to travel first and foremost for food (54 percent). A quarter of the study respondents have booked restaurant reservations in advance of travel, and one third stated that the main object of the trip is to eat out and enjoy nightlife.

The next reason for travel is to find great activities (52 percent), followed by people and scenery (tied for 48 percent) and nicer weather (40 percent).

How was this information arrived at? Tripadvisor surveyed 2,700 consumers online in July from six countries: US, UK, Australia, Italy, Singapore and Japan. It also sourced data from first party traffic data on its platform, gathered July 4-10 for searches made by US travelers June 1-30 for travel Sept. 1-Nov. 30. Read more here. 

And don't forget September is the best month to book your Thanksgiving and Christmas flights!