Chicago - the most popular Memorial Day weekend destination

With rising gas prices, ridiculous airline add-ons, and an uncertain economy, many Americans choose staycations for the upcoming Memorial weekend May 23 - 27. Opting for a destination close to home makes perfect sense for today’s price-savvy travellers.

For example, people living in Los Angeles pick Las Vegas as their staycation spot and Detroit residents choose Chicago - the most popular Memorial Day destination for the second consecutive year. By checking into a nearby hotel, travellers can enjoy little luxuries such as relaxing by the pool, visiting the hotel spa, or ordering room service.

“Taking a staycation cuts travel time and hassle to a spectacular minimum and allows families to save money on getting to/from the airport, airfare, the high Euro, etc,” said Clem Bason, travel expert at Hotwire.com. “Through our relationships with top travel brands, we can offer four-star hotel rooms for two-star prices and discount car rentals for as low as $13.95 per day.”

According to hotel booking data from Hotwire.com, the top ten Memorial Day weekend destinations include:

(2007 rankings in parentheses):

1.  Chicago, Illinois (1)                         

2.  Las Vegas, Nevada (22)                    

3.  San Francisco, California (3)          

4.  New York City, New York (12)          

5.  Seattle, Washington (16)             

6. Los Angeles, California (5)

7. Washington D.C. (2)

8. Toronto, Ontario, Canada (10)

9. Boston, Massachusetts (7)

10. Orlando, Florida (11)

J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Independent Travel Web Site Satisfaction Study(SM) recognized Hotwire for ranking “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Independent Travel Web Sites, Two Years in a Row.”

 

Below Clem Bason presents some great staycations options for Memorial Day weekend that are available on Hotwire.com:

Atlanta - take a CNN Studio Tour for a behind-the-scenes look at the 24-hour news service (entry $9-12)

-          $79 per night for a 4-star hotel in Downtown Atlanta

-          $79 per night for a 3.5-star hotel in Midtown Atlanta

-          $59 per night for a 3.5-star hotel in Downtown Atlanta

 

Savannah - Take a Oglethorpe Trolley tour in Savannah’s historic district or visit the immensely popular 700 Kitchen Cooking School. In Hilton Head Island, hit the beach or play golf, or visit the interactive Coastal Discovery Museum, where families can learn about the history and wildlife of sea islands.

-          $246 per night for a 4-star resort hotel in Hilton Head Island (listed on Hotwire.com as beachfront hotel with pool)

-          $169 per night for a 3.5-star hotel in Savannah Historic District

-          $139 per night for a 3-star hotel in Savannah Historic District

-          $114 per night for a 3-star hotel in Hilton Head Island

 

Nashville - Listen to country music and visit the Country Music Museum or go outlet shopping near Opryland

-          $172 per night for a 4-star hotel in Downtown Nashville -Vanderbilt University - Metrocenter  

-          $126 per night for a 4-star hotel in the Opryland area

-          $122 per night for a 3.5-star condo in Opryland Area  

-          $59 per night for a 3-star hotel in Nashville South - Antioch 

 

As you can see, staying close to home can pay off in spades!