The Most Popular Destinations to Visit This 4th of July!

The warm weather has arrived, the beaches are open and Independence Day is inching closer. We all know what that means -- vacation time.
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The warm weather has arrived, the beaches are open and Independence Day is inching closer. We all know what that means -- vacation time.

The most notable holiday of summer is an opportunity for relaxation, celebration and travel. And according to Travelocity, Americans are taking advantage of the long weekend by planning trips to major U.S. cities. The booking site recently released data on the 10 most popular Independence Day Destinations and the average rates Americans are paying for flights and hotels in those locations.

#5 South Florida

The Most Popular July 4th Destinations

Travelocity's data revealed that the cost of domestic airfare is 3.6 percent higher this July, compared with last July and domestic hotel rates are 8 percent higher, too. The data shows that an average round-trip domestic ticket now costs $402, while the average rate for a night in a U.S. hotel is $171. Despite the news of increasing prices, there is a silver lining for travelers looking to head to one of the major cities in the popular top ten.

When it comes to the top ten popular cities, eight of ten boast lower round-trip airfare prices than the national average and, in terms of hotel rooms, half of the cities on the list have lower rates than the national average. Which means domestic travelers can save some money if they're still deciding on last minute plans.

Travelocity also provided data on international travel over the July 4th holiday. According to the data, hotel rates abroad will be slightly cheaper (a drop of 3 percent will bring rates to $211/ night), but airfare increased by 3 percent. They did not include the average cost of a flight abroad, but the three most popular international destinations are Europe, the Caribbean and Canada.

All of the above statistics came from a report released by the travel booking site Travelocity.

-Diana Gerstacker, The Active Times

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