As summer approaches and the weather warms, travel is heating up.
TSA checkpoint travel numbers for most days April 2023 are as high or higher than they were pre-pandemic.
There’s a robust demand for domestic leisure travel, according to the U.S. Travel Association, with $1.2 trillion in direct spending on travel in the U.S. in 2022, on par with pre-pandemic figures.
But prices are up too. Compared to before the pandemic began, flights are up 10%, hotels 19%, food away from home 24%, and car rentals 53%, according to an April 2023 travel inflation report by NerdWallet.
Maybe prices and inflation account somewhat for that robust demand for domestic travel.
So where are people headed? The most popular spots are getting more crowded and expensive than ever, and savvy travelers are always seeking a bargain.
This list of trending destinations comes from Tripadvisor, and features the places that have greatest year-over-year growth in interest on the travel site, indicating new hotspots on the rise. Places are chosen based on the quality and quantity of ratings and reviews on Tripadvisor, over the 12-month period between Nov. 1, 2021 and Oct. 31, 2022.
Here are 15 trending travel destinations in the U.S.
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