More than 80% of respondents plan to take a road trip this summer, and 86% said they are more likely or as likely to hit the road compared to previous years, according to a recent survey by Hertz.

In honor of National Road Trip Day on May 28, Hertz surveyed more than 1,500 Americans to determine how and when they plan to take their next vacation.

Of the participants, 65% said that a rental car was the mode of transportation that made them feel the safest. While 45% of respondents noted they would be flying somewhere first to start their road trip, nearly 29% of them prefer rental cars over taking their personal vehicle to avoid putting extra miles on their car. 

"Our data shows summer road trips are shaping up to be more popular than ever before in 2021 and just in time for National Road Trip Day, which kicks off the summer road trip season," said Laura Smith, Hertz’s senior vice president of sales, marketing, and customer experience at Hertz. "People are ready to get out and make new memories, and we're here to help them travel confidently with a safe, fast, and easy rental experience."

Fifty-two percent of respondents plan to resume travel as early as June, according to the survey. However, respondents made it clear that a city/state's COVID-19 restrictions remain a factor in the decision to travel there and face masks will be the top must-have item to pack this year.

While international travel will open for travelers, a recent TripAdvisor study showed that 74% of Americans (planning to travel this summer) will stay within the U.S. Among the 81% of people who said they were taking a trip this summer, 42% are planning to travel to the South or Southeast, with the West coming in second at 32% followed by the Northeast at 24%. National parks, local attractions, and beaches nearly tied in a following question.