When it comes to vacations, 66% of Americans prefer shorter weekend road trips while 31% of travelers would rather go on a week-long vacation, according to the 2014 Enterprise Rent-A-Car Leisure Travel Survey.
by Staff
October 1, 2014
Graphic courtesy of Enterprise.
2 min to read
When it comes to vacations, 66% of Americans prefer shorter weekend road trips while 31% of travelers would rather go on a week-long vacation, according to the 2014 Enterprise Rent-A-Car Leisure Travel Survey. More than half (57%) of respondents would drive up to 300 miles one way for a weekend trip, and almost 75% prefer to drive to their destinations over other modes of transportation.
The Enterprise survey was conducted from May 14-21, 2014, with 1,001 U.S. travelers who have taken at least one road trip during the last year.
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“Our study found that Americans are willing to drive long distances for a little rest and relaxation, even if it’s just over a weekend,” said Steve Short, Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s vice president. “With car rental branches located within 15 miles of 90% of the U.S. population, Enterprise makes it easy and convenient for drivers to travel to their destinations.”
The study identified other trends including:
42% of men were likely to take a road trip because they like to drive, compared to a quarter of women. In contrast, women were 1.5 times more likely than men to report that they take road trips because they come back rejuvenated and refreshed.
41% of women reported they’re likely to have rented a vehicle for a road trip to prevent wear and tear on their own cars, versus merely a quarter of men.
Millennials (ages 25–34) report having the least amount of time to take road trips. More than half (51%) are unable to take more trips because they can’t be away from work.
On average, Midwesterners are willing to drive the farthest for road trips.
Westerners are almost three times more likely than those in other regions to take a road trip for outdoor recreation. Almost one-third (31%) drive to their destination because of its remoteness.
Southerners are almost twice as likely to involve family in their road trip decision compared to their counterparts in other regions (19% vs. 10%).
Northeasterners take the fewest number of days for leisure trips and report traveling most often for entertainment (e.g. concerts, sporting events).
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