SOUTH CAROLINA, USA — It is the unofficial end to summer, Labor Day Weekend.
This is usually the time where people pack their suitcases for one last getaway before schools start and the summer comes to a close.
After spending most of the summer in quarantine, many people are still gearing up to travel despite the pandemic. But many trips are modified.
"For people hitting the road it's just about as high as ever," says AAA travel agent Ernie King. "It looks to me like this year, there's a lot of folks who are planning on doing their traveling by road and by car fairly close to the area, sticking close to South Carolina."
King says the travel company has many clients traveling to places like the Smokey Mountains and Asheville, N.C.
The coast is always a popular destination for many locals.
"Since things opened back up months ago, the beaches have been kind of the primary destination where people have been going, that's still looking to stay about the same for this coming weekend as well," says King.
"Because of the restrictions for folks to be able to travel outside of the United States, we're seeing quite a few people that are taking interest in traveling in the United States and hitting up those National Parks."
Even if traveling across the country many people in SC are choosing to drive rather than fly.
"Airline bookings, they're starting to have a little but of an up tick but there's still a good majority of people that are not traveling by air right now...It looks like only about a third of last years bookings for this time is what airlines are seeing right now."
No matter where you choose to celebrate Labor Day weekend, King advises to plan ahead because COVID-19 restrictions are still in place in certain areas.
AAA COVID-19 Travel Resources
- AAA’s Covid-19 Travel Restrictions Map provides updated coronavirus-related travel restrictions, checkpoints and closures.
- AAA TripTiks help map your route and locate open gas stations, hotels, restaurants, campgrounds, auto repair facilities, attractions and more.
- AAA Mobile App is free to download for “on the go” access to all the resources listed above including COVID-19 travel restrictions.
- AAA’s Best of Housekeeping highlights AAA Diamond designated hotels that are recognized for implementing the highest cleaning standards.
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