Summer Travel 2025: Road Trips Dominate as Americans Seek Cheaper, Flexible Getaways

That roadtrip figure dwarfs most other alternative modes of transportation that travelers are turning to during the coming months. For instance, about 12 percent will be traveling by train, and a separate 12 percent are taking a cruise. Rounding out last place, 9 percent will travel by bus.

There are various factors behind the popularity of road trips this summer.

The report shows that consumer demand started softening in February. That’s around the time the U.S. economy began turning downward amid the U.S. presidential administration’s new tariff policies, sweeping federal layoffs and U.S. rhetoric that has caused a sharp decline in international visitation to this country (which will bring about economic fallout of its own.)

The top three reasons Americans have cited for choosing a road trip this summer include:

“Driving, the road trip, seems to be very much in vogue,” Bank of America's David Michael Tinsley told reporters on a media call.

Over 60 percent of lower and middle income households are planning on driving for their vacation, rather than flying.
Among higher income households, however, flying remains popular, Tinsley explained.

“That [pivot] toward driving this year may also mean - even within the U.S. - people are thinking of vacationing a little closer to home then they do some years,” added Tinsley.

Canada and Mexico are still the most popular destinations for American travelers despite the recent geopolitical rifts between the Trump Administration and leadership with those countries.

About 19 percent of Americans traveling this summer will either be visiting Canada or Mexico.

Europe remains in second place in terms of popularity among American travelers for summer 2025, attracting 14 percent of travelers. Asia is a distant third place at 9 percent of travelers.

The top destination of all for U.S. travelers this summer however, is the United States. About 70 percent of travelers are planning to vacation with the U.S. this summer. That’s an increase of 3 percent over last summer.

Digging a little deeper 52 percent plan to explore somewhere in the United States that is beyond their own home state, while 25 percent plan to travel within their state.

Separately, the Bank of America report showed that year after year, California continues to be the most popular destination for vacations among Americans.

That was true in 2024 and in 2025, California pulled even further ahead of the competition as the place drawing the crowds.

“California, Florida, Texas and New York were some of the top destinations last summer. California by some way” said Tinsley. And when we repeat that analysis for the first few months of 2025, what we see…over that period California has moved further forward. While over the first few months of this year New York, Texas and Nevada have all cut back on the same period.”