Americans’ Plans for Summer Vacation

A new study of 1,022 adults conducted by The AP-NORC Center using AmeriSpeak® takes a look at how Americans plan to spend their summer and what they consider important in summer vacations.

The stereotypical image of a summer vacation is mom, dad, and the kids piled into the car heading off for a change of scenery. The latest poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research suggests this is close to reality. Most married people vacation with their spouses, nearly all parents include their children in the travel plans, the automobile is the preferred mode of transportation, and staying home for vacation has little appeal.

About half of Americans plan to take a break from their everyday world during the summer months. While most people say they are looking for rest and relaxation on their summer break, a third of vacationing adults remain plugged in to social media, and 40 percent of full- or part-time workers either work during their vacation or at least check in with the office.

The nationwide poll was conducted May 10-14, 2017, using the AmeriSpeak® Panel, the probability-based panel of NORC at the University of Chicago. Online and telephone interviews using landlines and cell phones were conducted with 1,022 adults.