Outdoorsy Bookings Up For Labor Day

Aug 15, 2022

The end of a vacation is always bittersweet, like the taste of baking chocolate or a paper cut from opening a college acceptance letter. Which is why we’re thrilled to see so many travelers booking trips with us again! In fact, 22% of bookings for this Labor Day are from repeat bookers — marking this the highest repeat booking rate of any summer holiday. 

Despite the uncertainty facing us on the daily — a global spike in covid cases, inflation, and prices at the gas pump — demand for RV travel remains an unshakable eye in the storm that is Summer 2022. Net bookings for Labor Day weekend are up 9% over this time last year. Perhaps that gain is due in part to the fact that the average trip price on Outdoorsy has only gone up $5 from 2021, compared to the 40% increase seen in hotel prices

The average trip length this Labor Day weekend is coming in strong at 6 days.

Rumors of interest rates on the rise may still be swirling, but we’re more interested in the fact that this is the most affordable summer holiday on record for RV trips, with the average nightly rate for Labor Day trips priced at $229. Compare that to $251 a night for the 4th of July and $234 a night for Memorial Day, this rate is a difference of only 4% over last year’s nightly cost for Labor Day travel. 

The most popular RV rental types this Labor Day are, respectively, the: 

  1. Jayco Jay Flight (Trailer) 
  2. Ford Transit (Campervan) 
  3. Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (Class B) 
  4. Forest River Wildwood (Trailer) 
  5. Forest River Cherokee Grey Wolf (Trailer) 

The RV rental types growing fastest in popularity this Labor Day are, respectively, the: 

  1. Winnebago Solis (Class B)
  2. Cruiser RV Shadow Cruiser (Trailer)
  3. Forest River Wildwood FSX (Trailer)
  4. Ford E350 (Campervan)
  5. Thor Majestic (Class C)

From the scenic desert landscapes of Joshua Tree to the evergreen forests of Olympic National Park and the fun yet frightful rides at Disney World, we weren’t surprised to see these 3 regions top the “most traveled to” list this Labor Day. 

  1. Southwest
  2. Southeast
  3. Northwest

Fly over states are stealing the spotlight. Exploring all that America’s heartland has to offer comes with its fair share of perks: for starters, more affordable attractions and less crowds than the more well-trodden tourist traps along the coast. Three cheers for these 3 regions inching their way onto more road trip itineraries.  

  1. Northwest
  2. Midwest
  3. Central

The Northwest region is where travelers are spending the most time exploring, adventuring, and taking the longest trips this Labor Day weekend. 

Most affordable regions for Labor Day RV trips: 

  1. Midwest: Average of $230/night
  2. Southeast: Average of $235/night 
  3. Southwest: Average of $270/night

Top 10 Destinations for Labor Day Trips 

  1. Denver, Colorado
  2. Seattle, Washington
  3. Portland, Oregon
  4. Los Angeles, California
  5. Salt Lake City, Utah
  6. Anchorage, Alaska
  7. Kahului, Hawaii
  8. Riverside, California
  9. Phoenix, Arizona
  10. San Diego, California

Two is better than none. The majority of Outdoorsy trips have 2 adults in the travel party. 

  • 2 adults: 39% of searches
  • 3 adults: 6% of searches
  • 4 adults: 8% of searches

Studies show that wanderlust starts early. Which is why it’s important to expose children to the beauty of nature while they’re young. It's also why our data team was proud to see that 25% of travelers are wanting to bring at least one child along.

  • Number of children in those travel parties: 
    • 2 children: 10% of searches
    • 1 child: 8% of searches
    • 0 children: 5.5% of searches

People’s priorities are on point. RV travel is all about striking a balance between creature comforts and the amenities we commonly find at home. With that in mind, the most common search filter toggles Outdoorsy travelers are using are:

  1. Pet-friendly
  2. Festival Friendly
  3. Toilet
  4. Air conditioning
  5. Accessible