Travelers are heading South for Memorial Day, data show. Here are top destinations

Tanasia Kenney
·2 min read

More than 37 million Americans plan to pack up and travel this Memorial Day, and online bookings show a good chunk are headed down South.

Several Southern cities are among the most sought-after destinations for travelers this holiday weekend, according to data released by travel services website Priceline. Orlando, Miami and Nashville ranked in the top 5 most-booked cities for a hotel stay, while Atlanta placed high for both hotel and flight bookings.

“As ‘summer’ season officially kicks off this weekend, ... Americans are heading to warm weather and fun-filled destinations,” the company said in a news release.

For the rankings, Priceline looked at hotel and round-trip flights booked for travel between May 28 and May 31, 2021.

Here’s how the South ranked based on hotel reservations:

  • No. 2 — Orlando, Florida

  • No. 3 — Miami, Florida

  • No. 5 — Nashville, Tennessee

  • No. 6 — New Orleans, Louisiana

  • No. 7 — Atlanta, Georgia

  • No. 10 — Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Based on flights, here’s where travelers are headed:

  • No. 1 — Orlando, Florida

  • No. 3 — Miami, Florida

  • No. 4 — Atlanta, Georgia

  • No. 5 — Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Memorial Day travel is expected to rebound from record lows last year as more Americans get vaccinated against COVID-19. The pandemic forced many to postpone trips, but emergency physician and CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen said people are much more comfortable with traveling these days.

“Last year, at this time, we were talking about safety over Memorial Day and warning people not to travel,” Wen told CNN Travel. “It’s really remarkable that it’s a year later, and the advice that I’m giving now is going to be totally different. ... People can travel; they can do so safely once they’re fully vaccinated.”

So what’s the most sought-after city for a Memorial Day getaway? Las Vegas took the No. 1 spot based on hotel bookings — and No. 2 for flight bookings — while Orlando reigned supreme for round-trip flight bookings, according to the Priceline data.

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