Guests are increasingly finding great places to stay closer to home. Over the past five years, the number of nights Airbnb guests have stayed within 300 miles (or a tank of gas) of their home has nearly doubled.1 While international travel has recovered to pre-pandemic levels, the trend for local travel shows no signs of slowing. In fact, local travel is growing twice as fast as long-distance travel on Airbnb.2
Late-summer holidays like Labor Day in the U.S. are a great time to stay local. In 2023, more than half of U.S. Airbnb stays over Labor Day weekend were within a tank of gas of one another. Many guests are using Airbnb to find destinations close to home, especially in large states like California, Florida, and Texas, and states known for their outdoor lifestyles like Oregon, Alaska, and North Carolina. The following U.S. states saw the highest percentage of guests staying in their home states in the first half of 2024:
Traveling locally with Airbnb allows guests to save time and money while discovering off-the-beaten-path destinations close to home. Families can avoid expensive airfare, have more time to relax without the hassle of organizing, and find unique Airbnb listings that are experiences in themselves.
Additionally, by providing travelers with affordable neighborhood accommodations, Airbnb helps boost tourism and local economies, including areas with few or no hotels. In 2023, U.S. Airbnb guests spent an average of $210 per day on attractions, transportation, and small businesses during their stay, including about $65 at local restaurants.3 This generated an estimated $80 billion in visitor spending nationwide last year alone.
Planning a pre-Labor Day staycation
Labor Day is just a few weeks away, but it's still not too late to plan a last-minute staycation, and what better way to get some inspiration than to see where the locals go?
Here are some of the most popular Labor Day destinations that locals book: 4 From the bourbon capital of the USA, Louisville, Kentucky, to small coastal getaways like North Topsail Beach in North Carolina and South Padre Island in Texas, these destinations are all beloved Labor Day getaway spots for locals.
Louisville, KY; Flagstaff, AZ; Providence, RI; Somerville, MA; Syracuse, NY; Big Bear Lake, CA; New Haven, CT; North Topsail Beach, NC; South Padre Island, TX; Ocean City, NJ
To add some excitement to your end-of-summer staycation, we've also shared some guest favorites that are the most booked by locals. 5 Many of these unique accommodations are destinations in themselves, allowing guests to experience adventure without straying far from home.
Note: All homes featured in this article are for inspiration and illustration purposes only. Airbnb does not recommend or endorse these listings or any other homes on the platform.
