Fewer Americans will hit the beach this Labor Day

Historically, Labor Day weekend is one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Millions of Americans, eager to hit the beach one last time, hop on the freeway or a short flight to their favorite beach destination. The three day weekend serves as the perfect send off for the summer.

However, fewer Americans are planning Labor Day travel in 2011, according to a new report from AAA. For many, the sluggish economy means a quiet holiday weekend at home this time around.

Overall travel figures for the long weekend are expected to be about two percent lower than in 2010. As many people scramble last minute to find cheap flights, others say they are more likely to drive to their holiday destination this year.

About 27.3 million Americans will hit the road over the holiday weekend, up half of a percent from 2010. Glen MacDonell, director for AAA Travel Services, said that number could climb even higher if the recent trend of decreasing fuel prices continues into Labor Day.

Source: MSNBC