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Summer’s last big weekend is fast approaching, but don’t worry about being left out of the fun if you’ve yet to make plans.
Travel experts say availability and value still can be had, and there’s even room at the inn at one particularly popular place that usually is booked solid months in advance for Labor Day weekend.
That’s Yellowstone National Park — one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country.
Massive flooding in June damaged roads and infrastructure and two of the five park entrances remain closed, though the National Park Service reports that 93 percent of the park’s paved roads and 94 percent of Yellowstone’s backcountry are open to the public. Many of those with lodging reservations for the holiday weekend canceled when the flooding happened, meaning last-minute planners may be in luck.
“It was expected to be a record-setting visitation year because of the 150th anniversary of Yellowstone,” says Ryan Hauck, executive director of Cody Yellowstone, the marketing organization for northwestern Wyoming towns adjacent to Yellowstone. “But the sudden floods in June changed that dramatically because so many vacationers canceled their trips prematurely.”
Travel adviser Joanie Fisher of DeLaveaga Vacations in Santa Cruz, California, also suggests that last-minute travelers consider smaller towns outside major tourist areas and look for places that highlight local festivals and food.
“So many little towns are really coming up with some great food experiences,” she says. “There are places that have Michelin stars or just really great regional cuisine. It’s not just limited to the big cities.”
Melanie Fish, head of global PR for Expedia Brands, says plenty of options remain for Labor Day weekend.
“If you haven’t planned yet, no problem,” she says. “School is already back in many parts of the country so there are actually beach houses available.” Fish says cities like Port Aransas, Texas, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, are still good options even though demand for VRBO vacation homes is up 25 percent for Labor Day weekend compared with 2019.
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