Fourth of July Travel: Where to Go and What to Eat When you Get There

As more than one out of every dozen Americans, or 50 million U.S. residents, get ready to take the to the roads, tracks and air for the long-awaited Independence Day 2021 holiday, a just in time survey by WalletHub dug into the best cities for celebrating.

Among its findings, the survey saw that Americans are planning to spend$7.5 billion on 4^th of July celebrations this year.

To determine the best places to celebrate the most star-spangled occasion, WalletHub compared the 100 largest U.S. cities based on how well they balance holiday cost and fun. The data set of 23 key metrics ranges from average beer and wine prices to duration of fireworks shows to the Fourth of July weather forecast.

4^th of July: By the Numbers

• $7.5 Billion: Amount Americans plan to spend on 4^th of July food
• 150 Million: Number of hot dogs eaten each 4^th of July
• $1.4+ Billion: Amount Americans plan to spend on 4^th of July beer and wine
• 80 percent: Share of community fireworks displays that were canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic
• $1.5+ Billion: Estimated amount spent on fireworks in 2020 (73 percent of fireworks injuries occur within a month of July 4)
• $6.7 Million: Value of American flags imported annually
• 48 Million: Number of people who travel 50+ miles from home for the 4^th of July
• Travel is picking up. 37 percent more Americans will travel this 4th of July compared to last year
• Fireworks aren’t essential. 62 percent of Americans don’t think that local governments should use taxpayer dollars for fireworks displays this year
• Declaring financial independence. 64 percent of Americans feel financially independent this 4th of July
• Saving vs. spending. 62 percent of Americans believe saving money is more patriotic than spending it
• More Independence Day spending. 36 percent of Americans are spending more money this 4th of July compared to last year

“Around 36 percent of Americans plan to spend more money on the 4^th of July this year compared to last year. That indicates that people are more likely to gather together for the holiday this year, whereas social distancing was the norm last year,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “While people were discouraged from traveling last year for the 4^th of July, 37 percent more Americans will travel this year.”