Many vacation goers are getting an early jump on the 4th of July. The holiday falls on a Wednesday this year, but Pam Moen with AAA Wisconsin says that's not stopping people from taking advantage of an extra long holiday weekend. Moen says rather than just pushing their weekend out to before or after the holiday, millions of Americans are just taking off the entire week around the 4th for family vacations.
A survey conducted by AAA shows over 41 million Americans will leave home for vacations in the next week, with many of them leaving this weekend and returning after the 4th of July. In the Midwest, about 5.5 million people are expected to travel.
High gas prices aren't having a big impact on travel plans either. Moen says the price at the pump won't stop a trip, but it may change how far away from home people are willing to go.
Gas prices are also being offset by other travel expenses. Moen says costs, such as hotels and car rentals, only increased slightly this vacation season. She also points out that airfares have even experienced a slight decline in recent months.
AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (MP3 1:00)
