Beaches and Rural Destinations Popular for Memorial Day Vacation Rentals
Skift Take
Key Points
- Short-term rentals see increased interest for Memorial Day, with a 10% rise in Airbnb searches.
- Beach and rural destinations are most popular, with Destin, Florida, topping HomeToGo's list.
- Urban destinations account for only 17% of search volume, and travelers are staying closer to home.
Summary
Short-term rentals are seeing increased interest for Memorial Day this year, with a 10% rise in searches on Airbnb compared to last year. Warmer beach destinations and rural experiences are particularly popular, with Destin, Florida, topping the list on HomeToGo. Urban destinations remain less popular, accounting for only 17% of search volume. Travelers are booking later and staying closer to home, with the average travel distance decreasing compared to last year.
Short-term rentals are experiencing a boost for this year’s Memorial Day.
Airbnb had a 10% increase in searches from last year for the weekend’s travel, with warmer beach destinations dominating. It also reported high interest for rural experiences, as did short-term rental platform HomeToGo.
Big cities were not always front of mind for customers. Out of Airbnb’s categories, four of the top 10 involved pools and the water.
Destin, Florida, broke into the websites’ most-searched destinations for the weekend, securing the top spot on HomeToGo’s list. Panama City Beach and Myrtle Beach also made the cut for both lists.
Top 10 U.S. Destinations by Search
| Airbnb (unranked) | HomeToGo (ranked) |
|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | Destin, FL |
| Destin, FL | Gulf Shores, AL |
| San Diego, CA | Panama City Beach, FL |
| Panama City Beach, FL | Hilton Head Island, SC |
| Charleston, SC | Myrtle Beach, SC |
| Myrtle Beach, SC | Orange Beach, AL |
| Las Vegas, NV | Galveston, TX |
| Los Angeles, CA | Anna Maria Island, FL |
| Pensacola Beach, FL | Outer Banks, NC |
| Boston, MA | Gatlinburg, TN |
Into the Woods
Rental platforms observed how other outdoor getaways gained traction. “Iconic cities” was a popular category for Airbnb, but trip categories focused on lakes, cabins, national parks, and the countryside also had demand.
“It’s clear that rural destinations are preferred for getaways around this holiday,” said a statement from HomeToGo. Even though Airbnb had several cities squeeze into its top 10, HomeToGo’s most-searched states included Texas, Colorado, Virginia, and Wisconsin, to name a few.
The company observed that urban destinations only made up 17% of overall search volume for Memorial Day. This is a slight increase from last year, but cityscapes are still less popular options.
Later Booking and Closer Travel
There is strong demand for the holiday weekend as it approaches. Between March and April, HomeToGo reported a 54% increase in searches for stays with check-in dates over the weekend.
For those booking on HomeToGo earlier this month instead of in April, there was a $17 increase in the median price per night per person. Reserving early helped travelers save a bit of cash for the weekend.
The average travel distance decreased for HomeToGo guests. Road trips are also seeing a spike this year.
“U.S. travelers will be staying closer to home for Memorial Day breaks this year, with the average distance traveled for a vacation recorded at 999 miles in 2024, in comparison to 1,565 miles in 2023,” the statement said.
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