San Francisco Chronicle: Gas prices force many to change holiday plans

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Gas prices force many to change holiday plans
Michael Cabanatuan, Chronicle Staff Writer

Friday, May 23, 2008


With the summer travel season starting this weekend, soaring fuel prices and the faltering economy, already transforming the way people commute, also are changing the way they escape.

Long road trips, cross-country flights and European vacations are giving way to day trips, drives to nearby family and visits to national parks, mountains and beaches. And the trend will begin to show itself over Memorial Day weekend.

An annual holiday travel survey by AAA of Northern California found that fewer Californians will travel during the three-day holiday weekend than did so last year. More than 4.6 million Californians are expected to travel 50 miles or more this weekend. That's only a slight dip - 0.1 percent - but it's the first decline in Memorial Day travel since 2002, said Cynthia Harris, a spokeswoman for AAA of Northern California.

Rebecca Renfro, a nursing recruiter who lives in Berkeley, said many of her friends and colleagues are opting to stay home this holiday weekend instead of hitting the road.

"I've been talking to a lot of people who are playing it low-key this year - mainly because of gas prices," she said.

Gas used to be a relatively minor cost of a road trip, at least on drives to the Sierra, Southern California or even Arizona or the Pacific Northwest. But now, it's real money - a big chunk of the budget of a vacation or weekend getaway.

"Gas used to be something you thought about a little," said Sarafina Maraschino, a member of the San Francisco band Lipstick Conspiracy, which is cutting back on its summer touring plans. "But we've crossed that point where you have to re-evaluate. When we toured before, you never really had to think about gas."

It's not just the price of gas that's rising. Airfares are up about 8 percent over last year, Harris said, and hotel and motel rates also have increased, as have car-rental rates. Combine those increases with an uncertain feeling about the economy, and many people are driven to cut back, though they'll still hit the road.

"People are still traveling," Harris said, "but they're sticking closer to home or staying with relatives and friends to save money." ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/22/MNUN10QD6V.DTL