Foliage and football destinations top Labor Day Weekend and fall travel in the US
Key Takeaways
- US Hosts collectively earned more than $300 million last Labor Day Weekend, with Hosts taking in an average of nearly $750 during the holiday.
- More travelers are using the long holiday weekend as an opportunity to go it alone, with solo travel on the rise.
- Airbnb Categories continue to inspire travel, with Amazing Pools and Beach the top two most booked Categories this summer and leading into the fall and winter months.
Key Takeaways
- US Hosts collectively earned more than $300 million last Labor Day Weekend, with Hosts taking in an average of nearly $750 during the holiday.
- More travelers are using the long holiday weekend as an opportunity to go it alone, with solo travel on the rise.
- Airbnb Categories continue to inspire travel, with Amazing Pools and Beach the top two most booked Categories this summer and leading into the fall and winter months.
Labor Day Weekend: A big travel moment for Hosts & Guests
Labor Day marks the transition to the beginning of fall, with many using the long weekend to travel and squeeze in some final summer memories. For some guests, this Labor Day is an opportunity for a final summer solo adventure, with single trip bookings for the holiday weekend increasing by more than 20 percent compared to 20211.
Labor Day is also an excellent time to Host and earn money since so many guests travel for the holiday. In fact, in 2021, September 4th was the date with the largest number of check-ins at US destinations2. Additionally, 41 percent of Hosts in the US report that one of the reasons they host is to earn money to help navigate rising prices – as the cost of living increases, the holiday is another opportunity to earn from sharing your home with families to fans3. Last year during Labor Day weekend, Airbnb US Hosts made more than $300 million combined, with a median Host payout of nearly $750 in extra income from the weekend’s stays4.
Heading into Labor Day, here are this year’s top trending US cities for travelers, based on most nights booked for the long weekend5:
- Columbus, OH
- Raleigh, NC
- Tampa, FL
- North Kingstown, RI
- Jacksonville, FL
- Cambridge, MA
- San Francisco, CA
- Reno, NV
- Saint Petersburg, FL
- North Charleston, SC
Fall travel: Last minute beach stays and college town getaways
You’re in good company if you’re considering one last trip to the beach or traveling to cheer on your favorite sports team in person this fall. As the leaves begin to change, these cities are the top trending destinations in the US for upcoming fall travel, based on nights booked6:
- Ocean City, NJ
- Bella Vista, AR
- Oxford, MS
- Santa Ana, CA
- La Mesa, CA
- Baton Rouge, LA
- Ann Arbor, MI
- Lubbock, TX
- Lexington, KY
- Wheat Ridge, CO
To help inspire your own autumn adventures, below are five of the most wishlisted stays across the US between April 1, 2022 through June 30, 20227. Beach or forest for your next destination? We’ll let you decide for yourself!
Photo credit: Iwan Baan
Photo credit: Andrew Richard Hara
Photo credit: Anthony Holtschlag
Photo credit: Chris and Pamela Daniele
Trending categories: Amazing Pools and Beach are most booked for fall and winter
In May, Airbnb introduced a new way to search designed around Airbnb Categories, making it easy to discover millions of unique homes guests never knew existed.
Since launch, travelers have been struck by wanderlust, eyeing rustic and outdoors stays as well as waterfront escapes, with Lakefront, Design, Cabins, Amazing Pools and Beach the top five most clicked Categories.8
As summer transitions to fall – and even looking ahead to winter – Amazing Pools and Beach remain the top two most booked Categories10 through to the end of the year, as guests hope to either make the most of second summer or escape the coming cold. However, not everyone is fleeing the chilly weather: Many will embrace stays to enjoy the changing leaves or falling snow, with National Parks, Countryside and Cabins rounding out the top five most booked Categories through December.
With leaf-peeping season approaching, there’s no better time to get outside to enjoy the foliage and changing colors. For the hard core leaf lookers, here are some of our most wish listed homes from the Amazing Views Category11:
Photo credit: Laura and Grant Blakeman
