Gas prices likely to trim holiday travel plans

The long Independence Day weekend is here, almost, if you count today as getaway day. But fewer of us will be getting away, according to AAA of Northern California.

The decrease is small but significant because it's the first decline for holiday travel this decade.

One traveling number is apparently going up this year -- drivers behind the wheel of a hybrid.

Car rental agencies reported getting a lot of interest in hybrids, saying renters are leaving their SUVs at home to try a car that gets more miles per gallon of gas costing $4.50 or more.

"A lot of them say just the gas they're going to save will pay for their rental," said John Woodruff, car rental manager for Freeman Toyota in Santa Rosa, which expects to rent out 30 for the weekend.

A survey by AAA determined more than 4.8 million Californians will travel at least an hour from home for the weekend.

That's down a fraction, 0.8 percent, from last year's number of travelers for the same holiday, said Cynthia Harris, spokeswoman for the Northern California travel agency.

It's the first decrease in Fourth of July travel this decade, Harris said.

"Since Memorial Day weekend, the numbers have been down compared to last year," Harris said Wednesday. "That will tend to continue for the rest of the year, and the main reason is high gas prices have definitely impacted the way people travel."

A gallon of gas reached more than $4 by Memorial Day and jumped to an average of $4.54 Wednesday in Santa Rosa. It's likely to go up a fraction by Friday, the Fourth of July.

Fliers are also fewer, with about 670,000 statewide expected to hop a plane, down 3.2 percent.

Airfares have increased up to 13 percent from 2007, while rental car rates are up 12 percent, Harris said.

Across the country, the AAA said the decrease in travelers is expected to be about 1.3 percent, with 40 million people heading off on vacation of 50 miles or more.

For those staying close to home, this weekend's weather should be pleasant, in the high 70s and low 80s.

For the actual holiday on Friday, the Santa Rosa area is expected to reach 78 degrees. That's about four degrees below average, said Charles Bell, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service.

"Basically, the weather you're seeing right now is what you're going to be seeing on the weekend," Bell said, with temperatures going up a few degrees. Into next week, the days are expected to get warmer by as much as 5 to 10 degrees.

You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com.