Katz Media Group surveyed over 1,000 people from across the country to find out all about their summer travels. The automobile saw heavy use over the past few months as people packed up and headed out on road trips. 6 in 10 people (63%) took at least one road trip this summer, nearly all involving an overnight stay. Road trippers embarked on an average of 2 trips, with their longest trip lasting an average of 5 days. 71% of road trippers ventured to destinations across state lines, while 29% explored their home states.
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AUDIO IS THE SOUNDTRACK OF THE GREAT AMERICAN ROAD TRIP
Summer road trips are a yearly tradition for half of all road trippers and 64% believe the journey is part of the fun. Contributing to the in-car amusement is what's playing over the speakers, as virtually every road tripper (90%) likes listening to audio while traveling long distances by car.
When it comes to what type of audio road trippers listen to, AM/FM radio is the #1 choice. 76% of travelers report listening to AM/FM radio in the car, either over-the-air or via station streams - ahead of all other audio content.
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ROAD TRIPS CALL FOR CO-LISTENING OCCASIONS IN THE CAR
Listening to audio is a group activity on road trips, as only 1 in 10 road trippers reported driving alone. Spouses and partners are the most common companions in the car, but road trip experiences can be multi-generational as well. 35% of the adult road trippers surveyed traveled with their children, and 16% did so with their parents.
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WHERE SUMMER ROADS LEAD
The journey may be a big part of road trip fun, but it's not certainly not the main motivation for embarking on a trip. Top reasons for road tripping this summer included visiting family and friends, and heading to a destination, such as a seaside, lake, mountains, or a city. And while at their destinations, 55% of these travelers stayed at a hotel or motel, one-third relied on the hospitality of their family and friends, and nearly 1 in 5 stayed at a rental, such as Airbnb or Vrbo.
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LOCAL MATTERS TO ROAD TRIPPERS
Road trippers like to experience the local sights, sounds, and flavors different areas have to offer. 66% of road trippers enjoy shopping and going to local restaurants during their summer road trips. And while driving in a new area or destination, away from the familiar AM/FM presets of their home markets, half of all road trippers say they like to sample the local radio stations.