Maryland families are rethinking their summer road trip plans due to high gas prices, according to a new survey by RV Windshield Replacement.
The national network of RV auto glass experts polled 3,002 families to gauge how fuel costs are affecting vacation decisions. The results suggest that while many Maryland families are not abandoning summer adventures entirely, they are making significant adjustments to keep costs manageable.
Almost two in three Maryland families say they are rethinking their summer road trip plans because of high gas prices. For many, that rethink starts with the route itself.
Sixty-eight percent say they are more likely to take a shorter, in-state road trip this summer because of gas prices. Forty-seven percent say high gas prices would make them more likely to invite another family or relatives along to share costs. Eighty-six percent believe the classic long-distance American road trip is becoming less affordable for ordinary families.
When asked what feels most expensive about a road trip right now, gas dominated the responses at 67 percent. Hotels were second at 17 percent, followed by food at 8 percent, attractions at 6 percent and car maintenance at 3 percent.
Families said the first casualties when budgets tighten are often the nice-to-haves. When asked what their family would cut first from a road trip budget, souvenirs topped the list at 25 percent. Nineteen percent said the trip itself, 16 percent restaurant meals, 16 percent overnight hotel stays, 14 percent theme parks or attractions and 10 percent extra sightseeing stops.
The mood heading into summer is mixed. Some families are still pressing ahead as planned, but many are adjusting expectations. Asked which phrase best describes their family’s road trip plans this summer, 26 percent said same trip, tighter budget. Eighteen percent said staying in-state this year, 17 percent full-speed ahead, 16 percent shorter drive same spirit, 16 percent road trip cancelled and 10 percent road trip downgraded.
The survey also found that Maryland families have a fairly clear breaking point. On average, gas prices would need to rise by about $1.02 per gallon before they would cancel a planned road trip. With current prices around $4.10 per gallon, that means prices would need to reach $5.12 before many families would scrap their summer road trip plans altogether.
“Road trips have always been one of the most flexible ways for families to travel, but this summer that flexibility is being tested,” said a spokesperson for RV Windshield Replacement. “What we’re seeing is not that families have lost their appetite for adventure, but that they are becoming much more strategic about it. Shorter routes, shared costs, fewer overnight stops — these are the new realities for families trying to keep the summer road trip alive without letting fuel prices take the wheel.”
For Southern Maryland families in Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties, the findings may resonate as many plan trips to Ocean City, Annapolis or other regional destinations. Shorter in-state trips could become more popular as gas prices remain elevated.
The survey highlights the economic pressures facing families as they plan summer vacations. While the American road trip tradition remains strong, practical considerations are leading many to adapt their plans to fit tighter budgets.
RV Windshield Replacement encourages families to plan ahead, consider cost-sharing options and explore closer destinations to make the most of summer travel despite higher fuel costs.
The full survey results provide insight into how American families are balancing their desire for adventure with financial realities in the current economic climate.
