With the passing of Presidents Day on Monday, the calendar rolled into a period of more than three months without a federally mandated three-day weekend.
Memorial Day is on May 29 this year, and that holiday typically signals the beginning of travel season for many people.
But according to Hotels.com, this year, vacationers are less interested in wasting a quarter of the year at their homes. To satisfy that travel itch, the booking website says two-day weekend getaways are expected to be all the rage in the coming months.
“Hotels.com is predicting that shorter, more frequent 2–3 day trips will gain popularity throughout the spring and summer,” the company said in a news release. “The majority of reservations on its mobile lodging app currently occur within a week or less of travel, and searches for long weekends are surging.”
The booking website is calling these short getaways “Thirst Trips,” quick excursions to quench that vacation thirst.
Those looking to book a short trip are in luck, Hotels.com says average daily hotel rates on weekends over the next three-plus months are 10% lower than summer highs.
The 98-day holiday break also coincides with the end of winter and the beginning of the May grays. So, naturally, hotels and other lodging that offer pools are in high demand.
Searches on the Hotels.com app for hotels with pools increased by at least 35% from February through April, the company says. Peak popularity for poolside properties is expected around the first week of March.
“There’s some irony in the fact that the longest holiday drought of the year sends us searching for relief by infinity pools, lazy rivers and swim-up bars,” said Melanie Fish, head of Expedia Group brands public relations.
Hotels.com has compiled a list of “thirst trip” destinations, at hotels with stunning pools and discounted rates for specific weekends.
Here’s the full list:
Weekend | City | Hotel Pool |
Feb 24–26 | San Diego | Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa and Marina |
March 3-5 | Las Vegas | The Palazzo at The Venetian |
March 10–12 | Mexico City | Galeria Plaza Reforma |
March 17–19 | Albuquerque | Hotel Chaco |
March 24–26 | Myrtle Beach | Anderson Ocean Club and Spa by Oceana Resorts |
March 31–April 2 | Los Angeles | The Hoxton Downtown LA |
April 7–9 | Orlando | Universal’s Aventura Hotel |
April 14–16 | Austin | Club Wyndham Austin |
April 21–23 | Panama City Beach | Holiday Inn Resort Panama City Beach |
April 28–30 | Charlotte | JW Marriott Charlotte |
May 5–7 | Orange County, CA | Laguna Beach House |
May 12–14 | Phoenix | Rise Uptown Hotel |
May 19–21 | Seattle | Level Seattle Downtown |