AAA: Seattle is the most popular place to visit for Labor Day weekend

For those Seattleites who are sticking around the city for the long Labor Day weekend, no, it’s not an illusion: There are a lot of people who come visit Seattle at this time of year.

According to booking data from the American Automobile Association (AAA), Seattle is the No. 1 Labor Day weekend destination and it’s up nearly 30% from last year when it also topped the list.

AAA reports that Seattle is the top spot for this weekend because of the popularity of cruises to Alaska, which are sold out for the weekend.

“Smaller crowds and cooler temperatures, make this a popular travel trend this time of year,” AAA stated in its press release.

That’s also why Anchorage, Alaska, and that state’s capital, Juneau, are also on the organization’s Top 10 list of Labor Day destinations.

“If you’re interested in going on an Alaska cruise next summer, the time to book is now to lock in the best rate and ensure you get the type of cabin and scenic views you want,” Debbie Haas, Vice President of Travel for AAA – The Auto Club Group.

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Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin of KIRO Newsradio’s “The Gee and Ursula Show” addressed the topic, and other travel trends, earlier this week.

“I have said it, there is no place more beautiful than this region during the summer time,” Ursula said.

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John Curley and Jake Skorheim of KIRO Newsradio’s “The John and Jake Show” also addressed the topic on their show this week, but had a different perspective.

Jake said he has done the Alaska cruises twice before and called the cruises “super fun” and the northern state “beautiful.” He then went on to say that the reason why people are coming to Seattle is because of the ships.

“The truth is … if they could go somewhere else, they would,” Jake said. “They come here for the cruise ships.”

John went on to talk about how Seattle not being a destination and that’s because the city doesn’t have the reputation it had previously.

“The reason why people aren’t coming is because, unfortunately, nationally, Seattle is seen as a city in decline,” John said. “And if you have come and visit see all the homeless people and you don’t feel safe, you don’t come back again.”

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National Labor Day travel trends

Overall, AAA reports domestic travel over Labor Day weekend is up 9% compared to 2023, while the cost to travel domestically is down 2%. Meanwhile, international travel over this weekend is down 4% compared to last year, AAA stated in its release. Contributing factors include inflation, which has driven up international travel costs by 11%.

The organization reports that the other Top 10 Labor Day destinations include Orlando, New York City, Boston, Las Vegas, Denver, Chicago and San Francisco.

Steve Coogan is the lead editor of MyNorthwest. You can read more of his stories here. Follow Steve on X, or email him here.