DENVER — More Americans will get away for the Labor Day weekend this year, yet stick closer to home as they try to get the most for their money, AAA said Wednesday.
The auto club expects 34.4 million people to travel at least 50 miles from home between Sept. 2 and Sept. 6. That's up nearly 10 percent from 2009 — one of the lowest Labor Day volumes in AAA's record keeping history — and below the 45 million who traveled during the Labor Day weekend in 2008.
It's an indication that there is some pent-up demand for trips, but people are watching their budgets carefully as they worry about the sluggish economy, AAA Travel Services Director Glen MacDonell said.
"We're a little concerned on the fall and whether or not people will start to pull back on their wallets," he said. "This holiday, again relatively to last year, is up."
During the holiday, most Americans will stay near home, driving mostly to visit relatives or friends. The average round trip — by air, car and other means — is expected to be about 635 miles, compared with 645 miles in 2009.
About 91 percent will travel by car, 5 percent by plane and the rest by rail, bus or boat.
Drivers are getting a break on gasoline prices, which have remained relatively stable, below $3 a gallon for most of the summer. AAA projects the average price of a gallon of unleaded regular gas will range between $2.65 and $2.75 during the holiday weekend.
Prices for other things are higher. AAA says airfares are up about 9 percent from Labor Day 2009. Car rental rates are 7 percent higher and hotel room rates are 2 percent to 6 percent above last year.
AAA estimates that travelers will spend about $697 over the weekend, about $50 more than last year.
Dining, shopping and visiting relatives and friends were the three planned activities most frequently mentioned by travelers surveyed.AAA's travel forecasts are based on research by IHS Global Insight, an economic research and consulting firm in Boston, and on reservation data from 1,000 AAA offices in North America.
Paddleboat cruises coming to Philly
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — There's a new attraction expected soon on Philadelphia's waterfront: a 260-foot paddlewheel riverboat replica.
The newly dubbed Philadelphia Belle arrived at Penn's Landing on Tuesday amid fanfare that included a Mummers string band and a Ben Franklin impersonator.
A group of investors led by CI Travel, based in Norfolk, Va., bought the steamship three months ago and chose Philadelphia as the spot where they wanted to make it a tourist attraction. The ship is expected to open for dinner cruises and entertainment this fall.
The ship formerly was named the Mississippi Belle II. It just completed the 3,200-mile journey from its former home on the Mississippi River and will get final renovations in Philadelphia.
Investors group vice president Tom D'Amato says the investors chose Philadelphia because of the potential of the city's waterfront.
ACLU questions 'enhanced patdown'
BOSTON (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts is questioning the propriety of stepped-up security checkpoint procedures at airports in Boston and Las Vegas.
The Boston Herald reports that Transportation Security Administration screeners at Logan International Airport are testing what one official called an "enhanced patdown." It lets screeners use a palms-forward, slide-down search procedure on passengers' bodies.
It replaces the old back-of-the-hand patdown for passengers who don't want to go through full-body scanning machines.
The TSA says the new procedure is also being tested at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas before a national rollout.
The ACLU questions whether the new technique is effective enough to justify what it calls a "seemingly constant erosion of privacy."
SeaWorld fined for death of trainer
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The federal job safety agency fined SeaWorld Orlando $75,000 on Monday for three violations uncovered while investigating the February death of a trainer who was grabbed by a killer whale and dragged underwater.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration categorized the most serious violation as "willful," or showing indifference or intentional disregard for employee safety. That citation, carrying a $70,000 penalty, was for exposing workers to drowning hazards when interacting with killer whales.
The agency proposes not allowing trainers to have any physical contact with the killer whale responsible for trainer Dawn Brancheau's death in February unless protected by a physical barrier.
It also suggests that trainers not play with other killer whales at the park, either in the water or out of water, unless they are protected by a barrier or deck.
The second citation, deemed serious, was for failing to install a stairway railing system beside the stage in Shamu Stadium. That citation carried a $5,000 penalty.
The third citation was considered "other-than-serious" and was for failing to have weather-protected electrical receptacles at the stadium. That citation didn't have a penalty.
SeaWorld spokesman Fred Jacobs said the park will contest the citation.
"SeaWorld disagrees with the unfounded allegations made by OSHA today," Jacobs said in a statement.