(May 29, 2012) DEARBORN, Mich. — Getting away from familiar surroundings for the weekend should be a great way to relax and forget about the pressures of everyday life, but a new survey finds even a weekend getaway has its hassles.
 
An online Harris Interactive survey commissioned by Ford in May found nearly one third of U.S. adults say the cost of gas is the most stressful part of a weekend trip. Other stress factors include dealing with traffic and other drivers on the roads.
 
Nearly one quarter of those surveyed cite traffic as the most stressful part of getting away, while almost 20 percent say it’s other drivers creating the most stress en route to their destination of choice. Eleven percent find packing and unpacking for a trip induces the most stress.
 


Over the long Memorial Day weekend, an estimated 30 million motorists journeyed an average of 642 miles — 150 miles less than last year’s average travel distance of 792 miles, according to a AAA survey of travelers’ intentions. With the fuel efficiency of the all-new Ford Escape, drivers would only need to fill up once on a 600-mile trip.
 
The Harris survey reveals that on average, drivers are willing to travel four hours to a weekend destination, with the younger crowd — those 18 to 34 — willing to drive five hours to get away for a few days.
 
“There is so much to see and do in every pocket of America,” says Robert Reid, U.S. travel editor for Lonely Planet. “Eighty-three percent of our travel community told us they had taken, on average, more than three road trips over the past couple of years. Summertime is the perfect season to gear up for these long weekend trips and explore your own backyard.”  
 
Weekend travel is more popular than ever, with half of all U.S. adults — nearly 103 million — taking at least one weekend trip per year. According to a 2009 Travel Industry Association report, almost 30 percent of Americans took five or more weekend trips the previous year.
 
For a quick getaway, a full 26 percent of those surveyed by Harris chose the beach or the lake as the ideal destination. For 23 percent, the ideal weekend is just staying home. Only 8 percent of those surveyed would choose to visit out-of-town relatives, the same number that would opt for camping.