Nearly two-thirds of Americans are chasing seasons, according to new research.
A survey of 2,000 U.S. adults revealed that 65% have either already or would like to go “season chasing,” or purposely travel to a destination to experience a specific season.
Of the 22% who have already done so and the 43% who would jump at the opportunity, fall ranked as the best season to chase (51%). But even as the seasons change, there is no shortage of destinations to see in the summer (32%), spring (26%) and winter (22%).
Top must-see destinations include fall or Halloween in Salem, Massachusetts (27%) ranking as No. 1. This was followed by winter beaches in Florida (25%), changing leaves in Vermont or New England (24%), cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C. and spring or Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana (24%).
Leos are most likely to opt to experience summer in Cape Cod (27%), while Sagittariuses hit the slopes for winter and snow sports in Colorado (22%) and Tauruses watch the changing leaves on the Blue Ridge Parkway (19%).
What elements can make or break season chasing? The climate or temperature (43%), who they are traveling with (37%) and the sites or views (36%) ranked as the top three most important elements.
Conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Zipcar, results also revealed that nearly three in five (59%) Americans would even be likely to take a spontaneous trip.
According to those respondents, the best spontaneous trips occur at 10:12 a.m. on a Friday (39%) or Saturday (31%).
The best travel companions include their partner or spouse (47%), their children (28%) or their best friend (26%). About a quarter (26%) would even prefer to take their spontaneous trip solo.
While 64% would use their own vehicle, a shared vehicle or rental is another popular option for nearly a quarter (21%). Geminis are most likely to prefer to opt for a car-share (28%), followed by Capricorns (25%) and Sagittariuses (25%).
What’s the appeal of a car-share? Many say it alleviates stress since they don’t have to worry about their own vehicle (46%).
Others said it is more convenient (39%), affordable (20%) and accessible (20%) compared to car ownership. One in five Aries (21%) also believe that it is the more environmentally friendly option, more than any other sign.
“A majority of Americans nationwide are interested in chasing all seasons – winter, spring, summer and fall. Whether you’re taking a weekend getaway to Florida beaches or headed to Washington D.C. to enjoy the cherry blossoms, there’s no shortage of destinations that are a drive away,” said Angelo Adams, head of Zipcar.
According to the results, 74% of Americans surveyed own their own vehicle. For those respondents, upkeep costs, such as gas, parking and insurance (54%) and maintenance costs, such as a broken windshield or non-working air conditioning (52%) are the worst parts of owning their own car.
Other car owners are plagued by concerns about how many miles they are putting on it (21%) or even the task of finding parking (15%). Three in five (58%) admit that without those added costs, they would travel more.
Of those who do not own their own vehicle (26%), 61% admit that they feel limited in their travel abilities because they cannot access a vehicle.
“Convenient access to a car enables the freedom to just get up and go, according to nearly 60% of non-car owning respondents,” said Angelo Adams, president of Zipcar. “Imagine a world without the stressors of car ownership while still having the ability to chase seasons, visit friends and family or even just grocery shop and go to appointments? The good news is that there are options for wheels when you want them without added stress.”
Regardless of whether they have their own car, respondents said the top two things that would improve their lives the most would be being able to drive to destinations they want to see (35%) and traveling more often with friends and family (34%).
Survey methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 general population Americans; the survey was commissioned by Zipcar and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Oct. 11 and Oct. 17, 2024.
We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:
Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentiveProgrammatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in
Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.
Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.
Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.
Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:
Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speedersOpen ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant textBots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify botsDuplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once
It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.
