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As Covid restrictions relax, fuel prices could derail summer travel

By Brian Miller

RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 29: A fuel trucks drives by a fuel terminal on April 29, 2021 in Richmond, California. A lack of qualified truck drivers could lead to a shortage and gasoline this summer and could cause prices to spike. A gallon of regular unleaded gas is already at or around $4.00 in parts of California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 29: A fuel trucks drives by a fuel terminal on April 29, 2021 in Richmond, California. A lack of qualified truck drivers could lead to a shortage and gasoline this summer and could cause prices to spike. A gallon of regular unleaded gas is already at or around $4.00 in parts of California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) /
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Since March of 2020, travelers have been forced to stay at home and skip the destinations they love or hoped to visit but now, something else is keeping them trapped.

As COVID restrictions across the United States continues to relax and travel opens, travelers are facing rising gas prices that could stymie the tourism industry once again. Earlier this month, the east coast pipeline shut down due to a terrorist hack. That led to low fuel supplies across the eastern states from Maine to Florida. The pipeline is back on line but fuel prices continue to rise.

This summer, prices are expected to be at high that could be consistent with the 2014 rise and may even approach the $5.00 per gallon mark. This will limit travel and could keep the roads, once again, open. And not in a good way.

With gas prices rising, RV travel will come to another standstill. That is good news for state residents who regularly can’t find RV spots due to out of state visitors. At Disney’s Wilderness Campgrounds, there were plenty of late July spots available at their RV park with prices around $135.00 per night. While we can debate those prices on their own merit, the reality is, fuel, especially for an RV, becomes the hinderance.

SAN DIEGO, CA – DECEMBER 11: A surfer slashes a large wave crashing while an RV is parked in the foreground on December 11, 2014 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Gabe LHeureux/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CA – DECEMBER 11: A surfer slashes a large wave crashing while an RV is parked in the foreground on December 11, 2014 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Gabe LHeureux/Getty Images) /

As I write this I look out to my yard and see my 32′ Winnebago beckoning me for a drive but do I really want to move it when it could cost me $200.00 to fill it up? And that of course won’t get me from North Carolina to Florida, let alone the Outer Banks of North Carolina near Kitty Hawk or Cape Hatteras, fiver hours away.

Related Story. Hurricane season could also hurt summer travel. light

If the prices continue to rise, many across the United States will find themselves hunkering down at home for another summer. Already holed up for the 2020 vacation season, another three months of rising costs will further hurt the tourism industry that is just now getting back to being able to operate at a close to normal level.

Summer won’t officially begin until next month but it may be time to consider what may, this year, keep you at home.

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