Roadtrip Recession: Arizona Families Say a $0.92 Gas Price Rise Would End Summer Road Trip Plans

The Great American road trip has long been a summer rite of passage. But with gas prices lingering higher than expected, families are reconsidering just how far they can go. RV Windshield Replacement, a national network of RV auto glass experts, set out to gauge how these costs are reshaping vacation plans, especially for those who usually hit the open road in midsummer. Are families cutting their trips short, sticking closer to home, skipping overnight stops, or trading long interstate journeys for shorter, budget-friendly getaways?

The survey, which polled 3,002 families, uncovered some eye-opening trends. The results suggest that Arizona families are not necessarily giving up on summer adventures, but many are shrinking them, simplifying them, or keeping them closer to home.

Almost 2 in 3 Arizona families say they are rethinking their summer road trip plans because of high gas prices. And for many, that rethink starts with the route itself:

• 68% say they are more likely to take a shorter, in-state road trip this summer because of gas prices.
• 47% say high gas prices would make them more likely to invite another family or relatives along to share costs.
• 86% believe the classic long-distance American road trip is becoming less affordable for ordinary families.

When asked what feels most expensive about a road trip right now, one answer dominated: gas. Not hotels, not food, not theme park tickets, just the simple act of keeping the car moving.

Families said the biggest road trip costs are:

• Gas: 67%
• Hotels: 17%
• Food: 8%
• Attractions: 6%
• Car maintenance: 3%

That does not mean families are only worried about fuel. Once the trip budget starts feeling tight, the cuts can come from every corner of the vacation. The first casualties are often the nice-to-haves: souvenirs, extra stops, restaurant meals, and overnight stays.

When asked what their family would cut first from a road trip budget, respondents said:

• Souvenirs: 25%
• The trip itself: 19%
• Restaurant meals: 16%
• Overnight hotel stays: 16%
• Theme parks or attractions: 14%
• Extra sightseeing stops: 10%

The mood heading into summer is mixed. Some families are still pressing ahead as planned, but many are adjusting expectations. For some, it means packing sandwiches instead of stopping for meals. For others, it means swapping a multi-state drive for a shorter route closer to home.

Asked which phrase best describes their family’s road trip plans this summer, respondents answered:

• Same trip, tighter budget: 26%
• Staying in-state this year: 18%
• Full-speed ahead: 17%
• Shorter drive, same spirit: 16%
• Road trip cancelled: 16%
• Road trip downgraded: 10%

The survey also found that Arizona families have a fairly clear breaking point. On average, gas prices would need to rise by about $0.92 per gallon before they would cancel a planned road trip. Given that gas prices in the state are currently at around $4.6 per gallon (as of 6/4), that means prices would need to reach $5.5 in Arizona before many families would scrap their summer road trip plans altogether.

“Road trips have always been one of the most flexible ways for families to travel, but this summer that flexibility is being tested,” says a spokesperson for RV Windshield Replacement. “What we’re seeing is not that families have lost their appetite for adventure, but that they are becoming much more strategic about it. Shorter routes, shared costs, fewer overnight stops- these are the new realities for families trying to keep the summer road trip alive without letting fuel prices take the wheel.”

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Experienced road trippers were also asked, based on their own travels, to name the best 3 short road trips families can take this summer within their state:

#1. Tucson to Grand Canyon South Rim via Sedona
Desert scenery surrounds the opening stretch out of Tucson, where giant saguaro cacti, mountain backdrops and warm evening light make even short roadside stops feel worthwhile – and free. Further north, Sedona changes the mood completely with towering red rock formations, scenic canyon roads and the kind of slower-paced atmosphere that naturally turns a quick overnight stop into something longer without the need for expensive activities. By the time the drive reaches the Grand Canyon, the landscape opens into massive overlooks and sunset viewpoints that still feel hard to comprehend in person, giving families the kind of jaw-dropping moment that no amount of money can replicate.

#2. Phoenix/Scottsdale to Monument Valley via Flagstaff
The route out of Phoenix starts in classic Sonoran Desert scenery before cooler mountain air and pine forests begin appearing around Flagstaff, giving the road trip a completely different feel halfway through without any detour costs. Route 66 reminders, roadside diners and mountain views keep the middle stretch feeling like a proper old-school American road trip before Monument Valley finishes things with huge sandstone formations and open desert landscapes that stretch endlessly into the distance. The scenery grows more dramatic with every stop, and families can take in most of it from the roadside without needing to spend heavily.

#3. Bisbee to Page via Holbrook
Colorful hillsides and old mining-town streets give Bisbee a creative, almost hidden-away feel at the beginning of this cross-state adventure—the kind of place families can explore cheaply for an afternoon—before the drive moves north into the retro Route 66 landscapes around Holbrook. Vintage roadside diners, neon signs, and wide-open high-desert views keep the middle of the trip relaxed and highly affordable before Page delivers the dramatic northern finale. Here, the sheer scale of Horseshoe Bend and sunset views over Lake Powell make the final stop feel like a massive reward at the end of the highway. The trip stays outdoors-focused throughout, which naturally keeps activity costs manageable.