Not trying to get all “Real America” on you, but there’s something pure Americana about celebrating our nation’s independence with a small group of people and a ton of explosives in Smalltown, USA. Based on trivago search and pricing data, the people agree, with Put-In-Bay, Ohio chalking up some jaw-dropping prices over the Fourth Of July weekend.
As of June 27th, the average rates we’re seeing for Friday, June 30th is $665 with a slight drop on Saturday to $555. New York City, meanwhile, comes in at $295 and $314 respectively. For those who didn’t do the maths, the holiday weekend Put-In-Bay is more than twice as expensive as the Big Apple.
Yeah, yeah, we ultimately know why. Greater, sudden demand on tiny Put-in-Bay with a mere fraction of the hotel properties is going to see more fluctuations on prices than a behemoth like New York City. But let’s give credit where credit is due, because as any Great Lakes Midwesterner knows, Put-in-Bay is a special place to wave the red, white, and blue. The Lake Erie island has long been a summer travel favorite for island partying from Chicago to Cleveland. Not to mention Cedar Point is a short ferry ride away.
Pro tip for fireworks lovers: Get to Perry’s Victory & International Peace Memorial early for a good spot to see the show. There’s 352-foot tall column (in honor of those who fought in the Battle of Lake Erie), so you can’t miss it.
Those of you feeling “priced out” by the Independence Day celebrations should consider hitting up the island this Labor Day for the boat races and Put-In-Bay’s first music festival (featuring Toby Keith!) because prices then average $287/night–and as low as $65/night if you’d rather stay in Port Clinton.