July 4th travel down 2.5%: are you staying home this year?

While the last few years haven’t exactly been easy on the wallets of holiday travelers, AAA expects that the July 4th weekend of 2011 will be hit the hardest with a decline of 40 million Americans traveling from last year. With a shopping 84% of Independence Day trippers driving, the $1+ gas rates over 2010’s prices are expected to hit the industry hard.

But on a day notorious with getting away from it all, will people really stay home?

We took to the ole’ Internet to find out if your July 4 plans involve fireworks, or a kiddie pool staycation.

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Over on Facebook, fan Darlene is beach bound closer to home, Phyllis will be sunning in Cabo, while Gadlinger Tom prepares for a sojourn to Amsterdam, Bruges and Luxembourg. And congratulations to Bonnie Smith, who is headed to Boston to get married this weekend! Mazel tov, Bonnie.

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[Photo: Flickr/Moto@Club4AG]