Your browser is: WebKit 537.36. This browser is out of date so some features on this site might break. Try a different browser or update this browser. Learn more.

Even Your Little August Beach Vacation Will Cost More This Year

The hassle of summer air travel has been turbocharged by the pandemic. But settling on a rental closer to home may bring expensive frustration, too.

Aerial view of The Hamptons, Long Island, New York.Photographer: Getty Images

With summer flashing by, many Americans are eager to finally get away after scarcely leaving their neighborhoods for the better part of 18 months.

Whether due to fear of a resurgent coronavirus fueled by the delta variant or the chaos that is air travel this summer, many would-be vacationers are looking closer to home. In the New York area, that means a more intense hunt for beach getaways on Long Island or the Jersey Shore. But pent-up demand has also made staying local an expensive proposition—and definitely more pricey than before the pandemic.