Vacation lodging costs increase 8%

Summer travelers already feeling the pinch of higher gas prices may find that lodging costs more too. The AAA auto and travel association found in its annual vacation costs survey that combined lodging and restaurant costs were 3.7% higher than last year.

The survey found that a family of four could expect to pay an average of nearly $270 a day for food and lodging this summer. It said lodging rates averaged $152 a night, up nearly 8% from last year, while meals were projected at $118, down 1.3%.

The meal calculation did not include beverages, taxes or tips, AAA said. The survey captures prices at more than 60,000 AAA-approved or rated lodgings and restaurants.