Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Staycation? Shore enough!

If you read my print column this week, you know I’m something of an old hand at this “staycation” racket.

That’s the fancy name that’s been slapped on the latest marketing campaign aimed at getting us to spend big bucks for lots of gear that will make sticking around the house a little more appealing in these days of $4 gas prices.

Today’s there’s even more ammo on the “Staycation” front.

Brace yourselves, gas prices are not going down. You’re shocked, I know. Actually prices jumped another penny overnight, according to AAA.

Regular is now fetching a whopping $4.04 a gallon on average in the Philadelphia five-county region with diesel fuel still managing to barely stay under the $5 mark at $4.99 a gallon.

Remember in the days before the Memorial Day weekend, when a couple of stations crashed through the $4 plateau? This morning AAA says there are 368 stations in the Philly region with prices at or above $4. That compares with just 36 in Delaware and only 5 in South Jersey.

And there’s also this: AAA says their calls from stranded motorists who have run out of gas are going through the roof. The numbers have doubled from this time last year, up 126 percent.

The theory is that people can’t afford a full tank, and they just can’t make it until they have the money to buy gas again. AAA also nicely reminds us that running for long periods of time on or close to “E” can damage your engine. Just what you wanted to hear, I know.

At least one region seems to be coming out a winner in the gas price sweepstakes. That would be shore points, at least some of them.

Jersey shore spots reported being packed over the Memorial Day. It was the same story in Rehoboth Beach, Del., where 150,000 people arrived for the weekend and overnight stays were up 4.5 percent. Ironically, Ocean City, Md., reports they had 35,000 fewer visitors for the first official week of the summer season.

Hey, maybe people got to Rehoboth, took one look at their dwindling gas needle, and decided, “this is far enough.” After all, on a busy weekend, you’re looking at another 45 minutes to drive from Rehoboth on into Ocean City.

Just what I need. My favorite city in the world being overrun with even more summer shore-goers. Hey, find your own “Staycation” resort.

And save me a slice of Grotto pizza.

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