One Midwest City Cracked The Top 10 For July 4th

With summer officially here, so are the road trips.

Family gatherings, reunions, get-togethers, and vacations occur more frequently during the summer months, and AAA expects 72.2 million Americans to travel at least 50 miles from home during the upcoming 4th of July holiday.

READ MORE: Yes, Those Are Fireworks You're Hearing Around Rockford

Scott Olson, Getty Images

A Record-Breaking Summer: AAA Predicts Massive 4th of July Crowds

If you're wondering where people are traveling to in the US this year to celebrate the 4th, one of those places isn't far from us in Rockford.

While I kind of figured Chicago would be on the list, considering the city is one of the largest in America, making it a tourist hot spot, it's also a really popular place for Independence Day.

Interestingly, considering it's the biggest city in America, you'd kind of expect the ranking to reflect its size, but Chicago is ranked the 6th-best place for the 4th of July in America, while the largest city in the country, New York, only ranks 5th.

The Surprising Top 5: Why Pacific Destinations Dominate the List

5. New York, NY
4. Miami, FL
3. Anchorage, AK
2. Orlando, FL
1. Seattle, WA

Kind of a surprising Top 5, considering Seattle, a city that I had no idea was such a great landing spot for those wanting to celebrate the 4th of July, and then Anchorage, all the way in Alaska, is called the third best.

READ MORE: Looking for July 4th Fun in Illinois? Try These Firework-Free Ideas

man and woman walking on green grass field during daytime

The Midwest’s Heavy Hitter: Chicago Claims the Number 6 Spot

Are these ranks right? Is there a city in America that does the 4th of July best or even better than these cities in the top 5? Let us know.