The American Automobile Association’s (AAA’s) Annual Vacation Costs survey found that the overall cost of taking a vacation this year has increased 5.4 percent from the previous year. The survey indicates that a family of two adults and two children can expect to pay an average $261 per day for food ($120 per day, a 2 percent increase over 2005) and lodging ($141 per night, a 9 percent increase from 2005).

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“Rate increases for lodgings are mostly a result of supply and demand, especially in major markets,” said Michael Petrone, director, AAA Tourism Information Development, which oversees the popular AAA Diamond Ratings. “For both lodgings and restaurants, rising energy costs, as well as salary and benefit costs, are certainly having an impact.”

AAA has been tracking vacation costs since 1950 when the average daily cost of meals and lodgings for a family of four was $13. AAA’s meal and lodging costs are based on prices from more than 55,000 AAA Approved and Diamond Rated(R) lodgings and restaurants listed in AAA’s TourBook(R) guides, the most widely distributed travel guidebook series in North America, with more than 23 million copies distributed annually.

Hawaii remains the most expensive state for vacationers, with daily food and lodging costs averaging $559 for a family of four. Other destinations having the highest costs include the District of Columbia at $518, Rhode Island at $329 and New York, also at $329. Bargain hunting vacationers may want to visit North Dakota and Nebraska, where costs average $191 per day, as well as Kansas at $193, Iowa at $196 and Oklahoma at $200.

Total daily costs (food and lodging) for each state, in alphabetical order, are:

• Alabama - $210.67 (43)
• Alaska - $290.95 (12)
• Arizona - $257.13 (20)
• Arkansas - $205.55 (45)
• California - $320.85 (6)
• Colorado - $274.10 (15)
• Connecticut - $291.56 (11)
• Delaware - $293.76 (10)
• District of Columbia - $$517.92 (2)
• Florida - $303.06 (9)
• Georgia - $226.03 (34)
• Hawaii - $558.53 (1)
• Idaho - $215.38 (41)
• Illinois - $271.35 (17)
• Indiana - $238.27 (29)
• Iowa - $195.75 (48)
• Kansas - $193.08 (49)
• Kentucky - $209.09 (44)
• Louisiana - $272.15 (16)
• Maine - $263.40 (19)
• Maryland - $283.89 (13)
• Massachusetts - $309.70 (8)
• Michigan - $240.44 (25)
• Minnesota - $229.37 (32)
• Mississippi - $215.78 (40)
• Missouri - $222.53 (36)
• Montana - $215.86 (39)
• Nebraska - $191.12 (50)
• Nevada - $348.36 (3)
• New Hampshire - $271.05 (18)
• New Jersey - $310.78 (7)
• New Mexico - $221.19 (37)
• New York - $329.05 (5)
• North Carolina - $233.01 (31)
• North Dakota - $190.54 (51)
• Ohio - $218.56 (38)
• Oklahoma – $199.53 (47)
• Oregon - $238.30 (28)
• Pennsylvania - $255.91 (21)
• Rhode Island - $329.12 (4)
• South Carolina - $240.06 (26)
• South Dakota - $202.49 (46)
• Tennessee - $213.64 (42)
• Texas – $238.54 (27)
• Utah - $233.86 (30)
• Vermont – $275.50 (14)
• Virginia - $247.64 (24)
• Washington - $255.54 (22)
• West Virginia - $222.98 (35)
• Wisconsin - $228.48 (33)
• Wyoming - $251.75 (23)