Washington's sky-high gas prices could keep people home this summer. Why Spokane could actually see more tourists than usual

May 6-When the average price of gas in Spokane reached $5.30 per gallon, Matthew Roberts

knew he could no longer afford to take his

seventh-grader to Disneyland.

After gaining full custody of his daughter last year, he planned to take her to the original Disney theme park in Anaheim, California. But

now he doesn't even drive her to school anymore;

she takes the bus. What used to cost $30 to fill

his 2011 Dodge Charger now hovers around $60. And he's not the only member of his family who's been affected by gas prices. His wife, Tracy Roberts

, used to make around $1,800 a month as a part-time Door Dash driver and put roughly 5,000 miles on her vehicle each month. "Since prices went up, I've driven not even 1,400 miles over three months," said Tracy Roberts

, who now works a full-time gig at a rehab center.

According to AAA reports, the average price for a gallon of gas in Washington

is close to $5.75. In King County, it's nearly $6. Since Spokane is so close to Idaho, it's no secret that many folks venture across the border for

slightly cheaper gas. While the average cost for a gallon in the Gem State is more than a dollar cheaper than Washington, it's still expensive at an average of $4.50. As families in Spokane, like the Robert

ses, limit how much they travel because of the

cost of fuel, some tourism experts in Spokane believe the price of gas might actually bring more feet through the city of Spokane this summer than normal. Kate Hudson

is the public relations director for Visit Spokane, the nonprofit marketing organization aimed at boosting economic growth in the region

. Hudson said, because Spokane is a "drive market,"

with most tourists using cars to get here from nearby,

the price of gas could actually garner more, not

fewer, visitors

.

"We can only hope that people will consider, instead of taking that big trip to New York City or Iceland or Paris, that maybe they'll plan a weekend trip to Spokane or Eastern Washington," Hudson said. Since the price of a plane ticket has risen amid the jet fuel crisis, she doesn't imagine international travelers will cancel their plans. Not to mention, Spokane isn't

an international travel destination the same way cities like Portland and Seattle are. Between weekend trips, sporting events and concerts that go on for the entire summer, Hudson views Spokane as a fun and less expensive option for folks eager to still get out and about. If Spokane's tourism industry could weather COVID-19, Hudson said the city should weather high gas prices "just fine." Longwoods International is a market research consultancy that released a report on April 23, after surveying 1,000 adults, that said of those who intended to travel in the next six months, 41% are planning to travel to destinations closer to home, 36% are reducing the number of trips they plan to take, and 8% are cancel

ing their plans all together. It's the 41% metric that has Hudson hopeful. In 2024, the tourism industry generated $1.5 billion for Spokane County. While the statistics for 2025 have yet to be released, Hudson, who has worked at Visit Spokane for the

past 10 years, believes

2026 will see the same level of revenue. Among those who reported the war is influencing their international travel, 40% will postpone their international trips, 31% will replace an international trip with a domestic one, and 19% will cancel their international travel," Longwoods International reported. Jin'Ah and Padraic Slattery

, the owners of Hotel Hardware in Dayton, Washington, echoed Hudson's sentiment. Nestled in a lush valley at the foot of the Blue Mountains, Dayton's rich history and close proximity to premier wineries in the Walla Walla Valley makes the town of nearly 2,500 a popular destination in the summer months. The Slattery

s, who opened the 15 rooms of Hotel Hardware to the public in the winter months of 2024, said they are actually seeing an increase in occupancy compared to last year. It is a trajectory they expect will continue as they reach peak tourism months in June and July. "Flights are getting more and more expensive, but people still want to travel so weekend road trips to small towns like Dayton will become more popular this summer," Jin'Ah said

via email. "We are already seeing evidence of this trend." Craig Morrison is someone who, for the most part, is undeterred by the price of gas. He plans to drive his diesel Volkswagen Jetta down about 700 miles, just as he does every year, through Idaho to get to a family reunion in the coming months. Other than that, he has no other road trip plans for the summer. "I would say now I'm paying about $80 to fill it," Morrison said. "And probably was paying about $40 before." Along state

Route 129, Boggin's Oasis on the Grande Ronde River provides a host of outdoor activities for travelers.

Owner

Louis Villagomez

said that, because they offer guided trips, shuttle services for rafters, cabins, camping and RV spots, and a restaurant, they feel better insulated against steep gas prices

. "If it was just the restaurant, I would be scared," Villagomez said. He said that while Boggin's Oasis is one of the most "off-brand, farthest things in Washington state," they're still a major point of interest for tourists. That's not

just because of all the amenities and activities they offer, but because they're near the intersection of Idaho and Oregon, meaning they attract more than just Eastern Washington visitors. For their restaurant, Villagomez said they have to travel at least an hour to buy the supplies they need, including the hamburger patties. Inflation raised the cost of the tomato flat

s they buy from $19 four years ago to nearly $80 today, he said. "What makes it hard is when you're having to charge $20-plus for a cheeseburger," he said. "It's getting to the point where we can't even serve burgers. It's more than just gas

; it's everything." As 5-year-old River Borth

ran around his mother, Liana Borth, at the Maverick gas station off Division, Borth spoke about her concern for their family members

who work as farmers. To fill a combine, she said it takes hundreds of gallons of diesel. Take $6.50 a gallon for diesel, which is roughly the current average for Spokane

County, according to AAA, and multiply

it by 250, and the result is nothing short of a nightmare

for farmers already suffering from tight margins.

Borth

and her husband own Flash's Auto Body and Paint in Spokane and said they've already seen fewer customers than what's considered normal for this time of year, presumably because people aren't driving as much. Not only is the cost of fuel affecting the lives of their friends and families and their business, but it's also taken a toll on their plans for this summer. "Last year, we did a bunch of stuff,"

Borth said. "We had weddings, and we did a lot of traveling. But between everything, between the cost of fuel, the cost of flying, I mean, it just doesn't seem likely that we're going to do much."

Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.