RasmussenReports.com, September 1st, 2006
Gathering around the grill for a cookout or barbeque was the most popular activity in the summer of 2006. Seventy-eight percent (78%) of American adults say they enjoyed burgers, hot dogs, and other classic summer meals.
In a summer that 57% rated good or great, quiet time was also high on the list of favorite summer activities. Seventy-four percent (74%) spent at least part of the summer reading a book and 63% played cards or board games to pass the time.
Not so quiet, but still a popular summertime tradition, 67% say they visited fireworks displays.
Sixty percent (60%) report cooling off in a pool or lake while 57% beat the heat by going to the movies. Hollywood fared best with adults under 30 and those with children at home.
Just 38% say they visited a beach, a figure that increases to 52% in states along the Atlantic or Pacific coastlines.
Interestingly, only half (51%) took a vacation with family or friends. These results are in line with a vacation survey we conducted in July in which 52% said they were not planning a summer vacation this year.
Of those who did take a vacation, the most likely travelers were those ages 30-39 (58%) and the least likely were individuals 65 and older (38%.) Sixty percent (60%) of families with children at home traveled this summer versus 47% of families without children at home.
Thirty-three percent (33%) of Americans attended an outdoor concert or play this summer. This activity was more popular among younger Americans and those with higher incomes.
The national telephone survey of 1,768 Adults was conducted by Rasmussen Reports August 21-22, 2006. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.
Rasmussen Reports is an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information.
