Iowa — The last holiday of summer is just ahead and tens of thousands of Iowans will hit the road for the Labor Day weekend.

Triple-A-Iowa spokesman Brian Ortner says the record-breaking summer travel season will wrap up with what’s anticipated to be another exceptionally busy holiday for get-away vacations.

Since most Iowa kids are already back in school, regional road trips tend to be the most popular Labor Day option for families. Because of that, Ortner says other vacationers see this as an opportunity to travel the world, with the expectation of smaller crowds at popular sites.

The majority of vacationers over Labor Day will be traveling by motor vehicle, and while electric cars are becoming more common, most cars, trucks, and SUVs still run on gasoline. Ortner does -not- expect any major jumps in gas prices in Iowa before the weekend.

Gas prices vary widely across Iowa. The most expensive fuel is reported in Dubuque at three-45 a gallon, while Sioux City has the cheapest gas at two-98.

A check of gasbuddy.com reveals that in the four northwesternmost Iowa counties, Sheldon actually has the least expensive gas, at $3.08. In Rock Rapids, Sibley, Sioux Center, Hull, and Hawarden it’s just a penny more at $3.09. In Paullina, Alton, and Orange City, gas is $3.17 per gallon. The most expensive gas in the four-county area, according to GasBuddy is in Sanborn and Primghar, where it’s $3.19.