On Friday, we asked officials from Gwinnett County Parks, Stone Mountain Park and Lake Lanier Islands Resorts what effect the economy might have on them:

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Courtesy of John Zeigler (ENLARGE)

A trip to Florida is an annual occurrence for John Zeigler. This summer, though, he has to travel to the state three times.

Kimberly Smith/AJC (ENLARGE)

Scott and Puja Johnson are still heading on a summer trip to Alaska in the camper, high gas prices or not. They'll just take from the trip's food budget and add to the diesel budget.

Kimberly Smith/AJC (ENLARGE)

Jim and Genevieve Williams will travel this summer. They'll just keep the distances close, no more than 50 miles from their home.

Courtesy of Gary and Janet Derbridge (ENLARGE)

Gary and Janet Derbridge – with granddaughter Makayla Couch, 7 months – still plan to take a cruise to Alaska.

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• "This weekend marks the opening of our outdoor pools," said Tammy Gibson, resources and marketing coordinator, Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation department. "We've gotten a lot of calls about what's going on this weekend. I think people are staying home more this time."

• "We do a three-day celebration called 'Salute to the Troops'," said Kelley Wann, public relations coordinator for Stone Mountain Park. "I don't think [high gas prices] will affect us. ... we have 441 camp sites, and they're completely booked for the weekend."

• "We are expecting a good turnout at the Beach & WaterPark, as the weather is supposed to be great this Memorial Day weekend," said Katy McLaughlin, marketing manager for Lake Lanier Islands Resort. "During the weekend we are expecting over 1,000, and close to 2,000 guests in the Beach & WaterPark, each day over the weekend." The new Tiki Hut is opening this weekend catering to boaters, she said. It's an open air eatery on the water. Room reservations at the renovated Legacy Lodge and Conference Center, formerly Emerald Pointe, are filling up nicely as well, she said. This weekend it will start dive-in movies at the pool for hotel guests and guests of BullFrogs Bar and Grille at the hotel.

It's vacation time. Temperatures are up, and so are gas prices. We're craving a vacation, but prices are cutting up our bank account. We asked readers their vacation plans, and here are some of the responses:

Cost of three Florida trips can make his head swim

I travel to Florida every June to participate in the Florida Police and Fire Games as a guest from Georgia.

I must show up in Sarasota this year to receive a wall clock to reward my 20 years of participation in the games. ...

This year the price of gas has the airline tickets climbing into unbelievable price ranges. Also, my 45th high school reunion is in central Florida on July 5, and the International Law Enforcement Games swimming competition is in Orlando, Aug. 16. I will make the decision to pay $2,000 to Delta or pay for gas and drive my car three times to Florida.

Since I need a rental car for three trips to Florida if I fly, and will take my wife to the reunion, I will travel by auto, not air, this year. ...

I am retired from 41 years of federal government emplacement. I generally swim in one competition monthly somewhere in the Southeastern U.S. I am carpooling with other swimmers for these competitions to save gas money and still compete. ... In summary, traveling is a must no matter the costs, but air travel is the less desirable choice for my retirement income.

JOHN ZEIGLER

Member, Snellville Parks and Recreation Committee; fitness coordinator, Georgia Master Swimming Local Committee

North to Alaska ... no matter what

My wife and I have been planning our summer long trip to Alaska for several years now.

We are taking our RV, which now has us really worried about how to pay for this trip.

The total mileage will be around 14,500 miles and with diesel at $4.50 a gallon, it will do some damage to our budget.

However, we are NOT increasing our predicted budget of $14,000 for the trip. We will simply add more to our diesel bill and take from the food bill.

Does that mean we will eat less? Not at all. When we take RV trips, we usually like to eat out once a day just to try the local cuisine. This year, we will only eat out every other day. All the other meals will be cooked inside the RV.

We could wait to take this trip next year and hope that fuel prices go down, but we all know this will never happen until we find an alternative to petroleum.

SCOTT JOHNSON, Lawrenceville

Cruising for some fun

In the past 18 months, our three kids have gotten married, we have had two grandbabies, and a third one is due in July. Forget the economy! We're going on an Alaska cruise in September!

We feel like it is well deserved.

Sure, things overall have gone up in price, but for our family things have never been better — live, love, laugh and you can't go wrong.

The economy is not going to get us down.

GARY AND JANET DERBRIDGE, Suwanee

Think local for getaways

Since moving to Atlanta from South Florida we have loved the fact that we could drive four or five hours and be at the beach, in the mountains, or in any of four adjoining states.

With rising gas prices we are now checking out vacation spots within a 50-mile radius.

We've been to Lake Lanier Islands, Stone Mountain Park, Callaway Gardens and (surprise) Marietta Resort and Conference Center, our personal favorite.

Atlantans don't always appreciate or take advantage of the range of choices we have right here near home.

I look for a place with a fine hotel, a pool, a variety of restaurants and a few fun activities.

Being senior citizens, my husband and I also prefer places that do not cater to families with children!

But most of all I seek a place where someone else cooks, cleans and makes the bed. That's my idea of a vacation.

GENEVIEVE WILLIAMS, Snellville

Worked too hard to sacrifice vacation

Our plans are to scale back on other types of expenses such as dining out.

One meal out for a family of three at a sit-down restaurant is one tank of gas.

My wife and I work too hard to sacrifice something as important to us as vacation.

Gas prices will eventually drop, as all commodities do, but for now we will find ways to deal with it without giving up our vacation.

GEORGE, TERRI and JAKE DEMCHAK, Duluth