LAS VEGAS -- AAA said travel will be down nationwide this holiday weekend, but Las Vegas will be nearly full.

Rooms are expected to be at 90 percent capacity. There's a good reason for that – rooms are cheap.

Overall, Las Vegas is getting 284,000 visitors this weekend. Many are from California because it's close.

But travel is down about 2 percent compared to last Fourth of July.

The west is the only area that will see a 2 percent increase in travelers. Vegas helps add to that increase because room rates are down 12 percent. Airfare is down as well, about 16 percent.

People are still expected to cut back on spending.

One family from California kept the tradition of coming to Las Vegas each year, but not the traditional spending pattern.

"It was under $50 a night. We didn't plan ahead. We went online Monday night and clicked on special offers," said visitor Wendy Bloomer.

"With fuel and everything, little gifts, about $500," said visitor Keith Bloomer.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority said there are small signs that things are getting better -- but no sign the recession is over.

The Bloomer family brought plenty of snacks and bottled water to help save on money.

The typical family of four will spend about $1,200 on Fourth of July vacations.