This year nearly 42 million people across the U.S. will make a trip on Memorial Day Weekend. According to a new report by AAA that is almost 5 percent more than last year and the most people traveling in more than a dozen years.
Not even the highest gas prices since 2014 are keeping people at home said Bill Sutherland, senior vice president of AAA Travel and Publishing. According to the report, 88 percent of people that will drive will pay the most expensive prices for gas since 2014.
“A strong economy and growing consumer confidence are giving Americans all the motivation they need to kick off what we expect to be a busy summer travel season with a Memorial Day getaway,” Sutherland said.
In fact, the wide majority of people will be traveling by car; a total of 36.6 million people, 4.7 percent more than last year. Other forms of travel will see an increase too. This year 1 million people will be traveling by plane, a 6.8 percent increase while 1.8 million people traveling by train, bus, rails, and cruise ships resulting in a 2.4 percent increase.
So, what does it all mean for California?
For people traveling by car, INRIX, a car services company, and AAA predict that most of the congestion will happen Thursday, May 24 and Friday, May 25, in the late afternoon as commuters combine with travelers.
The report says the worst time for people to travel in Los Angeles will be Friday, May 25 between 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. If travelers end up on the road during this time, they can expect a delay of 1.9 times the normal trip. Drivers in San Francisco will see traffic worsen half an hour earlier than Los Angeles, between 3:00-5:00 p.m.
You might want to stay away from Disneyland
The report listed Anaheim as the seventh most popular Memorial Day destination place. Other cities included Las Vegas and Phoenix.
