Traveling For The Fourth Of July? Here Are The Best And Worst Times To Drive
Key Takeaways
AAA just released a practical timetable telling travelers the best and worst times to hit the road.
This year AAA projects that 61.6 million people will travel by car over the holiday weekend.
That's a 2.2% increase over last year, or an additional 1.3 million road travelers compared to 2024.
Most of those people are hitting the road between Saturday, June 28 and Sunday, July 6.
AAA is doing its patriotic part to make sure Americans reach their Fourth of July celebrations. The organization has just released a practical timetable telling travelers the best and worst times to hit the road so they don’t miss out on a minute of barbecue, fireworks, or other holiday fun.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«Rpekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R19ekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframeThis year AAA projects that 61.6 million people will travel by car over the holiday weekend. That's a 2.2% increase over last year, or an additional 1.3 million road travelers compared to 2024. It's the highest volume on record, according to AAA.
Most of those people are hitting the road between Saturday, June 28 and Sunday, July 6. If you're going to be one of them, that means a little planning is in order so you can sit by the pool instead of in traffic.
To help travelers avoid traffic holdups, AAA teamed up with S&P Global Market Intelligence and put together a handy guide laying out the best and worst times to hit the road. While AAA has the full breakdown here, generally, if you want to avoid the worst traffic snarls, try to leave the house early. Ideally, that means being in the car and driving before 11 a.m., except for those traveling on Saturday, June 28, who should aim to leave before 10 a.m.
If that sounds impossible, AAA estimates that the worst time to hit the road is between noon and 5 p.m., so an evening drive could be in your future. Don't worry, Buc-ee's is open late. If you’re heading out on the Fourth of July itself, AAA recommends avoiding the highways between noon and 7 p.m., so plan accordingly.
Read the original article on Southern Living
