Thanksgiving is always a busy holiday for travel and this year a record-breaking number of Americans will be hitting the road and heading to airports, according to AAA. They predict that 79.9-million travelers will be going 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holiday travel period, which includes the Tuesday before and the Monday after Thanksgiving Day.
- That’s 1.7-million more people than traveled last year for the holiday and 2-million more than pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
- So, how is everyone getting where they’re going this year?
- Most folks will be driving, with 71.74-million travelers expected to get to their Thanksgiving destination by car. That’s 1.3-million more people on the road for the holiday than last year.
- Another 5.84-million will be flying and 2.28-million will travel by another mode of transportation, like train, bus or cruise.
With all those people getting into their cars, travelers can expect a lot of traffic.
- The busiest day for travel overall is expected to be the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
- Roads are expected to be the most crowded the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving, with peak traffic between 1 and 7 p.m. on Tuesday (November 26th) and between 1 and 5 p.m. on Wednesday, according to INRIX.
- On the way home from the holiday, the worst traffic is expected to be Sunday (December 1st) from noon to 6 p.m. and Monday between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
- Before Thanksgiving, the least traffic is expected to be before 11 a.m. on Monday, November 25th, before 10 a.m. on both Tuesday the 26th and Wednesday the 27th.
- After Thanksgiving, the best driving times are predicted to be after 1 p.m. on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday after the holiday, and before 8 a.m. or after 7 p.m. on Monday (December 2nd).
Source: AAA
Scott's Thoughts:
- And don’t forget about all the football fans and Black Friday shoppers who will also be hitting the road!
- I travel just on the day itself. Thanksgiving day. I don't have to fight traffic that way!
- Over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house we go...
Speaking of Turkey Day...
*LIST* What You Can Do Now To Start Preparing For Thanksgiving
If you’ve ever hosted Thanksgiving before, you know it’s like the culinary Super Bowl with so many dishes and moving parts. It can be challenging for sure, but if you spend some time prepping and planning before you start cooking, it will be a lot easier. Here’s what you can cross off your to-do list now to be more organized and less stressed on Turkey Day.
Make a Thanksgiving Game Plan - Starting your holiday prep early gives you plenty of time to organize.
- Know what you need - Start making lists of all the ingredients, tools and serving pieces you’re going to need for each dish you’re making. Take an inventory in the kitchen to see what you have and what you need to shop for, so you don’t end up with four of the same thing.
- Get those serving pieces, linens and glasses ready - Now is the ideal time to polish silver and pre-wash anything that’s been collecting dust since last Thanksgiving.
- Declutter ruthlessly - Check your kitchen cabinets and drawers for broken tools and dishes and consider getting rid of duplicates or those that don’t work well. How many zesters do you actually need anyway? Same goes for your spice cabinet, chances are you’ve got a few expired ones in there.
Prep Your Kitchen - Make it easier to get your feast prepped by organizing these things now.
- Rearrange your pantry items - Make the things you’ll use most during the holidays easier to find and reach.
- Clear the counters - Stash all the appliances and decorative pieces that you won’t be using for Thanksgiving that are taking up valuable real estate on the kitchen counters. You’re going to need as much room as possible, so relocate the toaster oven and Instant Pot temporarily.
- Create a staging area - If you have the space, experts recommend grouping items you’re using for each recipe together, before the day you’re cooking.
- Label your serving pieces - Put a sticky note on the bowls and platters with what you’ll be putting in them. You can even put all the ingredients for that dish in each one, that way, if you’re lucky enough to have a helper, it’s easier for them, too.
Source: Real Simple