SAN DIEGO — Are you hitting the road for the Thanksgiving holiday, maybe you’re headed to celebrate in a different town or ditching the holiday festivities and driving to a vacation destination. No matter the reason, here’s some information that may help your travel schedule.
AAA reports that nearly 80 million travelers will drive 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holiday period. And for the first time, AAA’s travel forecast includes the Tuesday before and the Monday after Thanksgiving Day.
In Southern California, the peak congestion times identified by AAA, include these areas: southbound Interstate 15 from Palm Springs to San Diego on Saturday, Nov. 30 at 4:45 p.m. and northbound Interstate 5 from Los Angeles to Bakersfield on Wednesday, Nov. 27 at 7:45 p.m.
If you're looking for a light traffic day, Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 28 could be your best bet.
Here are the best and worst times to be on the roadways.
Worst Travel Times
- Tuesday, Nov. 26 | 1:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, Nov. 27 | 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- Thanksgiving Day: Thursday, November 28 | Minimal traffic is expected
- Friday, Nov. 29 | 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
- Saturday, Nov. 30 | 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
- Sunday, Dec. 1 | 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
- Monday, Dec. 2 | 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Best Travel Times
- Wednesday, Nov. 27 | Before 10:00 a.m.
- Thanksgiving Day: Thursday, November 28 | Minimal traffic is expected
- Friday, Nov. 29 | After 1:00 p.m.
- Saturday, Nov. 30 | Before 1:00 p.m.
- Sunday, Dec. 1 | Before 1:00 p.m.
- Monday, Dec. 2 | Before 8:00 a.m. and after 7:00 p.m.