SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Wednesday is one of the busiest days to hit the road and drive to your Thanksgiving destination. Sunday is also expected to be very busy, too.
According to AAA, the worst traffic on Wednesday will be between 1-5 pm. The best time to leave Sunday is before 1 p.m. The worst time to drive Sunday is between 12-6 p.m.
John Treanor with AAA says they're looking at record-breaking travel numbers over the Thanksgiving holiday.
"Overall, around 80 million Americans are going to be traveling this week. 72 million of them will be driving, of those, 11 million are Californians and again, most of those will be driving," said Treanor.
According to Patrick De Haan with GasBuddy, gas prices are down substantially compared to last year. He says there were more refinery issues last fall.
"Gas prices are down across the board, they're relatively low in California. But of course, a lot of California taxes and regulations keep prices higher than many of your neighbors," said De Haan.
He says California is the only state in the lower 48 with average gas prices above $4 a gallon, so if you are planning to hit the road Wednesday or Thursday, this is the cheapest Thanksgiving to do that since 2020.
There are very low gas prices in neighboring states like Arizona, Nevada and Oregon, so fill up there before you cross back into California. De Haan says to shop around for affordable gas.
Before you go, check your car’s tires, battery and fluids, and be prepared for busy roads.
"Remember, there are a lot of Americans traveling and a lot of Californians who are going to be on roadways, millions of them. That means it's probably going to take a little longer than you anticipated to get to your destination. Don't get frustrated if you’re stuck in traffic, even more traffic than you’re used to in Northern California. Give people some courtesy and give them some grace, give them some space. That way you're not bumping into each other," said Treanor.
