Almost 50 million Americans are expected to travel for the Independence Day holiday, which this year is one of the longest weekends you can get.
Travel is expected to start on Wednesday, July 3 and continue right through until Sunday, with just over 40 million of those travelers getting behind the wheel.
"As Independence Day approaches, it's time for the much-loved family road trip and this year will be one for the record books, with more Americans than ever planning vacations," said Paula Twidale, vice president, AAA Travel. "This holiday builds on the strong travel demand seen for Memorial Day, and with schools now out of session across the country, families coast to coast are eager to travel."
So what should you be avoiding?
Start with certain times.
Here are the top 10 metro areas in the country and the worst day and time to travel.
- Atlanta, July 5, 5-7 p.m.
- Boston, July 5, 10 a.m.-Noon
- Chicago, July 5, 1-3 p.m.
- Detroit, July 3, 2-4 p.m.
- Houston, July 4, 1-3 p.m.
- Los Angeles, July 3, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
- New York, July 3, 1:45-3:45 p.m.
- San Francisco, July 3, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
- Seattle, July 4, Noon-2 p.m.
- Washington, D.C., July 7, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
As for the weather, the first day of travel on Wednesday the 3rd could be disruptive.
"On Wednesday, thunderstorms could disrupt ground and air travel from portions of eastern Texas northward into the Midwest. This could potentially impact major hubs such as Chicago O-Hare and Dallas Fort-Worth International," AccuWeather Meteorology Intern Alex DaSilva said.
Hot and humid weather will fuel more thunderstorms across a large swath of the country from the Midwest to the Northeast on the Fourth of July, according to DaSilva.
"While the day won't be a washout across these areas, a few afternoon thunderstorms may linger into the evening in some areas and impact firework celebrations," DaSilva said.
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