AAA says just over five million Californians plan to travel 50-miles or more during the holiday. That’s up 11.2 percent over last year. AAA’s Cynthia Harris says if you’re going by car -- get an early start.
"With over 4.7 million people in California hitting the roads, you want to avoid that extra congestion and maybe leave early in the morning before 9 a.m. or after 7 p.m.”
Harris says although Californians are still cautious about their spending, many are slightly better off financially than they were a year ago, and want to spend time with family and friends.
She says the increase in travel is good news for the economy.
"Restaurants, 7-Elevens, gas stations, hotels -- it’s a plus for the entire travel industry as well as retail stores.”
The AAA survey also found that just over 300,000 Californians will be traveling by air -- up 3.6 percent from last year.
