Florida is gearing up for an unprecedented surge in Memorial Day weekend travel, with AAA projecting a tidal wave of vacationers descending on the Sunshine State. According to a forecast by NBC Miami, a staggering 2.5 million Floridians are expected to travel over 50 miles – a solid 5 percent increase for those hitting the road and 9 percent more taking to the skies compared to 2023.
Popular Florida destinations like Orlando, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale are among the top draws nationwide for the holiday on May 27. But it's not just an in-state affair – places far and wide such as Seattle, New York, and even Anchorage in Alaska are expect to see more tourists. This travel boom comes hot on the heels of Governor Ron DeSantis suspending entry fees to all Florida State parks over the weekend, from May 25 to 28, that could sweeten the deal for those opting for a staycation.
The ripple effect of this travel mania is being felt beyond Florida's borders, with CBS12 reporting that nationally, we're looking at the second-highest Memorial Day travel volume on record. Almost 43.8 million Americans are poised to hit the road, just shy of the 2005 high.
Debbie Haas, Vice President of Travel for AAA, told CBS12, "Memorial Day will be the start to very busy summer of travel.” Indeed, travelers seem undeterred by a slight uptick in airfares, contributing to what might be the busiest Memorial Day weekend at airports since 2005. With summer on the horizon, the travel industry's recovery is in full swing, as evidenced by favorable trends in cruising's comeback.
Gas prices, often a concern for motorists on the move, are trending downwards, a welcome sign for those planning a road trip. On Tuesday, an average gallon of unleaded gas in Florida was at $3.48, seeing a dip from the previous week and month, per AAA data. Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, remains optimistic. "While gas prices stand slightly above where they were last year, I expect most Americans will see prices fall before the holiday weekend," he told NBC Miami.
