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Memorial Day: Best and worst times for San Diegans to travel and other tips

Southern Californians’ love of travel will be in full force over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, with forecasts predicting a record-setting number of people getting away by plane, car, train and cruise ships.

The Auto Club of Southern California’s forecast, released Monday, expects 3.5 million people to travel over the holiday period, which translates to a 4.7 percent increase over 2023 and 150,000 more travelers compared to 2019, a year before the pandemic. It marks the second year in a row that the record has been broken for Memorial Day travel.

Even as experts are predicting a coming slowdown in the pace of travel overall, the Auto Club says it’s pleased to see continued enthusiasm for domestic getaways for the holiday weekend.

“It’s remarkable,” said spokesperson Marie Montgomery. “It kind of shows how people are really prioritizing spending more time with family and friends and travel is a great way to do that. There certainly are some more economic concerns in the mix so time will tell if this pans out. But given what our partner, S&P Global Market Intelligence, is projecting, they believe it’s another positive year for travel. They’re taking into account leading economic indicators such as employment, household net worth, stock prices, and the housing market.”

More people traveling by car than ever

The majority of people traveling between Thursday, May 23, and Monday, May 27, will do so by automobile despite still high gasoline prices. The Auto Club of Southern California predicts 2.9 million people will be driving to their destinations, while 371,000 will be flying, and the remainder — 237,000 — will be taking the train, bus or boarding a ship for a cruise.

Similarly, 38.4 million of the 43.8 million expected to travel nationally will be doing so by car, according to AAA’s forecast. Both in Southern California and nationally, that’s a new record, and represents about a 4 percent increase over the same period a year earlier.

While gasoline prices have been dipping slightly in recent weeks, they still are topping out at more than $5 a gallon and are well ahead of last year’s price of $4.83 a gallon. As of Monday, a gallon of regular gasoline averaged $5.27, about five cents less than a week earlier, according to the Auto Club.

For those driving to their holiday destinations, the Auto Club recommends that motorists inspect their vehicle tires, battery, and fluid levels. Also, pack food, water, a first-aid kit, and mobile phone charger in case your car breaks down. Nationwide, AAA expects to rescue more than 378,000 stranded drivers at the roadside, including more than 95,000 in California.

Best and worst times to drive

INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, has taken the guesswork out of how to time your travel. It’s advising that if possible, you should try to avoid the afternoons and evenings of Thursday, May 23, and Friday, May 24, when freeways will be most congested.

In Southern California, the busiest stretch of freeway is expected to be Interstate 5 North from Los Angeles to Bakersfield on the afternoon and evening of May 23, when the normal travel time of 90 minutes will surge by 84 percent to nearly three hours.

More optimal times to hit the highways, INRIX says, are before 11 a.m. or after 8 p.m on Thursday and Friday; before 1 p.m. on Sunday; and after 7 p.m. on Monday.

Most popular getaway destinations

San Diego, as it often is, will be the second most popular destination for Southern Californians getting away for the holiday weekend.

Las Vegas retains its position as No. 1 but in a change from last year, when Santa Barbara, Grand Canyon and Palm Springs filled out the top three remaining spots, this year, Grand Canyon remains in the top five but Hawaii and Seattle/Alaska cruises are identified as the fourth and fifth most popular destinations.

“We had the downturn in Hawaii travel after the fires and all of Hawaii was affected by that,” Montgomery said. “Now there seems to be some pent up demand for Hawaii now that it is all reopened, so that’s a popular destination. And cruises are doing very well but the vast majority of people will be driving, and in Southern California we’re fortunate to have so many great locations 50 miles or less to choose from.”

Tips if you’re headed to the beach

A big help transportation-wise for those wanting to hang out in Pacific Beach is an on-demand shuttle called the Beach Bug. While it debuted last year, this will be the first Memorial Day that it will be available. For most riders, it costs $2.50, which covers all-day access.

Operating hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. Like the popular FRED shuttle that has long operated downtown, the Beach Bug responds to requests made on a smartphone app called Ride Circuit.

Also be wary of a new regulation enacted this year that prohibits private companies from staging picnics, corporate events, large parties, bonfires or similar organized activities on any city beach.

While the city had weighed a formal permitting process, it ultimately opted for an outright ban. However, there are specific locations in the city where luxury-style picnics will be permitted — Fanuel Park, Sunset Point, Ventura Cove, Playa I and Vacation Isle West on Mission Bay, the Arbor and Botanical Lawn East and West in Balboa Park, and shoreline parks Ellen Browning South, Saratoga, South Palisades and Sunset Cliff-South Cuvier.