Record Number of SoCal Residents Expected to Travel for Memorial Day

A record 3.5 million Southern California residents are expected to travel over the Memorial Day weekend, besting the level from last year and marking the second straight year the travel number has exceeded the previous pre-pandemic record set in 2019, the Automobile Club of Southern California estimated Monday.

The 3.5 million travelers would mark a 4.7% increase over last year’s record number, and 4.2% above the 2019 figure, according to the Auto Club.

“Usually, the travel trends over Memorial Day are an indication of what we can expect for summer travel, and this year is shaping up to be at record levels particularly for cruises and international tours,” Jena Miller, the Auto Club’s vice president of travel products, said in a statement.

Of the 3.5 million anticipated travelers, 2.9 million are likely to travel by car, while 371,000 will fly and 237,000 will rely on other modes, such as bus, train or cruise ship.

Nationally, 43.8 million people are expected to travel for the holiday, a 4.1% increase from last year and 2.4% above 2019.

The Auto Club defines the Memorial Day travel period as Thursday through Monday, May 23-27.

The top destinations for Southern California travelers are expected to be Las Vegas, San Diego, the Grand Canyon, Hawaii and Seattle/Alaska cruises. The top destinations for nationwide travelers will be Orlando, New York, Las Vegas, Seattle and Anaheim/Los Angeles. Top international destinations for U.S. travelers will be Rome, Vancouver, London, Paris and Dublin.

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