Hudson Valley Guide to Avoiding Memorial Day Weekend Traffic

We've come up with a timetable that calculates when you need to leave your house on Saturday morning if you want to avoid sitting in traffic all day.

Experts say this weekend is expected to be plagued with traffic jams as people make their first official escape for the Memorial Day weekend. While the weather here looks mixed, other nearby destinations seem to have a better chance at scoring you some nice beach days.

If you're headed out tomorrow morning and want to avoid sitting in traffic, the very best thing you can do is to leave early. We estimate that if you arrive at your destination before 9am, you're most likely to miss most of the traffic volume.

Setting the alarm for the crack of dawn may not seem the most fun way to start a three day weekend. But if it means saving hours sitting in traffic with the family the trade off is a no-brainer.

We've estimated the travel times to some of the most popular weekend getaways. All times are from Newburgh, so adjust as necessary depending on where you live.

• Seaside Heights, NJ: Leave at at 6:45am (est. travel time: 2:18)
• Hyannis, MA: Leave at 5:00am (est. travel time: 4:09)
• Lake Taghkanic, NY: Leave by 8am (est. travel time: 1:00)
• Lake George, NY: Leave by 6:45am (est. travel time: 2:19)
• Lake Placid, NY: Leave by 5:30am (est. travel time: 3:37)
• Atlantic City, NJ: Leave by 6:00am (est. travel time: 2:54)
• Jones Beach, NY: Leave by 7:00am (est. travel time: 1:53)
• Kinnebunkport, ME: Leave by 4:30am (est. travel time: 4:26)

As for your drive home, leaving early on Monday would also be your best bet. But most travelers want to take advantage of that extra day off instead of packing up and leaving so early. If that's the case you should probably be prepared to hit at least some traffic. Leaving before mealtime might shave some traffic off of your travel. Most families depart for home after lunch or dinner.

Whatever your travel plans, we hope you have a safe and fun Memorial Day weekend. Enjoy!

 
Bonus Video: CJ in the Morning