AAA Fourth of July travel tips and outlook

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - According to AAA, this Fourth of July travel season will be one for the record books.

They anticipate nearly 51 million Americans, and of them 291,000 Idahoans, to hit the road over the weekend.

One of the reasons people are so eager to hit the road is due to favorable gas prices. Although prices are still high, they are significantly lower than last year.

"It's about a $1.25 per gallon cheaper than a year ago," Matthew Conde of AAA Idaho said. "Really it comes down to gas being the lifeblood of a road trip. When those prices are favorable, it's going to motivate a lot more people and even some last minute spontaneous travel that we haven't accounted for yet."

Conde says many people are seeing travel as a wise investment for their disposable income. Especially after the pandemic and the current financial climate.

"It changed everything in terms of people understanding these things can be taken away through a health scare or through restrictions of various kinds," Conde said. "So people now know that those opportunities are out there. They're still trying to make up for lost time."

Conde also says if you're driving to popular holiday destinations, such as; Grand Teton, Jackson hole or Yellowstone, you can expect a lot of traffic especially in the mornings at the entry gates.

You can buy your passes ahead but you can still plan on some waiting. 

"The secret's out on Yellowstone and these other beautiful places," Conde said. "Our recommendation is get up early, go straight to the most popular areas like Old Faithful and get that crossed off the list before those tour busses start rolling in."