DELAWARE - The rush has already started as thousands make their way to the Delmarva coast for Fourth of July festivities. The always beautiful beaches and a favorable weather forecast are contributing to what is expected to be a record-setting travel weekend.Â
Kanye Russell and a group of his friends chose Rehoboth Beach as a central meeting place: "We're all from different areas. I'm from Virginia. He's from PA, West Virginia, Ohio. We played football together in college. We just want to come down here."
However, with the influx of visitors comes the inevitable holiday traffic. Alec Slatky, a spokesperson for AAA, warned, "It's going to be busy out there."
According to AAA, nearly 71 million Americans will be traveling this weekend, with an astonishing 60.6 million expected to travel by car.
Local resident Mason Evans has seen it all before and knows exactly what to expect: "It's going to be very overpopulated this season and with everything, with work going to and from work, it's going to be hard."
For those planning to hit the road, AAA advises that the best time to travel is before noon, while the worst times are between 2-7 PM. Essentially, traveling earlier or later in the day is recommended.
Christopher Mastromarino, visiting from Virginia, lends some credence to that AAA advice: "We usually travel late at night from Virginia, around 8 or 9 PM. And we don't seem to have too much trouble getting into Delaware."
Whether you're heading out of town or dealing with the incoming traffic, Slatky just wants people to know what they're getting into: "Make sure you're prepared for delays no matter where you might be."
In the end, enjoying the coast means accepting the toll on your time while driving.
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