ESKDALE, W.Va. (WSAZ) — Memorial Day weekend travel numbers are reaching pre-pandemic levels.

AAA estimates that about 34 million drivers will hit the road this holiday weekend and an additional 5 million vacationers will use other forms of public transportation.

Al and Jill Derocher stopped along the West Virginia Turnpike on their trip to visit their daughter in Raleigh, North Carolina from West Branch, Michigan.

“Last we saw her we were in New York because my granddaughter was in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade,” Al said. “It was a great holiday and then the pandemic hit. , and we haven’t seen them since.”

Ronda Humphrey takes her one-year-old twin daughters on their first trip to Oak Island, North Carolina.

“I’m going to take a lot of pictures so that when they grow up they can see they’ve been to the beach!”

Diane Rasure made a stop before going to Monroe, North Carolina, where she will find two of her childhood friends.

“I have a lot of old memories from my childhood. I brought my diary when I wasn’t speaking too nicely of them,” she said with a laugh. “So we’re going to read my diary together, we have old decks of cards from fifty years ago.”

AAA estimates the national average for a gallon of gas to be $4.59, but that’s not stopping travelers.

“I know those prices are pretty high, but it’s priceless to be with my grandkids, my son, and my daughter-in-law,” said John Vonalmen, who is heading to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. “Were going. I’ve wanted to do this for years. It never worked out, so now was the time,” Rasure said. [a worry] at all.”

The Derochers plan to make every moment with their daughter count.

“We have to go while we can,” Al said. “She’s planning on coming to Michigan in August, but we’re worried if they can’t. And with the shortages and all kinds of problems, we said to ourselves that we would go and see them as long as we could.

AAA also notes that air travel is up 25% this year compared to 2021, although the lowest average airfare is 6% higher than last year at around $184 per ticket.

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