Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26 this year, and most of the people traveling for it will drive. Every year the forecasts look about the same: record or near-record numbers on the road, and the same few hours that turn interstates around big cities into parking lots.
You can't make the traffic go away. You can mostly avoid sitting in it.
The short version: leave Tuesday morning or Thursday morning, not Wednesday afternoon. Come home Saturday or early Monday, not Sunday afternoon. Check the weather and the passes the night before and the morning of. Download everything before you leave. And plan the drive like part of the trip, with real stops, not just the hours between two houses.
When to leave
Traffic forecasts for the holiday (from AAA and the traffic-data firm INRIX, among others) have followed a consistent pattern in recent years:
- Wednesday afternoon is the worst time to leave. Commuters and holiday drivers are on the same roads at the same time. Around major metros, the drive out of town can take twice as long as normal.
- Tuesday afternoon is the next worst, because more people now leave early to avoid Wednesday.
- Thanksgiving morning is usually light. If you're driving a few hours to a dinner that starts in the afternoon, an early Thursday start is often the easiest drive of the week.
- Sunday afternoon is the worst time to come home. Everyone heads back at once. Saturday, or an early start on Monday if you can work remotely, is noticeably calmer.
The general rule: be on the road before 10 am or after 7 pm on the busy days, and you'll avoid most of the peak.
Exact forecasts come out a week or two before the holiday. Check them, and check a live traffic map before you leave, because one accident on the wrong interstate undoes any plan.
What to check before you go
Weather on the whole route, not just at either end. Late November is when the first real storms hit the mountains. A drive that's dry in both cities can still cross a pass in a snowstorm.
Chain and traction rules on mountain passes. Some of the busiest holiday routes run over passes that regularly get snow:
- I-80 over Donner Summit in California, where Caltrans can require chains.
- I-70 through the Colorado mountains, where Colorado's traction law can apply during storms.
- I-5 over the Siskiyous on the Oregon–California border, and Snoqualmie Pass on I-90 in Washington.
- I-40 over Flagstaff and I-15 through the Utah mountains in the West.
Each state DOT publishes real-time conditions. Search for "511" plus the state (for example, az511, cotrip or quickmap.dot.ca.gov) and check the night before and the morning you leave.
The car itself. Tires (tread and pressure, which drops in cold weather), wipers, washer fluid rated for freezing temperatures, and a phone charger that actually works. Throw a blanket, water and snacks in the trunk in case you're stuck in a closure.
The cost. If you're deciding between driving and flying, or splitting gas with relatives, the road-trip cost calculator works out fuel for your route and car. For the bigger picture, see what a road trip actually costs.
Download before you lose signal
Holiday routes cross a lot of rural highway, and cell service gets weak right when you need directions around a closure. Before you leave:
- Download offline maps for the route in Google Maps or your maps app.
- Download the kids' shows, playlists and podcasts at home, on Wi-Fi.
- Open your trip plan once while you're online. A Wanderply plan works offline once it's been opened, so the stops, times and notes are there even with no bars.
Make the drive part of the holiday
A five-hour drive feels much shorter when it has things in it. A few that work for most families:
Plan one real stop. Not a gas station: a town square, a diner, a state park overlook, or a short walk somewhere you'd never otherwise visit. Plan it around the halfway point, and around lunch. If you build the drive in Wanderply, it suggests en-route stops for your route, and each one has a short narrated story you can play in the car.
Play something together. Car games still work. Our list of the best road-trip games for the car has plenty that need nothing but people. For trivia, the Wanderply quizzes cover flags, capitals, logos and more, and there's a five-question Daily Travel Challenge that's quick enough for a gas stop.
Give kids a job. Navigator, DJ, snack manager, sign spotter. A kid with a role complains less. More ideas are in keeping the back seat happy.
Stop every two hours. It's the standard advice for driver fatigue, and it works for kids, dogs and grandparents too.
Turning Thanksgiving into a long weekend
If you're driving anyway, the Friday after Thanksgiving is one of the easiest days of the year to add a short trip. Most people are shopping or recovering, and parks and trails are quieter than you'd expect.
A few ideas, depending on where you are:
- In the Southwest, late November is a good time for Death Valley, Joshua Tree and Zion. See our winter desert road trips.
- In the Southeast, the Great Smoky Mountains loop and the lower Blue Ridge Parkway are pleasant in late fall. Check the Parkway's road status first; sections close in bad weather.
- In Florida, the Miami to Key West drive is at the start of its best season.
Want the whole thing worked out? Tell Wanderply where you're starting and when, and it'll build the drive with stops, timing and a narrated story for each one. Happy Thanksgiving, and drive safely.
