It is almost the busiest time of year for traveling and Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) wants to simplify the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday for everyone. The Google Maps team decided to look at Thanksgiving traffic conditions from the last two years in major U.S. cities to find useful information which will help travelers on their journey.
Google’s Thanksgiving Travel research
The cities in the list include Austin, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland Providence, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa, and Washington D.C.
Google recommends if travelers must leave on Wednesday, they should leave work early or wait until the evening to leave. It’s best to avoid the busiest traffic times from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm on Wednesday afternoon. It is best to leave before 2:00 pm or after 7:00 pm.
Best and worst times to travel
It is also important to note that traffic is most minimal on Thanksgiving Day. After the celebrations are over and it’s time to head back home, many people assume Saturday is the best time to leave. According to Google’s report, Sunday is the best time to leave in terms of traffic. A look back at history shows traffic is up to 40% worse on Saturdays. Some cities see the biggest increases in traffic during Thanksgiving weekend. Three of those cities include Philadelphia, Austin, and D.C.
Save time and avoid the crowds by purchasing ham, a pie, and wine before Thanksgiving. The stores will be busy with people looking for last minute Thanksgiving essentials and there will be long lines. Preparation is everything.
These tips should prove helpful to many people who live in the aforementioned cities and anyone who plans on heading out during the busiest travel time of the year. Google’s small guide will help many people simplify the traveling process and enjoy the weekend more.
