BEND, OR -- With 777,000 Oregonians expected to travel this week for Thanksgiving roads in the High Desert will get very crowded, starting today.

“Bend is always a favorite. It’s not always number one, but this time it is the top regional destination for members of AAA Oregon. And, it’s no surprise. Bend has something for everybody. Sounds cliche but it’s true,” said AAA’s Marie Dodds noting, “We did see a lot of people travel last year; but still, people were hesitant to travel last year. This year, with pandemic restrictions lifted, people feel more comfortable about traveling, they are eager to go. And especially when it’s a family-oriented holiday like Thanksgiving, people are just really eager to carve out time with family and friends and loved ones.”

Holiday traffic congestion will start as early as Tuesday afternoon, “The days before Thanksgiving, those are the busiest travel days. So, if you can avoid traveling in the afternoon and early evening on Tuesday and Wednesday, great. Same thing when you’re coming home on Sunday; 4-8 p.m., that's the busiest time to travel” says Dodds who advises trying to avoid peak commuting times, “So that you don’t intermingle with folks who are trying to get home from work while you’re trying to leave on your Thanksgiving trip.” 

89% of holiday travelers are estimated to be driving, which will make for a very busy weekend for our roads.