These cities, times will be busiest for Labor Day travel in Oregon: AAA

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Labor Day, the last major holiday of the summer, will spur a lot of travel to and from Portland.

AAA says the Labor Day travel period lasts from Thursday, Aug. 30 through Monday, Sept. 5, but Thursday and Friday mornings will be the busiest commute times.

Although the company reports that the holiday isn’t as busy as Memorial Day or the Fourth of July because school is in session, many families will still go on shorter trips to celebrate.

According to AAA Oregon/Idaho’s Senior Vice President of Travel Doreen Loofburrow, Central Oregon and beach towns along Highway 101 are popular getaways for residents in the region. Bend, Lincoln City and Eugene are the top three holiday spots, based on searches.

The company also said that families without school-aged children will use the long weekend as an opportunity to book trips during “off-peak pricing” just ahead of the fall. Many of those people will opt for international travel, with European destinations like London, Paris and Rome being the most sought-after.

Within the U.S., many people in the region will travel to places such as Anaheim, Calif., Las Vegas and Orlando, Fla.

For anyone planning to drive to their destination, gas prices are expected to be lower than at this time last year. In 2022, the statewide average was $4.99 per gallon. As of Aug. 21, it was $4.72 per gallon.

AAA Oregon/Idaho Public Affairs Director Marie Dodds said early mornings and evenings are the best times to hit the road.

Read more about the best and worst times to travel throughout the holiday weekend here.

“Whenever you go, check road and weather conditions at TripCheck or your local transportation department, and use navigation apps to help steer you around long delays,” Dodds suggested.