Leaving Atlanta For Memorial Day 2019? Read This

For millions of Americans are going to be traveling over the Memorial Day Weekend 2019, be it by plane, train or automobile. If it’s by car, you my want to know what to expect along with the turkey, parades and all the trimmings.

Atlanta travel tips: Memorial Day Weekend 2019

Google Maps is a great resource for travelers to see trends about traveling around the holidays, including insights on when to hit the road, and the best times to stay off the highways.

Most popular places visited during the Memorial Day holiday:

Compiling data about the number of times users requested directions to a location using Google Maps, the tool was able to show when Georgia’s holiday rush will hit, determined by the state’s most popularly searched place categories:

Nationally, the most uniquely searched place categories in Google Maps during the Memorial holiday period are: outlet mall, tree farm, scenic overlook, video game store and place of worship.

Memorial Day travel traffic trends:

Because the holidays skew everything, the travel trends are all different for the city when it comes to rush hours. For Atlanta, here are the best and worst times to leave for and return from that Memorial Day road trip:

  • Best day to leave: Saturday, 6 a.m.
  • Worst day to leave:  Thursday, 4 :30 p.m.
  • Best day to return: Tuesday, 6 a.m.
  • Worst day to return:  Sunday, 4 p.m.

If you plan on leaving town on Friday, May 24 you’ll likely be caught in traffic, according to INRIX.

Trevor Reed, transportation analyst at INRIX, said in a statement that he traffic surge starts days before the weekend. “Travelers should anticipate delays to start on Wednesday and continue through Memorial Day. Our advice to drivers is to avoid the morning and evening commuting times or plan alternate routes.”

Memorial Day in ATL: Best time to visit your favorite businesses and places

So Atlantans can properly plan and avoid long lines and crazy foot traffic, here’s a look at when some of the most popular places searched for in Google Maps tend to be the most crowded:

  • Grocery Store: Last-minute shoppers storm grocery stores on Friday afternoon.
  • Liquor Store: Visits peak on Friday afternoon as people start stocking up for the festivities.
  • Movie Theater: Friday evening is a popular time to head to the movies.
Tee Johnson: Tee Johnson is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AtlantaFi.com, Atlanta’s independent hyper-local publication focused on news, restaurants, events, jobs, neighborhoods, and lifestyle. A 15+ year Atlanta resident and longtime journalist and content creator, she covers Travel News, Events, Business, Hair Care, and Money with a practical, Atlanta-first lens. Before launching the site, Johnson worked as a substitute teacher in Atlanta Public Schools and later in corporate roles at Home Depot’s Vinings offices. A marketer by training with a degree in business management, she grew frustrated with the fragmented, hard-to-find information about what was actually happening in the city. That gap led her to create AtlantaFi as a curated, one-stop resource for the pulse of Atlanta—#ATLHAPS—without the national noise. Editorial decisions remain independent; the publication does not accept products, meals, or services in exchange for coverage. As Editor-in-Chief, she oversees original local reporting and curated practical guides that help residents, visitors, and businesses discover and engage with the city. Readers turn to her work for timely event roundups, dining and neighborhood insights, business and travel updates, and straightforward money and lifestyle coverage grounded in firsthand observation of Atlanta. A devoted lover of all things Atlanta, Tee enjoys pickleball, a good margarita or bourbon, and walking the Atlanta Beltline. She can be reached for editorial inquiries at tjohnson@atlantafi.com (serious inquiries only).
Related Post
  1. Lizzo Brings Music, Magic, and Literacy to College Park Elementary School
  2. K. Michelle Calls Out RHOA Castmates for Lack of Support for Her New Country Album
  3. Road Win Over Valkyries

This website uses cookies.