AAA projects 45 million Americans (13.1% of the population) will travel 50 miles or more from home this Memorial Day weekend. This is up slightly compared to 2025. Travel by car is expected to set a new record with 39.1 million Americans taking a road trip.
About 620,000 Oregonians will travel over the long weekend. The Memorial Day travel period is defined as Thursday, May 21 through Monday, May 25.
“Memorial Day signals the unofficial start of summer, and for many Americans it’s a long weekend. Many made plans to travel before the uncertainty and higher prices brought on by the conflict with Iran. We’ll have to wait and see if travel demand continues to be robust for the 4th of July holiday,” says Marie Dodds, public affairs director for AAA Oregon/Idaho.
“Memorial Day weekend is ideal for quick getaways, as many people have an extra day off work and kids are out of school. Travelers often take advantage of the long weekend by planning trips closer to home—heading to Central Oregon, the Oregon coast, or spending time with friends and family. Those traveling farther away are typically taking trips that were planned and booked well in advance,” says Doreen Loofburrow, vice president of travel for AAA Oregon/Idaho.
Top Memorial Day Destinations
AAA booking data reveals that theme parks, beaches and cruise ports are among the most popular destinations domestically and abroad, based on searches and bookings by members of AAA Oregon/Idaho.
With the majority of travelers taking trips by car, Bend, Portland, Boise, Seatle, and the Oregon Coast are the most popular regional destinations for members of AAA Oregon/Idaho.
Anaheim tops the list of U.S. destinations because of the Disneyland Resort. Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. rank high because of the popularity of Alaska cruises this time of year. Hawaii and San Diego are popular warm weather destinations. And the top European cities are Amsterdam and London. Bergen, Norway makes the top 10 list this year for the first time.
