holidays

November is here! Though the month has only just begun, the holidays will be in full swing before we know it. And although the holidays bring so much excitement, fun and magic, there are some downsides too: stressful planning, buying gifts, — and holiday traffic! If you’re like the majority of the population and traveling some distance for Thanksgiving this year, you may already be dreading the gridlock you’ll have to face to get over the river and through the woods! But after reading this post, hopefully some of your anxiety will be gone with the wind. Check my tips for beating the holiday traffic this Thanksgiving! 1. Leave a day early or stay a day longer. The easiest way to avoid holiday traffic is to stay off the roads when everyone else is planning their travel. If you can swing it, hit the road a day early or later than peak holiday travel. For example, most people will be leaving on Wednesday to arrive at their Thanksgiving destination. So if you can travel on Tuesday instead, you’ll definitely have a better experience on the road. 2. Take a different route. If you aren’t able to leave for your holiday trip on a day that’s off peak hours, you can always try taking a different route. Avoid major freeways and highly populated areas, and you may end up getting to your destination faster than if you’d taken the usual “short” route. 3. Hit the road at a less common hour. Another great way to avoid traffic is to leave the house at a random hour. If you are a night owl, you can leave in the wee hours of the morning or even after work. It may be slightly inconvenient, but you’ll be grateful as you pass the gridlock by! 4. Keep up on traffic reports. Check your local traffic reports to keep up on peak hours or car accidents that may have occurred. Unfortunately, accidents are far more common with more people on the road! Luckily there are many apps that make it even easier to follow the traffic report. Check out this site for app suggestions! 5. Bring entertainment. If all else fails…you might as well enjoy the ride! Sitting in traffic for extended hours will be less painful if you have plenty to keep you entertained. These days, the extra features in cars and phone technology can certainly give you hours of activity. Or you could try some good ol’ fashioned games with family and friends!