Speak Out: Are You Driving this Memorial Day Weekend?

As families gear up for the official welcome of summer, AAA is projecting that more than 34 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more away from home during Memorial Day weekend.

The travel club says the number of travelers is projected to increase by more than 500,000 from last year. More people will be on the roads instead of in the air this year, according to AAA. More than 30 million plan to drive to their destinations, up 1.2 percent from the number who drove last year.

According to The Washington Post, retail gas prices dropped by a penny to a national average of $3.71 per gallon last Friday after a spike in April. The weaker demand is also helping to push down prices, The Post added.

“The overall domestic economic picture continues to improve slightly, however, American consumers faced a new challenge this year as steadily increasing gas prices throughout the spring significantly squeezed many household budgets,” AAA President and CEO Robert L. Darbelnet said in a statement.

“Americans will still travel during the Memorial Day holiday weekend," but "many will compensate for reduced travel budgets by staying closer to home and cutting entertainment dollars.”

AAA also reported 2.5 million travelers will take to the skies this weekend, down 5.5 percent from last Memorial Day weekend.

Tell us Bowie, are you planning to travel during Memorial Day weekend? If you are, where are you going, and what modes of transportation will you use?