Ferries pass on the Mukilteo-Clinton route. (Andy Bronson / Herald file)

Ferries pass on the Mukilteo-Clinton route. (Andy Bronson / Herald file)

Holiday weekend travel: People are celebrating like it’s 2019

Brace for traffic jams, long ferry waits and lines at the airport.

EVERETT — Going somewhere fun this weekend?

So are about 882,000 of your neighbors, according to AAA Washington.

That’s 66% more travelers than on Memorial Day weekend in 2020, and they are eager to get out after being cooped up.

The sunny forecast means even more people will celebrate like it’s 2019.

There are simple hacks to avoid gridlock and play safely.

Travel off hours, when everyone else isn’t traveling,” said Ian Sterling, Washington State Ferries spokesman. “It’s like commuting during rush hour — you’re not going to get to work as quickly.”

Thursday not only kicks off a busy weekend at sea, it’s also the most challenging day on the road, said Kelly Just, a AAA Washington spokeswoman.

Get an early start, or if you’re not going too far, wait until after supper. Traffic slowdowns are expected in some usual trouble spots, such as Lynnwood to Seattle and the Everett-to-Marysville corridors.

AAA expects to rescue more than 468,000 Americans hitting the road. Check the oil, tires and fill ’er up. Gas is about $3.50 a gallon, which is $1 more a gallon than a year ago, but similar in price to 2019.

Pack your vaccination card, masks and disinfecting wipes. AAA’s COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Map and TripTik.AAA.com have details about coronavirus mandates by states and cities.

One thing is for sure: Wanderlust is back after taking a vacation in 2020.

A report by TRIP, a national transportation research nonprofit, said vehicle travel in March rebounded to close to pre-pandemic levels in most states and is higher in 15 states.

AAA Washington reports that on May 20, online hotel bookings hit a single-day sales record not seen since prior to COVID-19. A majority of travelers made last-minute plans: 40% a day or two before travel and 50% for the Memorial Day weekend. The remaining 10% booked hotel stays for June, July and August.

The whopping increase in Memorial Day travel this year is a strong indicator for summer, Just said.

Prepare for long lines at the airport. Seattle-Tacoma International expects 100,000 passengers daily coming and going this weekend.

Wearing a mask is required on planes, buses, trains and other public transit.

Ferry traffic is already booming.

“This is the kickoff to the really busy time of the year for us,” Sterling said. “We carry 50% more passengers in a normal year during the summer than we do in the winter. This is all hands on deck.”

There are fewer hands, due to continued coronavirus-related crewing challenges for quarantines and vaccinations. Sailing reductions have been in place since the pandemic began. Some routes have smaller vessels because the aging boats can’t be fixed and replaced fast enough.

“You’re going to see some pretty extensive waits,” Sterling said. “We’re down a lot of boats this year. It’s as bad as I’ve ever seen it. This isn’t Plan A, this is Plan B.”

Seattle-Bainbridge ridership was up 159% last week compared to the same dates in 2020. The Anacortes-San Juan Islands route jumped 95%, Edmonds-Kingston increased 39% and Mukilteo-Clinton is up 19% from a year ago.

The Port Townsend-Coupeville route was cut to one boat, even though ridership is up 55% from a year ago. Vehicle reservations are available on that route as well as the Anacortes-San Juan Islands route.

Leave your car and cares behind.

“If you’re vaccinated and comfortable getting out and about, walking on board is another way to not have to wait in line,” Sterling said.

The galleys remain closed. No jigsaw puzzles on the tables. The spectacular scenery is all you need, anyway.

You can even get vaccinated on a ferry.

Peninsula Community Health Services was offering COVID-19 vaccines on Seattle-Bremerton vessels Thursday and will again for three days next week. Passengers can get a shot on sailings departing either terminal during the first 30 minutes to allow time to be monitored for reactions. No insurance information or ID needed. Both the Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are available. Children aged 12 and older can be given the Pfizer vaccine with parental consent.

Some places are loosening face covering mandates, but not in laid-back Langley.

If you’re heading to the seaside Whidbey Island village, better cover those naked cheeks in the downtown core of shops, eateries and galleries.

Langley early on issued a proclamation to mask up, even while outdoors. Some of the sculptures wear them, too.

Andrea Brown: abrown@heraldnet.com; 425-339-3443. Twitter @reporterbrown.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Snohomish County Health Department Director Dennis Worsham on Tuesday, June 11, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish County Health Department director tapped as WA health secretary

Dennis Worsham became the first director of the county health department in January 2023. His last day will be July 3.

‘No Kings’ rallies draw thousands to Everett and throughout Snohomish County

Demonstrations were held nationwide to protest what organizers say is overreach by President Donald Trump and his administration.

Police Cmdr. Scott King answers questions about the Flock Safety license plate camera system on Thursday, June 5, 2025 in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mountlake Terrace approves Flock camera system after public pushback

The council approved the $54,000 license plate camera system agreement by a vote of 5-2.

Cascadia College Earth and Environmental Sciences Professor Midori Sakura looks in the surrounding trees for wildlife at the North Creek Wetlands on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 in Bothell, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Cascadia College ecology students teach about the importance of wetlands

To wrap up the term, students took family and friends on a guided tour of the North Creek wetlands.

Community members gather for the dedication of the Oso Landslide Memorial following the ten-year remembrance of the slide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
The Daily Herald garners 6 awards from regional journalism competition

The awards recognize the best in journalism from media outlets across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

Edmonds Mayor Mike Rosen goes through an informational slideshow about the current budget situation in Edmonds during a roundtable event at the Edmonds Waterfront Center on Monday, April 7, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Edmonds mayor recommends $19M levy lid lift for November

The city’s biennial budget assumed a $6 million levy lid lift. The final levy amount is up to the City Council.

A firefighting helicopter carries a bucket of water from a nearby river to the Bolt Creek Fire on Saturday, Sep. 10, 2022, on U.S. 2 near Index, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Snohomish County property owners can prepare for wildfire season

Clean your roofs, gutters and flammable material while completing a 5-foot-buffer around your house.

(City of Everett)
Everett’s possible new stadium has a possible price tag

City staff said a stadium could be built for $82 million, lower than previous estimates. Bonds and private investment would pay for most of it.

Jennifer Humelo, right, hugs Art Cass outside of Full Life Care Snohomish County on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘I’ll lose everything’: Snohomish County’s only adult day health center to close

Full Life Care in Everett, which supports adults with disabilities, will shut its doors July 19 due to state funding challenges.

Marysville is planning a new indoor sports facility, 350 apartments and a sizable hotel east of Ebey Waterfront Park. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New report shifts outlook of $25M Marysville sports complex

A report found a conceptual 100,000-square-foot sports complex may require public investment to pencil out.

Logo for news use featuring Snohomish County, Washington. 220118
Snohomish County Board of Health looking to fill vacancy

The county is accepting applications until the board seat is filled.

A recently finished log jam is visible along the Pilchuck River as a helicopter hovers in the distance to pick up a tree for another log jam up river on Wednesday, June 11, 2025 in Granite Falls, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Tulalip Tribes and DNR team up on salmon restoration project along the Pilchuck River

Tulalip Tribes and the state Department of Natural Resources are creating 30 log jams on the Upper Pilchuck River for salmon habitat.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.