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 Memorial Day Weekend.

The travel club says the number of travelers increased by more than 500,000 from last year. More people will be on the roads instead of the air this year, according to AAA. More than 30 million people plan to drive to their destination, up 1.2 percent from the 30.3 million whodrove last year.

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

“The overall domestic economic picture continues to improve slightly, however, American consumers faced a new challenge this year as steadily increasing gas prices throughout thespring 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 homeand 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.

Are you planning to travel during Memorial Day Weekend and if you are, what mode of transportation will you utilize and where are you going? Let us know in the comments section.