Over 500,000 Kentuckians will travel for Memorial Day, AAA says. Where are they going?

Considered the start of the summer season, Memorial Day weekend will bring millions of U.S. travelers to getaway destinations, including residents of the Bluegrass State.

AAA Blue Grass expects 563,000 Kentuckians to be among the more than 39.2 million U.S. travelers who will go more than 50 miles from home this holiday weekend, despite high gas prices nationwide.

So where are they headed? Here’s what tourism officials say.

Kentucky Memorial Day travel destinations

Popular destinations for the holiday weekend include Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tenn., home of Dollywood, AAA Blue Grass public affairs manager Lori Weaver Hawkins said in an email to the Herald-Leader. Other top destinations for Kentuckians include Asheville, N.C. and Florida.

“Florida is currently the top seller for Kentuckians,” she noted.

Kentucky summer travel destinations

Bluegrass state residents may go even further for summer vacations. Weaver Hawkins said popular destinations for school break include the western U.S., New York City, Washington, D.C., Savannah, Ga., and Hilton Head and Charleston, S.C.

“Our AAA Blue Grass travel advisors are telling me they are seeing an uptick in cruise sales for the summer, too, especially those that depart U.S. ports sailing to the Bahamas and the Caribbean,” she wrote.

In addition, AAA noted Kentuckians traveling within the state are bound for area lakes, state parks and more.

Top Memorial Day 2022 travel destinations across the US

The following is AAA’s forecast for the top domestic nationwide travel destinations this year, based on booking data:

• Orlando, Fla.
• Seattle
• Miami
• Las Vegas
• Anaheim, Calif.
• New York
• Denver
• Anchorage, Alaska
• Boston

Do you have a question about tourism in Kentucky? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out the form below or email ask@herald-leader.com.