Travelers hit the road to the Jersey Shore despite dreary Memorial Day weekend forecast

ATLANTIC COUNTY, N.J. (WPVI) -- Drivers heading to the shore on Friday afternoon saw slow-moving traffic for several miles coming off the Walt Whitman bridge, but many travelers said the start of the holiday weekend was smoother than they anticipated.

Aldara Madden, who was traveling with her friend Elana Maser, said the trip moved faster than she expected.

"I was expecting it to take a lot longer," she said.

Maser added that they left school early to avoid delays.

"My mom and I do that every year and then we always stop here as our little pre-down the shore," she said.

Others shared similar experiences.

"I'm coming from Bucks County, so I was worried there was gonna be some traffic but it really wasn't bad at all," said Erin McFadden of Churchville, who was headed to Ocean City.

AAA reported that while slightly more people are traveling by car this year compared to last, 2026 is projected to have the lowest year-over-year travel growth rate in more than a decade, excluding the steep drop seen in 2020 during the pandemic.

The organization attributes the slowdown largely to concerns over rising prices.

"Gas is ridiculously expensive and I think all the time before going anywhere these days," said Debbie Maser of Philadelphia. "But this is our happy place and nothing can keep us away."

A dreary weekend forecast may also be influencing travel patterns.

"I was thinking that, I wonder if there'll be less congestion on the roads because of the weather," said Kyra Wolin of Massachusetts. "It's not looking to be too good this weekend with the rain."

Still, many shore-bound travelers said tradition outweighs any concerns about rain or crowds.

"No not at all. You go down. You get it done," said George Miller of Lansdale.

Eric Wolin of Massachusetts agreed: "Never, never. Margate's a special place for us."

As the unofficial start of summer begins, travelers said they remain committed to kicking off the season in their favorite spots, not letting rain, traffic, or high prices keep them away.