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AAA says More CNY Residents Traveling for Spring Break and Easter Holiday

WAER News

Despite CDC guidelines discouraging travel due to COVID-19, AAA says more Central New York families are definitely getting away for the Easter Holiday and Spring Break. In recent days more than 1.4 million across the state went through security checks at airports. AAA Spokesperson Elizabeth Carey says warmer temperatures are leading people to southern destinations.

“Orlando is number one, it always seems to come in number one no matter what the travel holiday is. Ft. Lauderdale is second, followed by Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and then Montego Bay, Jamaica. Nashville comes in a number five,” Carey said.

She says the floodgates of travel reservations in started coming in after New York lifted out-of-state quarantine restrictions. A lot of people like to flock to amusement parks in Florid, but Carey says you’re required to plan ahead.

“Right now, for Universal or Disney you need to make a reservation to go in the park. It’s not like back in the day, ‘Oh we’re going to stay at Grandma’s house and maybe on Thursday if the weather is good we’ll head over to the theme park.’ You probably won’t get in,” she said. “This is something you need to plan in advance with your travel consultant.”

Credit Courtesy AAA of Western & Central New York
Travelers are preferring warmer, southern destinations for travel so far this year.

The overwhelming majority of travelers are choosing to drive for the holiday and spring break. The AAA team suggests adhering to strict masking requirements, using hand sanitizers and packing wipes, water and extra snacks to minimize the number of stops. Director of CNY Travel Brian Murray says don’t anticipate all services to be available at hotels because of COVID-19.

“Some amenities may not be available in many hotels like room service or fitness centers. For extra peace of mind, wipe down surfaces using disinfecting wipes in a hotel, that includes door handles, remotes, faucets and light switches,” he said.

For those flying internationally at this time, they will still be required to test negative for COVID-19 or show documentation confirming they recovered from COVID-19.