If you're planning to hit the road for the long holiday weekend, it's going to be crowded out there.

Travel experts are expecting a record number of people to hit the road in Connecticut. AAA says almost 740,000 drivers in Connecticut will travel for the holiday weekend. That is up over 2% from last year.

AAA says travel in the country has increased by 1.7 million travelers compared to last year and 7 million more than 2019. They say the reason for rising numbers is that people want to have experiences and make memories, and people are turning to travel.

AAA says summer gas prices are the lowest they've been since 2021. Gas prices are 30 to 40 cents lower per gallon than this time last year.

Transportation data provider INRIX says the worst time to travel Thursday is 2-6 p.m. and the best time is before noon. It may not be a good idea to travel after noon on the Fourth of July.

On Saturday, the best time to hit the road is before 11 a.m. And for those who may be coming back from the long weekend, before 11 a.m. on Sunday may be your best time to travel.