This Is the Worst Time to Travel for Thanksgiving 2023

For many families, traveling to a relative's house for Thanksgiving is a tradition. So is worrying about when to leave. Not knowing the best time to hit the road can cause unnecessary stress and make the holidays less enjoyable. But there's good news -- you can learn when is a good time to travel, and what time frame to avoid, depending on the day you decide to head out.

Also, if you plan on shopping Black Friday deals in stores rather than online, there are a few hours during the day that you'll want to stay home to avoid the busy crowd. 

Google this week shared a prediction of what the traffic will be like in the week leading up to Thanksgiving and Black Friday. We'll tell you the best times to make your travel plans, as well as shopping plans. For more, here are some Google Maps tips you should use for your holiday travel.

The best and worst time to travel for Thanksgiving

If you're going out of town to have your Thanksgiving meal at a friend or family member's house, you'll probably want to travel when you'll experience the fewest delays. According to Google, the best time to hit the road is the Monday or Tuesday before Thanksgiving at around 8 p.m.

You should avoid traveling on Tuesday and Wednesday between the hours of 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. when Thanksgiving traffic is at its peak. Not to mention, that's typically when the rush hour traffic happens from those leaving work.

If you can't leave until Thanksgiving Day, you'll want to make sure you leave before noon or after 4 p.m. Google says you should stay off the road between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Also, if you're flying on a Saturday, add some extra time to your schedule if you need to be there around 11 a.m. -- that's typically when airports are busiest.

The best time to head home after Thanksgiving

If you're staying a night or two at a friend or family member's house while traveling, there's a better time to leave to avoid getting stuck in traffic. If you're leaving Saturday or Sunday, don't even think about setting out between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. unless you don't mind the congestion. Instead, try to leave at around 7 p.m. or later.

Here's the worst time to shop Black Friday sales in store

If you're shopping Black Friday deals, you can avoid the crowd altogether by shopping online. Many companies put some of their best sales online so you can shop from the comfort of your home. However, if it's a tradition to go Black Friday shopping in stores, there's a time frame you should steer clear of the roads. Peak traffic hits between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., so you may not make it in time to get those AirPods on sale if you head to the store around then. 

Instead, Google says you should head to the stores before noon or after 7 p.m. 

Don't go to the grocery store at this time

Still haven't bought all the ingredients you need to make that special Thanksgiving dessert? You're running out of time, but you can still make it. However, if you're planning to go immediately after work on Friday, don't. Grocery stores in the US are generally busiest at 4 p.m. on Fridays. If you can, wait until late Monday night at around 8 p.m. 

For more tips, check out this Thanksgiving cheat sheet for home and kitchen hacks. Also, here's how to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.