After more than a year of staying inside their homes, Hudson Valley residents are more than ready to hit the road this holiday weekend.

Felicia Ali is taking her daughter Nyla and the entire family on a beach vacation to Florida this weekend. She says they can't get there soon enough.

"They've been trapped in the house along with the adults and they need that time to relax and feel free once again," said Ali.

Many Americans have the same idea for this Memorial Day weekend.

Travel agent Jamie Mussolini, of Beachfronts Travel, says as soon as access to the COVID-19 vaccine got easier, her phone hasn't stopped ringing.

AAA predicts from May 27-31, more than 37 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more from their home. That is up 60% from last year.

Travelers will be paying the highest gas prices this holiday since 2014.

Right now the average for a gallon of regular in White Plains is $3.16 -- it was $2.32 last year around the height of the pandemic.