Labor Day Travel In MA: Massachusetts A Top Travel Destination

This story was last updated at 9:53 a.m. on Sept. 1.

MASSACHUSETTS — For many in New England, Labor Day weekend will be a time to hit the road for a long weekend before a bit of a holiday drought in the coming months. Apparently, people outside of the region will use the opportunity to make their way north.

According to a recent survey from AAA, their members are heading to New England at the fourth highest rate, behind only Orlando, Italy and Las Vegas.

For those traveling in the region, AAA suggests leaving early. For drivers, an early start should relieve them of most of the stress that comes with congested highways. They'll feel little relief at the pump, however.

The average price of a gallon of gas dropped to about $4.06 this week, according to AAA. That's down from $4.12 a week ago, and $4.48 at the end of July. However, gas cost about $3.05 per gallon this same time last year.

Except Connecticut (average price: $3.88), every New England state was hovering in the low $4 range for gas this week, which may make you think twice about holiday travel to popular end-of-summer destinations like the White Mountains, Maine coast and Cape Cod.

In Massachusetts, the cheapest gas was available in the Springfield, Northampton and Greenfield areas, where the average price of a gallon ranged from $3.71 to $3.91. Worcester, Berkshire and Essex counties were the next cheapest gas destinations.

The regional survey of AAA members found that 31 percent say they plan to travel for Labor Day weekend, but 49 percent won't. Seventy percent of those surveyed said that inflation—including higher gas and airfare prices—played a role in their travel decisions.

Read more: Gas Prices Down In MA Ahead Of Labor Day Weekend

For those that plan to drive, there are ways to check on traffic on your route before you hit the road. In addition to mapping apps, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation provides real-time traffic updates and cameras for many routes.

To view the map, click here.

Drivers can also follow MassDOT on Twitter for updates.

MassDOT announced that the HOV lane on I-93 between Boston and Quincy would be opened at 2 p.m. on Thursday for holiday weekend travel.

MBTA Holiday Schedule

The MBTA has also released a Labor Day update, with subway and bus systems running in the Sunday schedule. The commuter rail will run on a weekend schedule, as will the Charlestwon Ferry. RIDE and the Hingham - Hull - Logan Airport - Long Wharf ferry line will run on the Sunday schedule.

Cape Flyer Holiday Schedule

The Cape Flyer will run trains from South Station in Boston to Hyannis over the weekend. Here's the holiday schedule:

Friday

• Leave South Station 5:42 p.m., arrive Hyannis 8:20 p.m.
• Leave Hyannis 8:45 p.m., arrive South Station 11:10 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday

• Leave South Station 7:45AM. Arrive Hyannis 10:18AM
• Leave Hyannis 6:10PM. Arrive South Station 8:35PM

Monday

• Leave South Station 7:45 a.m., arrive Hyannis 10:18 a.m.
• Leave Hyannis 6:10 p.m., arrive South Station 8:35 p.m.

Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over Campaign

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is participating in the national "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign" through the end of the Labor Day weekend, meaning increased enforcement is scheduled in towns and cities across the Commonwealth.

"This annual campaign is strategically scheduled to take place at the end of August and the beginning of September when individuals may choose to join end of the summer and Labor Day holiday festivities," MassDOT said in a news release. "State and local law enforcement across the Commonwealth will also mobilize during the campaign to conduct enforcement operations related to impaired driving."

Read more: MA Police Begin Labor Day Drunk Driving Enforcement Campaign

What To Do This Weekend

For people seeking out ideas for Labor Day weekend, Patch has compiled a list of hikes in Massachusetts. Read more: 7 Hikes In MA For Labor Day Weekend: End Summer On Top