South Florida travelers getting ready for Memorial Day weekend amid high fuel prices both on the road and water
Gas prices are rising again in South Florida, which is not good news for people driving out of town for the long Memorial Day weekend.
The average is $4.50 a gallon. For an 18-gallon SUV, a tank full of unleaded fuel is topping out at $84.
"I need my car to go to the doctor," Sharon Sewell said.
She found one of the cheaper options at Mega Saver, located at 13th Street and NE 4th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale, where gas is $4.14 a gallon with a free membership.
"It's the cheapest gas in town!" Jeffrey Pierce said.
The average price for a gallon of gas in Florida jumped to $4.43 on Tuesday from $4.21 on Monday.
"Memorial Day travel is still reaching record levels, but with the smallest year-over-year increase in more than a decade," AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins said. "Although travel demand remains strong, higher fuel prices and persistent inflation may cause some travelers to shorten trips, delay plans, or stay closer to home.
Still, almost 2.3 million Floridians will complete the 50 mile plus journey all by car, with 236,000 including air travel and another 75,000 using buses, trains or cruise ships, according to AAA projections.
"They're not canceling plans. In most cases, what people are doing is just budgeting differently," Jenkins said.
The high prices will also affect boating
The cost of being on the water this Memorial Day will not be so cheap.
Boat traffic is expected to be very heavy in South Florida, and fuel is running about $7 a gallon. "If you can afford the boat, you can afford the fuel," boater Ron Hanauer said. Hanauer said it costs $1,000 to fill the tanks on his 34-foot boat. "I won't be out on Memorial Day," he said. "Too many crazy boaters!"
At FLL, a group of bridesmaids from Cleveland said they will be boating and renting a yacht.
Nilisha Williams, the organizer, said she is paying $15,000 for the yacht. The cost of everyone's round-trip airline ticket topped $500 each. "They are worth it," Williams said.
Despite the Spirit Airlines shutdown, travelers can still find airline ticket bargains through FLL.
Maryann and Tom Manson are headed to Nashville round-trip on Allegiant at a steal. "For both of us, it was $250," Tom Manson said. "Usually, parking is more than the cost of a ticket".
The travel period runs from Thursday through May 25, Memorial Day.
The busiest times to travel will be Thursday and Friday afternoon, as well as Memorial Day itself. Orlando and Miami are two of the top five U.S. destinations for the May 25th holiday.