"Many people did not take a vacation last year and they're not going to miss out two years in a row," said Sandra Barnes, Director of Travel Services for AAA Colorado. "Exceptional travel deals and lower gas prices have Americans feeling better about taking a trip this summer."

The three day Memorial Day weekend is traditionally a driving holiday, and with gas prices dramatically lower than last year, road trips will be the mainstay of Americans' returning wanderlust. Nationwide, 27 million people, or nearly 83 percent of all travelers, are planning a road trip. In the Mountain region, 2.2 million people will be hitting the road. This summer AAA does not expect the price of gasoline to average more than $2.50 per gallon nationwide. The Colorado average for a gallon of self-serve regular is $2.20 today compared to $3.91 over Memorial Day 2008 and $3.33 for the same weekend in 2007.

Approximately 2.1 million Americans will travel by air over the holiday weekend, a drop of 1 percent from last year. The airline industry continues to cut capacity on many routes and airfares have not experienced the decline that gasoline has.

The average distance traveled by those in the Mountain region will be approximately 670 miles. Total spending in the Mountain region will average $1,127 per trip. Over two-thirds of Mountain region travelers will spend time with friends and relatives over the holiday, and traveling with the family will be the most popular way to go with 36 percent of travelers making the journey with children or other family members. Popular activities in the Mountain region are dining (51 percent), hiking or biking (37 percent) and touring or sightseeing (33 percent). Additionally, one-fourth of travelers plan to visit a historic site.

According to AAA's Leisure Travel Index, air fares over the Memorial Day holiday weekend are expected to decrease four percent nationwide from last year as air passengers will pay an average of $176. Car rental rates will drop lower nationwide with consumers paying an average of $43 per day compared to $45 a year ago, a decrease of three percent. Hotel rates for AAA Three Diamond lodgings are expected to be 12 percent less than last year with travelers spending an average of $142 per night.

AAA's projections are based on research conducted by IHS Global Insight. AAA has been reporting on holiday travel trends for more than two decades. AAA Colorado has more than 525,000 members and is an advocate for safety and security for all travelers. As North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides 51 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services, as well as member-exclusive savings. AAA can be visited on the Internet at www.AAA.com.