Worst times to hit the road for Memorial Day? See the Florida traffic forecast

What happens when millions of people hit the highway for Memorial Day weekend?

We’ll tell you. But you need to have some patience. Just like the kind you’ll need as you hit the brakes in all that traffic.

No secret here: Expect packed roads as drivers head to and from their holiday getaways. There’s not much you can do about it.

Or is there?

Unlike air travel, when you may be hemmed in by the time of your flight, you have a little more control as the captain of your vehicle.

To help get you around with less pain, AAA, the organization behind the emergency road service, has put together a best of times/worst of times schedule of when you should take to or stay off the streets during the holiday stretch.

MORE: Travel during the Memorial Day stretch will bring some changes to Miami area

How many of us are hitting the road?

The AAA estimates that 2.6 million Florida people will hit the road for a trip of 50 miles or more from Thursday, May 22, to Monday, May 26.

With travelers and commuters sharing the road before the weekend, AAA suggests leaving early to avoid the traditional morning rush hour when people heading to work and students are heading to school. And when returning on Monday after the fun ends, best advice is to avoid afternoon traffic as everyone else heads home from the holiday to make it back to work and school Tuesday.

If you’re staying in South Florida, that doesn’t mean you won’t hit traffic on local roadways. AAA lists Miami as the No. 5 travel destination in the country for Memorial Day travelers.

“While some travelers embark on dream vacations and fly hundreds of miles across the country, many families just pack up the car and drive to the beach or take a road trip to visit friends,” said Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel.

The best and worst times to drive during the holiday stretch

Here’s a breakdown of the traffic forecast:

Thursday, May 22

Worst time: 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Best time: Before noon.

Friday, May 23

Worst time: Noon to 8 p.m.

Best time: Before 11 a.m.

Saturday, May 24

Worst time: 2 to 6 p.m.

Best time: Before noon.

Sunday, May 25

Worst time: 1 to 5 p.m.

Best time: Before 1 p.m.

Monday, May 26

Worst time: 4 to 7 p.m.

Best time: Before 2 p.m.

How to find cheap gas near you

There’s an app to help: The GasBuddy app was built to show motorists prices around them and a fuel tracker can update users on stations that have or don’t have fuel based on supply changes.