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The total solar eclipse, which will occur on Monday afternoon, April 8, will involve the moon passing between the sun and the Earth, completely blocking the sun and causing the sky to darken as if it were dawn or dusk.
Because the eclipse is predicted to be the longest and most visible in the US in 100 years, plenty of enthusiasts are making plans to travel to places within the path of totality where the moon will completely block the sun.
Because the eclipse will fall on a Monday, many are planning on beginning their trips on Saturday, April 6, which is expected to be a busy travel day, according to AAA Northeast.
In fact, according to rental car company Hertz, cities within the eclipse's path are experiencing a 3,000 percent increase in advance bookings for that Saturday, AAA Northeast officials said.
The increase in travel bookings is not without consequence, though: popular cities along the path of totality such as Buffalo, New York are 48 percent more expensive during the weekend of the eclipse than they were at the same time in 2023.
If you're one of the eclipse enthusiasts planning on making a trip to see the event, AAA Northeast gave several travel tips to keep safe:
- Keep your car's headlights on;
- Put the sun visor down to block your view of the sun;
- Do not wear eclipse glasses while driving;
- Do not try to take pictures or videos of the eclipse while driving;
- Do not pull over on the side of the road to see the eclipse. Instead, leave the roadway and park in a safe area away from traffic;
- Be careful of pedestrians who may be focused on the sky.
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