More from Carolinas will travel this Fourth of July than ever before

More than 1,880,000 North and South Carolinians are expected to travel this Independence Day weekend, according to a AAA news release.

A record-breaking 1,250,000 North Carolinians, and more than 630,000 South Carolinians will travel at least 50 miles from home this weekend in what the organization calls “the most traveled Independence Day holiday weekend ever.”

“Higher confidence has led to more consumer spending, and many Carolinians are choosing to allocate their extra money on travel this Independence Day weekend,” said Dave Parsons, president and CEO of AAA Carolinas. “The historic number of travelers adds to what is already shaping up to be a busy summer travel season.”

Approximately 1,680,000 of those travelers intend to drive, 151,000 will fly and 71,000 will travel by other means like buses, trains and cruises, according to AAA. These are all increases from 2016 by 2.9 percent, 4.6 percent and 1.4 percent respectively. Some of the most popular destinations for Carolinians include Myrtle Beach; Charlotte; Wilmington; Charleston; Greenville, S.C.; and Washington, D.C.

Gas prices for both states are on average lower by about $2 per gallon than they were at this time in 2016, according to AAA. Airfare, hotel rates and car rentals are also lower on average this year than last year.

This story was originally published June 29, 2017 at 6:00 PM with the headline "More from Carolinas will travel this Fourth of July than ever before."