The worst times for traffic during Thanksgiving week, according to Google Maps data

Thanksgiving is a time for family, and inevitably, getting stuck in traffic.

Google has released the worst and best times to drive in 25 U.S. metropolitan areas during Thanksgiving week, based on data which was compiled in 2017.

It goes without saying the night before Thanksgiving is a universally awful time to travel. But if you manage to get some time off earlier in the morning, it’s definitely a better time to travel.  

On the return, residents of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia will have a bit more trouble getting home on Sunday, but otherwise it’s no worse than normal in the majority of other metro areas.

Aside from traffic, Google has also put together data on what the crowds are like at various businesses.

Bakeries are particularly busy on Wednesday afternoon, and liquor stores reach a peak the night before Thanksgiving. After Thanksgiving, hitting the cinema is predictably a busy affair.

You can check out www.mappingthanksgiving.com to see the best and worst times to leave and return around Thanksgiving, plus other ways to avoid lines on the holiday.