TANNERSVILLE, Pa. — Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start to summer, which means many folks are looking to get in their first vacation for the year.
"We're expecting to have a pretty busy weekend. We're already seeing good crowds," said Brian Bossuyt with the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau.
Triple-A expects more than 30 million people to hit the road by car this holiday weekend. Even with higher gas prices than in previous years, the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau believes that makes the Poconos a great destination.
"We're a shorter trip than other places, so I think it might actually make us a little more desirable than going away for a long weekend. Generally, our gas prices aren't too bad, so I think that that's going to bode well for us this weekend and probably the summer," Bossuyt said.
At Camelback resort near Tannersville, officials tell Newswatch 16 the hotel is almost sold out for the entire holiday weekend.
"We're just thrilled to be open on Memorial Day. It was a very different story a year ago. We were sitting around trying to figure out if and when we might be able to open, and so it's just such an unbelievable environment," said Shawn Hauver, the President and Managing director at Camelback Resort.
Danny Reyes from the Bronx, New York, is on vacation with his family.
"This is actually the first time I went out with the family because you know the Covid and everybody's sick, places were closed down we couldn't really go anywhere. So I'm pretty happy that we could actually go out to places," said Reyes.
Other guests tell Newswatch 16 that with the vaccine out, they're more comfortable traveling.
"I mean, of course, we're out masks, but yeah, vaccine-wise, I feel like we are definitely more comfortable. I mean, it's approved, right, so why not," said Jakeline Galarza of Atlantic City, New Jersey.
While the pandemic isn't over, visitors told Newswatch 16 that they are just thankful for some sense of normalcy this holiday weekend.