Alaskans get ready to spend Memorial Day weekend in the outdoors

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU/KTVF) - Memorial Day weekend, while a time dedicated to remembering those who died in service, is known as a big travel holiday in the United States.

The American Automobile Association (AAA) predicts that the U.S. will be seeing more than 45 million people traveling at least 50 miles away from home this weekend.

That is 1.4 million more travelers than last year.

With Memorial Day weekend approaching, some Fairbanks residents are spending their time outdoors. Some went to the Fairbanks Soil & Water Conservation District Annual Tree and Shrub Sale at the Tanana Valley State Fairgrounds.

Fairbanks resident Julie Kincheloe said she and her family will be hitting the road.

“Do a little camping,” Kincheloe said. “We’re gonna gather our things up and head south, probably down the Parks Highway and meet up with our daughter and son-in-law and little grandson.”

Kincheloe is not alone. In Anchorage, resident Sarah Yoder is also looking to do some camping this weekend.

“My fiancé is coming back from Germany, and then we are going to go down to the Kenai and go camping,” Yoder said. “Now we have all the daylight to do all the activities. Go out and go camping and hiking.”

Others are taking advantage of the weather and weekend days to catch up on home projects.

“I am going to stain the garage and maybe start on the house,” Anchorage resident Ariel Hyams said.

While some Alaskans are playing tourist in their own state, Alaska is also seeing more out-of-state travelers cruising or flying into Alaska for the weekend. Andy and Mandy Boehm are visiting from Helena, Montana, and

“We came up here for our anniversary ... [Saturday] we are doing a hike up in the mountains by O’Malley with one of my good college friends,” Andy Boehm said.

Karen Andrascik and her husband Roger are also visiting Anchorage this weekend.

“We have actually done a little week-long — actually starting in Fairbanks — but taking the train down through Anchorage and down to Seward,” Karen Andrascik said. “We will be headed out on the water later this afternoon.”

Some Fairbanks residents are also using their free time to grow plants.

“Doing some planting ... get the garden going,” Fairbanks resident John Werczynski said. “Obviously relax, get things prepared for summertime.”

“I’ve got a lot of apples this year that have come back, but we’re trying to get some honeyberries,” Fairbanks resident Forrest Harris said. “We’re trying to get our plums, get our plum plantings happening again, and there’s a lot of flowering trees that I’d be interested to get started.”

More Memorial Day weekend activities in Anchorage can be found online.

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