AAA says just over five million Californians plan to travel 50-miles or more during the holiday. That's up 11.2% over last year. AAA's Cynthia Harris says if you're going by car…get an early start.  

"With over 4.7 million people in California hitting the roads, you want to avoid that extra congestion and maybe leave early in the morning before 9 AM or after 7 PM."

Harris says although Californians are still cautious about their spending, many are slightly better off financially than they were a year ago…and want to spend time with family and friends.

She says the increase in travel is good news for the economy.

"Restaurants, 7-Elevens, gas stations, hotels…it's a plus for the entire travel industry as well as retail stores."

The AAA survey also found that just over 300,000 Californians will be traveling by air…up 3.6% from last year.