Google creates Thanksgiving traffic guide for a stress-free holiday

After combing through historical traffic and search data, Google has released an interactive Thanksgiving guide that identifies the best and worst times to hit the road over the holiday.

Predictably, data suggests that traffic will be heaviest late Wednesday afternoon across the country.

Google's recommendation? If possible, wait until the morning of Thanksgiving when the roads will be less congested.

The data also suggests that glazed ham is particularly popular at the American Thanksgiving dinner table: According to Google Maps search data, ham shops are the most popular destinations across the country over the holiday period.

Public service announcement: Ham shops are busiest at noon on the eve of Thanksgiving, when last-minute dinner hosts scramble to get their hands on the last of the holiday ham.

Outlet malls, tree farms, "natural features" defined as outdoor experiences, and electronic stores round out the most popular destinations.

Analysts also suggest avoiding Friday or Saturday afternoon for the drive home and to tackle the journey back early Saturday or Sunday morning when the rest of the country is still nursing their Thanksgiving hangover and Black Friday shopping spree.

Drivers can consult https://googletrends.github.io/mappingthanksgiving/ to check the best times to hit the road from their respective cities.