Americans are heading into the Memorial Day holiday weekend facing the highest gasoline prices in their country’s history, but they aren’t about to let that keep them from having fun.

A record number of Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home as they celebrate the first three-day weekend of the warm weather season, according to AAA. Most travelers – 31.1 million – will journey by motor vehicle, a 2.2 percent increase from last year.

“We tend to get focused on the gas prices, and rightly so, but it isn’t a major factor in a lot of cases,” said Jim Hanni, a Kansas AAA spokesman in Topeka.

Nationwide, holiday travelers will find gas prices averaging 15 cents higher than last year’s then-record prices, with the average price at $2.15 per gallon. But Wednesday in Lawrence, prices continued to drop and were less than $2 at most gas stations.

In the Lawrence area, marinas, campgrounds and parks are ready for what officials say is the busiest weekend of the year.

“Kids are out of school, the weather is going to be nice and people are ready to get out, so we’re expecting a big crowd,” said Bunny Watkins, a ranger with the Army Corps of Engineers at Perry Lake.

Mike Johnson, of Auburn, Neb., works on his sailboat, the Nifty Nell, with his son-in-law Chris Claussen of Olathe at Clinton Lake. John and Claussen were among campers and boaters who arrived Wednesday, getting an early start on the holiday weekend.

That means close to 100,000 people could visit the lake, including those who turn out at the Kansas State Park as well as the marina and the Corps of Engineers parks.

More than 40,000 people are expected over the weekend at Clinton Lake and its parks, said Willem Helms, a ranger with the Corps of Engineers.

There are 340 privately owned boats docked at Clinton marina’s slips and most will get some use this weekend, marina manager Lee Kennedy said. There is room for another 200 boats to be unloaded at the lake’s dry docks, he said.

The marina will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday but will close at 5 p.m. Monday. “By then people will be tired and ready to go home,” Kennedy said.

While most travelers will go by vehicle, 4.2 million people will travel by plane, according to AAA. That’s up 3.2 percent from last year. Air travelers, however, will generally pay less than last year. The AAA Leisure Travel Index shows flights for the weekend are generally 10 percent lower this year.

Kansas City International Airport is ready for a crowd, spokesman Joe McBride said.

“We have a lot of people traveling by ground, but certainly we’ll see our share here at the airport,” he said.

On an average day KCI sees about 22,000 travelers pass through its terminals. This weekend it could be as high as 26,000, McBride said.

“Friday afternoon it will be real heavy, and then again Monday night as people return home,” he said.

There should be plenty of parking available at KCI. In 2004 the Kansas City, Mo., airport opened a larger economy parking lot with 15,000 spaces. The lot is divided into three segments, each by the three main terminals.

AAA said travelers would see higher hotel rates this Memorial Day, up 10 percent from a year ago.

Some people prefer their own amenities when staying overnight on the road. The Lawrence KOA campground will be home to about 60 mobile homes this weekend, employee Bill Harrington said.

“That could be from 120 to 150 people,” he said. “That doesn’t include the people who will be at the tent site.”

As always public safety officials urge motorists and campers to be extra cautious during their outings.

“When you are out on the water, wear your life jacket and don’t consume alcohol and operate your boat at the same time,” Watkins said.

“Over holiday weekends there is generally increased enforcement activities on the water,” Helms said.

The National Weather Service in Topeka predicts high temperatures in the Lawrence area to be in the upper 70s this weekend with a 20 percent chance of showers.