Holiday travelers ready to brave Hermine
NEW KENT, VA (WWBT) - Nearly a million Virginians are still set to travel over the holiday weekend, according to AAA. Many of those vacationers will be hitting Virginia Beach and the Outer Banks, despite the onset of Hurricane Hermine.
This as officials ordered a mandatory evacuation of Ocracoke Island, N.C.
The rest area off I-64 East was a stop for many Labor Day travelers, with bicycles and surfboards strapped to the car.
"We're going to make the best of it," said George Contreras, who is heading to the beach with his family. His wife is set to run Virginia Beach's Rock and Roll half marathon.
"A little bit of rain isn't going to hurt. Now, if we get flooded, it's a different story," said Contreras.
The American Music Festival is being moved from the Virginia beachfront, indoors. The event draws thousands of fans, like Scott Hopkins.
"I'm trying to keep a positive outlook." Said Scott Hopkins.
Others, like Paul Barclay and his wife, are planning to drive down the East Coast back to Florida. Barclay says they're used to nasty storms, living in Florida, and won't be deterred by whatever Hurricane Hermine decides to bring.
"It doesn't bother us at all… The only problem is we have the convertible top up. Normally, we have the top down.... and riding around with the top up is just not any fun," said Barclay.
Besides other vacationers, you'll see a lot of police on the road this weekend, with 140 drunk-driving checkpoints planned for across the state.
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