CONNECTICUT (WTNH) — The Thanksgiving travel rush is on, and experts expect it to break records.

AAA is predicting nearly 80 million Americans will travel by plane, train or car, between Tuesday and Monday.

“Sit on the road in a bunch of traffic but you do it for your family,” Manhattan resident Kevin Donadio said.

It’s the busiest travel holiday of the year and AAA said the most congested times on the roads started Tuesday afternoon. Drivers we spoke to can attest.

“Very trafficked and backed up in New York City and that stayed until we’ve been here in Branford, Connecticut, so it’s been about three hours,” Donadio said.

“The highway sign said bad traffic until exit 24 and they were right and so now I’m seeing traffic picking up now so I might have to go on Route 1, but I’ve been coming up here so often I know other ways around,” Maryland resident Jennifer Boettcher said.

AAA said, like your turkey, roads will be stuffed on Wednesday and Sunday afternoon.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) is reminding everyone getting to your destination safely is something to be thankful for.

They say the eve of Thanksgiving is one of the most dangerous nights of the year for drunk driving.

Last year over the Thanksgiving holiday there were 79 crashes in Connecticut involving an impaired driver with 72 injuries and 8 deaths. Police departments across the state will be increasing patrols.

“Celebrate but please, please, please have a plan to get home safely,” DOT Spokesperson Josh Morgan said. “Do not drive if you are drunk, call a rideshare, use public transportation.”

Drivers said their travel woes are all worth it to be with the people they are most thankful for, their families.

“25 or so people, some friends and family are coming that are local and I’m coming from New York. My other brother is coming from Pennsylvania,” Donadio said.

Aside from family, another thing to be thankful for is the national gas price average is around three dollars a gallon. AAA said in Connecticut it’s 40 cents lower compared to this time last year

Nestled in the heart of one of Connecticut’s wealthiest areas is a renovated home that now can be yours for $11.5 million.

Located along the leafy Aiken Road, this beautifully renovated mansion was first built in 1950 and thoughtfully renovated by celebrity-loved architect and interior designer Marmol Radziner from 2020 to 2024. The firm is known for working with A-list celebrities, including Bradley Cooper, Tom Ford, Ellen DeGeneres, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Anthony Kiedis, to name a few. The Los Angeles-based firm is known for their modern, yet organic approach to design, incorporating native landscaping and indoor-outdoor living whenever possible. The property spans 4.4 acres and spans 6,755 square feet with four bedrooms, four full bathrooms, and one half bathroom.

They renovated the home to connect with nature during all four seasons, be it through large windows, massive skylights, an organic color palette, or interior greenery. The home has a clean and relaxed aesthetic, featuring bespoke elements the firm is known for, like French oak flooring, lime plaster walls, and high-quality marble and stone. There’s a clean California-style aesthetic with light colors, gracious rooms, high ceilings, and oversized windows that flood the rooms with natural light. The home’s grand foyer has a custom circular overhead skylight.

Further inside the home is the sumptuous living room with arched French doors that frame the views of the reflection pool. It has a marble fireplace and a bar hidden behind sliding doors that are adorned with plant-inspired de Gournay wallpaper. Nearby is the custom chef’s kitchen with soapstone countertops, state-of-the-art appliances, and an eat-in kitchen island. Throughout the residence there are wide-plank floors and custom cabinetry. There’s also a light-filled breakfast nook opposite a pair of French doors that open to the backyard.

The entire home has a tranquil and serene vibe. Other rooms include a sunroom with a vaulted white-washed cedar ceiling, a gas fireplace, and recessed bookcases; a family room; den/library; office; mudroom; laundry room; and a powder room. The primary suite is situated on the main level and has two closets, a spa-like bathroom, two vanities, and a water closet. You access the upstairs via a sculptural curved staircase off of the foyer, which is awash in natural light due to the skylight. There are additional en suite bedrooms upstairs that overlook the lush backyard.

It would be hard to leave this property in the summer months. A 1920s pool house was transformed into a living/dining space in 2024. There’s also an abstract pool. The airy space has vaulted wood-beamed ceilings, a kitchenette with a copper sink and refrigerator drawers, and a full bathroom. There’s also a two-bedroom, two-story guest house at the back of the property that has a large living room, fireplace, a kitchen with a breakfast room, powder room, and two upstairs bedrooms with a full bathroom, and a quiet stone terrace.

There’s also a detached two-car garage next to the guest cottage. The property has lush landscaping and an outdoor water feature. The home is listed by Joanne Mancuso of Houlihan Lawrence’s Greenwich brokerage.

There was sure to be a new No. 1 in women’s college basketball when South Carolina’s winning streak was snapped over the weekend. But the voting to determine who would take over the top spot in the USA TODAY Sports coaches poll came right down to the wire.

For now, it is Connecticut heading the rankings. The Huskies finish just a single poll point ahead of UCLA. The Bruins did, however, receive 14 first-place votes – one more than UConn – after knocking off the then-No. 1 Gamecocks. Notre Dame, which picked up a splashy win of its own at Southern California, is No. 3 overall and also received three first-place votes. Texas stays at No. 4 but claims the last No. 1 vote this week. South Carolina slides to No. 5, and USC slips to No. 6.

TOP 25: Complete USA TODAY Sports women’s basketball poll

Rounding out the top 10 are LSU holding steady, Oklahoma moving up a spot, and Ohio State and West Virginia each gaining two positions.

Kansas State drops two places to No. 12 after a loss to No. 13 Duke, and Iowa State falls seven spots to 15^th after being upset by a hot-shooting Northern Iowa.

Iowa joins the poll at No. 24, replacing Oregon.