NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - As you plan your Memorial Day travel and festivities Five Tips is here to get you safely on the road and back.

About 84 percent of Americans will be hitting the road this Memorial Day Holiday says the Automobile Association of America. And about 21 million people will take to the air this holiday, says the Air Transport Association.

Gas prices will be pretty steady around $2.88, according to Mantill Williams of AAA. And your weekend weather is looking pretty good too, according to Joe Sobel of Accuweather. It'll be warm to hot for most of the country. But some states like Kentucky, Kansas, Tennessee and Nebraska will have some thunderstorms.

If you're one of the many travelers who are hopping in their car, you'll want to avoid peak travel times. Leave before noon on Friday and come back earlier or later than Monday at 5 or 6 pm. And for all those city folk, you'll have Memorial Day rush hour to contend with. Since most people travel to major cities, you'll likely see a big crush at the malls and shopping centers, says Williams.

One of the best ways to keep your sanity while on the road is to plan your trip with your child's sleeping schedule in mind. You may decide to leave late in the evening to let them sleep.

If you really want to keep the kids entertained, you can always rent a DVD system for the road. Check out www.inmotionpictures.com or www.drivinsane.com where you can rent a system for $60 a weekend.

Airlines are flying at nearly full capacity and that means parking spaces are harder to come by. And who are we kidding? It can be really expensive. Day rates can be as high as $25 in some airports.

To get around this, look into airport hotels. Many hotels will let you park in their lot for a reduced rate, says Kevin Kalley of Bestfares.com. They'll also provide you with a shuttle, he says. And if you have an early morning flight or a late return, it may be worth booking a night there. By staying over, you may be able to park for up to seven days in their lot at no charge.

You can also take advantage of airport parking services like theparkingspot.com or parkandfly.com. These companies have parking lots near some major airports that let you park in their lot. They'll also shuttle you to your terminal. Rates vary from about $7.50 a day to $15 a day depending on your area.

The days of arriving 30 minutes before your flight takes off are long gone. And with heavy airline traffic this holiday weekend, you'll want to arrive at least an hour and a half before your flight leaves.

Make sure you check the security wait times at the airport you're flying out of to make sure you've given yourself enough time. Click here to check that Web site. You'll also want to print your boarding pass in advance. That can save you 25 minutes in some cases, says Tom Parsons of Bestfares.com.

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Gerri Willis is a personal finance editor for CNN Business News and the host for Open House. Send your questions, your comments and your own ideas to us at 5tips@cnn.com.