Easy Weekend Trips To Take Over Memorial Day Weekend

Beach, city, mountains or rainforest, sometimes you just need to get out of town and Memorial Day Weekend is the perfect excuse. Use your three days off to do more than mow the lawn. Pack up the car or fly the friendly skies to explore somewhere new with your family this spring.

Washington, DC

What better way to celebrate our heroes than to walk the monuments and war memorials dedicated to the armed forces in Washington, DC? Your kids will be outside and able to run, so you don’t have to worry about rushing through these outdoor spaces. Be respectful, but also recognize that these men and women fought and died for our freedom to run, play, jump and skip. Finish off your day with a food truck pretzel and fly a kite on the grass near the Washington Monument.

San Francisco, CA

For a fun break on the West Coast, head to San Francisco for bike riding, shopping and amazing food finds. Rent bikes and ride around the Presidio, take in the art collection at the De Young Gallery and finish things off with a bike ride across the Golden Gate Bridge. Wake up early one morning to walk around Chinatown, where you will see the grandmas out and about grabbing their fresh produce and proteins for that day’s meals. Ride a cable car through the city, holding on tight as you go up and over multiple hills. If you have kids with you and need to give them a little break, pop over to the Exploratorium for loads of science fun just for kids or the Walt Disney Family Museum for a little glimpse into the visionary mind of Walt Disney himself.

Virginia Beach, VA

Everyone loves the beach and Virginia Beach sure knows how to kick off the summer season. Their live concert series and summer events (AKA Beach Street USA) goes into full swing and this beach is much easier to get to than the Outer Banks on a holiday weekend. Stroll the boardwalk while the kids scooter ahead of you, swim in your hotel pool (the ocean may be a little chilly still) and soak up the sea air. This is your chance to kick back and relax as the kids go into those final weeks of school, which we all know is more work for the parents as we have to stay on top of themed days and last day of school party responsibilities.

Olympic Peninsula, WA

You can get your fill of the beach and mountains all in one spot when you head to Long Beach, WA. Rent a house or book a hotel room to explore this beach town and head inland on the Olympic Peninsula to hike through the rainforest and mountains. Better yet, make a Seattle road trip out of it by stopping at Mt. St. Helens on your way south to Long Beach on the coast (while on the coast don’t miss Cape Disappointment State Park), before heading onto Hurricane Ridge and Port Townsend. The ferry can bring you back from Port Townsend, or you can opt to go over the Hood Canal.

Austin, Texas

Get your weird on in Austin, but don’t forget to eat. Celebrate the holiday weekend with a progressive dinner (or day of meals) at the food trucks around the city. Try a bite you have never had before; get that flavor of ice cream you have always wanted to try but never did because you stuck with your standby choice. With so many options, how can you resist driving or flying down to this Texas town?

What are your Memorial Day plans?

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Note: Available plans and coverages may have changed since this blog was published.