Maximize Your Vacation Days: The Best Long Weekend Trips for U.S. Holidays in 2026

Best Long Weekend Trips in 2026 by U.S. Holiday

On average, American workers receive about 11 days of paid time off per year, and unlike many other developed countries, the United States does not require employers to provide a minimum number of vacation days. That makes every PTO day valuable, which is exactly why we put together our full guide on how to maximize your vacation days in 2026.

The smartest way to use them is by planning vacations around federal holidays. By stacking PTO next to built-in long weekends, you can stretch a limited number of days into multiple extended getaways throughout the year.

Below are the best long weekend trips for every remaining U.S. federal holiday in 2026. With Martin Luther King Jr. Day already behind us, there are still plenty of built-in opportunities ahead. Use them wisely. Plan around them intentionally. Spread your PTO across these windows and turn one small allowance into a year of travel.

Presidents’ Day Weekend

February 14–16, 2026

Because Presidents’ Day falls on a Monday, it’s one of the simplest built-in long weekend opportunities of the year. You already have three days. If you really want to stretch it, take the Friday before or the Tuesday after off and turn it into a four-day getaway.

Because it is a shorter travel window, this is the perfect time to stay domestic or choose a Caribbean destination with a manageable flight time.

Three-Day Getaways:

• New Orleans for food and live music

• Austin for culture and mild winter weather

• San Diego for reliable sunshine

If You Extend It to Four Days:

• Turks and Caicos for winter sun

• Cancun for nonstop routes from most major hubs

• St. Lucia for a scenic Caribbean escape
  

Memorial Day Weekend

May 23–25, 2026

Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, but it is still shoulder season in many bucket list destinations.

Best Long Weekend Ideas:

• Banff before peak summer crowds

• Charleston for warm evenings and coastal charm

• San Juan for early summer Caribbean weather

Juneteenth Weekend

June 19, 2026

A Friday holiday creates an automatic three-day weekend. Add one PTO day and you have four full days to travel.

Great Options:

• Acadia National Park before July pricing

• St. Pete Beach for ideal early summer beach weather

• Montreal for culture and European-style charm close to home

Independence Day

Observed July 3, 2026

Because the 4th of July falls on a Saturday, many workplaces will observe the holiday on Friday. To extend this into a longer trip, consider taking Thursday, July 2 or Monday, July 6 off. One PTO day turns this into a four-day escape. Two PTO days gives you five days.

That is enough time to travel farther than you might expect.

Classic Summer Picks:

• Lake Tahoe for lake views and fireworks

• Nashville for music and celebration

• Cape Cod for coastal summer nostalgia

Labor Day Weekend

September 5–7, 2026

Labor Day is one of the smartest long weekend trips of the year. European summer crowds begin to thin in early September, and prices soften slightly compared to peak July and August.

Take the Friday before or Tuesday after off and you can turn this into a four-day or five-day European escape. This is one of the best windows all year for a shorter transatlantic trip.

Where to Go:

• Bavaria for storybook towns and alpine scenery

• Amalfi Coast after peak summer traffic slows

• Ireland for green landscapes, coastal drives, and comfortable early fall weather

• Rome for fewer crowds and ideal sightseeing conditions

Indigenous Peoples’ Day Weekend

October 10–12, 2026

October is the perfect time to extend your trip! Take Friday the 9th or Tuesday the 13th off and turn a three-day weekend into a four- or five-day fall escape.

Mid-October is prime foliage season across much of the United States and excellent walking weather across southern Europe.

Top Picks:

• Vermont for peak fall colors

• Great Smoky Mountains for scenic drives

• Southern Utah for Zion and Moab without summer heat

• Barcelona for sunny afternoons without peak-season crowds
  

Veterans Day Strategy

November 11, 2026

Take Monday and Tuesday off and you create a five-day vacation window without overlapping a major travel week. Early November sits in shoulder season for many destinations.

Strong Options:

• London for crisp fall weather and fewer crowds

• Palm Springs for desert sunshine

• Sedona for red rock hikes and cooler temperatures

• The Azores for volcanic landscapes, coastal cliffs, and mild Atlantic weather

Thanksgiving Weekend

November 26, 2026

Thanksgiving is when many of Europe’s most famous Christmas markets are fully open.

Several major markets open in mid-November, including Vienna, Budapest, and Cologne. By Thanksgiving week, they are operating at full capacity and beautifully decorated. If you take Monday through Wednesday off, you can turn Thanksgiving into a nine-day international trip.

Festive Picks:

• Vienna for classic Christmas market charm

• Budapest for riverside holiday atmosphere

• Cologne for traditional German market culture

Prefer warmth instead?

• Aruba for reliable sunshine

• Mexico City for a food-focused getaway

• Key West for tropical vibes without a passport

Christmas Weekend

December 25, 2026

Christmas falls on a Friday, creating a built-in long weekend. Take Thursday the 24th or Monday the 28th off and you can extend this into a four- or five-day winter escape.

Winter Escape Ideas:

• Quebec City for snow-globe charm

• Aspen for ski season energy

• New York City for holiday lights and iconic storefronts

A Quick Note on Martin Luther King Jr Weekend

We published this after MLK Weekend 2026, so that one is already behind us. But don’t miss the next one.

In 2027, Martin Luther King Jr. Day falls on Monday, January 18. That means another built-in long weekend from January 16–18. Mark it now and thank yourself later.

If you followed our guide to turning 11 days of PTO into 43 vacation days in 2026, you already created the time. For most Americans, those 11 days are all they get. Using them strategically makes the difference between one big trip and an entire year of travel.

Three or four days is enough to cross an international border, explore a European city, reset on a beach, or experience a national park. You do not need two full weeks to travel well. You need smart timing.

And if you ever feel stuck planning your year, you can always refer back to our guide on how to maximize your vacation days. It will change your life.

FAQs — Best Long Weekend Trips in 2026

What are the best long weekend trips in 2026?


Presidents’ Day, Labor Day, and Veterans Day offer the most flexibility because they can easily be extended into four- or five-day trips with minimal PTO.

Which 2026 holiday is best for international travel?


Labor Day and Thanksgiving are strong options for Europe because crowds thin and shoulder season pricing improves.

How can I extend Independence Day in 2026?


Take Thursday, July 2 or Monday, July 6 off. One PTO day gives you four days. Two PTO days gives you five.

When do European Christmas markets open in 2026?


Many major markets open in mid-November, including Vienna, Budapest, and Cologne. By Thanksgiving week, most are fully open.

How do I turn a three-day weekend into a five-day trip?


Take either the Friday before or the Tuesday after the holiday off. For midweek holidays like Veterans Day, take Monday and Tuesday off.

How far can I realistically travel on a four-day trip?


From major U.S. hubs, Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, and parts of Western Europe are realistic for a well-planned long weekend.