10 Best Memorial Day Weekend Getaways

Originally known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day, which is always celebrated on the last Monday of May, honors all men and women who have died in military service for the United States. This year, Memorial Day 2026 falls on the 25th of May. During this time, many people visit cemeteries and memorials. This is also the time where a lot of people grab this chance to go on a short vacation to escape the grind of everyday life, or visit family or friends.

Where to Go for Memorial Day Weekend 2026

As Memorial Day 2026 comes closer, VroomVroomVroom have come up with a list of awesome getaway destinations and popular options in the United States to help you plan your Memorial Day long weekend itinerary. Enjoy!

New York, New York

Once in a while, everyone needs to get a way and there’s no better way (and place) to kick off the pre-summer social season than heading to the Big Apple. There are numerous events going on in New York, and one of our favourites is the Brooklyn Memorial Day Parade. All veterans, regardless of age or war, are invited to join. The parade route starts from 78th St. and Third Avenue, along Third Avenue to Marine Avenue, up to Fourth Avenue and over to John Paul Jones Park on 101st St and Fourth Avenue for the memorial service. If you will be in New York, renting a car through us will give you the opportunity to explore the city that never sleeps. A cheap rental car is easily found in New York with a tremendous choice of car rental locations.

Ocean City, New Jersey

Head to Ocean City, New Jersey, which is approximately 2.5-hour drive from Manhattan via rental car for a family-friendly activity. Enjoy numerous fun activities such as, beaches, boating, biking and boardwalks – that’s what you’ll reap in this Atlantic Ocean beach town nestled along a stretch of sand dunes. You may want to spend a day and take picture on the beach with your partner, stroll and look around the boardwalk for gifts and souvenirs, and then visit Gillian’s Wonderland Pier and take a ride on the Ferris wheel.

North Fork, Long Island

Consider a wine and taste tour of North Fork, Long Island (a 1 and 3/4-hour drive or 2 hours and 45 minutes by train from Manhattan), where farms, wineries and breweries dot the landscape located at the very end of the line on the Long Island Rail Road. The New York Times described it as “more culturally akin to the fishing villages of New England or the Pacific Northwest than to the haughty cosmopolitanism of the Hamptons or the sophisticated art and food scenes of the Hudson Valley.”

Poconos, Pennsylvania

Are you looking for an outdoor playground with hiking, camping, biking, parasailing, fishing, and water parks? If yes, then the picturesque Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania is the right place for you. Only two-hour drive from Manhattan via rental car, Pennsylvania’s beauty overlooks the Delaware River and Delaware Water Gap and is bordered by Lake Wallenpaupack and the Wyoming Valley. Nature lovers and vacationing families can find tons of outdoor activity to satiate their adventurous sides. More family-friendly things to do and attractions to see nearby include: Lehigh Gorge State Park, Camelbeach Mountain Waterpark, Columns Museum in Pike County, The Crossings Premium Outlets, Hickory Run State Park and Boulder Field and Jack Frost Big Boulder Ski Area.

Catskills

If you like mountain views cool rivers and wildlife, then get ready for a memorable Catskills weekend adventure. Only a two-hour drive from Manhattan via rental car, a weekend travel to the Catskills is all about enjoying the best that nature has to offer.

Long Beach Island, New Jersey

If quiet relaxation by the ocean is what you are searching for, Long Beach Island is the way to go. Cited as one of the most family-friendly destinations on the Jersey Shore, find stretches of white sand on LBI, which is only three and a quarter hour drive from Manhattan by rental car.

Washington D.C.

If you are searching for Washington DC Memorial Day Weekend 2026 ideas, below are some of our recommendations of popular activities and fun things do in Washington:

Nantucket, Massachusetts

Another popular tourist destination, Nantucket is approximately 30 miles (50 km) by ferry south from Cape Cod in Massachusetts. Once referred to as "having home values among the highest in the US" by Forbes magazine,, spend a long weekend on this gorgeous tow, which is cited by the National Park Service as the “finest surviving architectural and environmental example of a late 18th- and early 19th-century New England seaport town”.

Nyack Village, New York

Only a 35-minute drive from Manhattan via rental car, make sure to spend your memorial day weekend in Nyack Village and learn a village with a rich culture in the arts, dining and entertainment. Spending time along the Hudson is the perfect way to experience New York in a different light. Nyack has all the amenities of the Big Apple – shops, restaurants, theater and galleries – but with none of the hustle and bustle of the city.