Memorial Day Weekend Ideas

Memorial Day is the unofficial kick-off to summer and many people look forward to the three-day weekend away from work and hanging with friends and family. Many people have annual traditions they partake in this weekend, but a lot of people prefer to wing their plans! If you’re in the market for a new tradition this Memorial Day weekend, we’ve rounded up a few ideas that could make it as memorable as ever.

Road Trip – Three-day weekends are the best time to explore a new city. Pack up your gear in your car and hit the road. Trying new foods, experiencing new adventures and fully immersing yourself in a new city can be exciting. Sometimes new adventures don’t even have to be hours away. Exploring different parts of your own state that you’ve never seen before can open you up to new experiences as well.

Rent a Boat – If you happen to live somewhere where the weather cooperates this time of year, getting out on the water can be the ultimate kick-off to summer. Get a group of friends together, pack a cooler and rent a boat on a lake for an afternoon. Most cities will offer boat and other water sports equipment rentals for hour increments. You can rent for a half-day or a full-day if you want to be out all day.  It’s a great way to beat the heat and get a start on your summer tan.

Host a Barbecue – Don’t want to go anywhere? Hosting a party at your home can be a great way to get together with friends. Do it potluck style or be the hostess with the most-ess and cook up all kinds of great food. “You bring it, we grill it” is also a fun concept if you’re doing a grill day. Have your guests bring a meat of their choice and cook up a smorgasbord of options. Decorate your yard, fire up the fire table and invite all your friends and neighbors to partake.

Rent a Cabin – Don’t want to go far? Find the closest lake or river and rent a cabin or house with friends. The perfect way to relax all weekend, you can keep it very low-key. Assign meals to each person so you’ve got plenty of food, pack some coolers and relax by the water all weekend with friends. Bonus if you can rent that boat we mentioned above!

Host a Patriotic Party – Everyone loves a theme! Deck out your home in red, white and blue and throw a festive shindig for your friends and family. Red, white and blue fruit salad, cocktails, desserts and more can add a special touch to your party. Red, white and blue napkins, plates and cutlery can be the finishing touch on your patriotic Memorial Day weekend party. You can find a ton of DIY party décor ideas online to add to the fun.

Looking for additional ideas? We’ve rounded up a few other ideas here.