Special Memorial Day Weekend Getaways

Memorial Day is right around the corner which means a nice long weekend to enjoy. Many of us will travel to actually honor those we've lost or to see relatives, possibly a veteran, or to just get away. Others will spend the weekend close to home, maybe doing some household repairs or just lounging by the pool. No matter what you end up doing this Memorial Day it would be nice if we all made a little effort to observe, at least in our own way, and reflect on what Memorial Day stands for. One of the simplest things you can do is, at the very least, buy a small American flag to stick in the ground at your home. If you generally fly an American flag, then please remember to fly it at half-mast until noon. Also take a moment of silence at 3:00 pm on Memorial Day for the "National Moment of Remembrance." Another option is to take some time to visit a cemetery and adorn the graves of soldiers with flags or flowers.

Depending upon where you live, you can probably find a parade to attend, maybe a fair, or just take a picnic at the beach or park. If you're looking to travel, then I've found some options for the Memorial Day Weekend to consider. I have tried to get as much information to help you as I could so I have listed average prices during this weekend for air travel and hotels. I used the averages I found on farecast.com which is a great site where they give you tips for saving money on your fares and also predictions and history so you can always find the best deal. If rates are going to drop, this site will suggest you wait and will give you information as to what could happen to the rates. The averages I give are for travel dates of Friday, May 23rd through Tuesday, May 27th.

Washington, D.C.
I would venture to say that a visit to Washington, DC would have the most impact to remind you of what Memorial Day is all about. This is also a must do trip with the kids so they learn about our history. To kick off the weekend, on Friday, May 23rd, the Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Rally holds a candlelight vigil at 9:00 pm at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. This began in 1988 when two vets of the Vietnam War, Artie Muller and Ray Manzo rallied people together to organize a demonstration at the Capitol Building during the Memorial Day Weekend. The rally has grown from approximately 2,500 motorcycles to over 400,000 so you can imagine what a sight this is to kick off a great weekend. On Saturday they will visit the Navy Memorial and hold a wreath-laying ceremony and on Sunday, leaving from the Pentagon and traveling through the streets of Washington, DC. The best viewing spots are along the Arlington Memorial Bridge and Constitution Avenue. Also on Sunday, beginning at 8:00 pm, a free concert sponsored by PBS will be held on the west lawn of the Capitol Building.

You will enjoy the sounds of the National Symphony Orchestra with conductor, Erich Kunzel. Also attending will be actors such as Gary Sinise and Joe Mantegna to name a couple. On Monday you can start the day by attending the wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery at 11:00 am along with a concert at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers. At 2:00 pm the National Memorial Day Parade kicks off with Marching Bands and Veterans units from across the US, floats and balloons. The parade starts at 5th and Constitution Avenue. Hotels in the immediate vicinity of the Capitol Building can run $96 per night at the Best Western $96 and run up to $485 for a night at the Mandarin Oriental. There is someplace for every budget and since the festivities here are free, you may want to splurge a little on the room. Flights to Dulles airport from Tampa are as low as $169 leaving on May 23rd and returning on May 27th. It just depends on what times you fly. You can get a flight as low as $314 if leaving from Houston and amazingly from $280 coming from Los Angeles. For those of us on the east coast, driving may be an option, but at today's gas prices and the still high number of vehicles on the road during this weekend, you may want to opt for the flight keeping in mind that parking in Washington, DC is going to be difficult and they are suggesting public transportation during this weekend.

New York City
Fleet Week and Memorial Day all wrapped into one. Who could ask for anything more patriotic than this. This annual event brings hundreds of sailors and marines to participate in parades during the Memorial Day Weekend. Many events will be going on throughout the five boroughs of New York. Some of the ships participating in this year's Fleet Week will be the guided missile cruiser, the USS Monterey, the guided missile destroyer USS Nitze and the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge among others. Some will be berthed in Manhattan and some at Staten Island. Free tours daily will allow you to get on and inside several ships and there will be military demonstrations, athletic competitions and several other activities going on throughout the seven day celebration of Fleet Week. If all the bustling of uniformed military is a little too much, then you can always take in a nice picnic in Central Park and then visit the Empire State Building which will be lit up in red, white and blue. I found this great package at NYCtrip.com which includes accommodations at a midtown Manhattan hotel such as the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers, free admission to the Empire State Building or Rockefeller Center and the Museum of Natural History or Metropolitan Museum of Art, VIP invitation to the CBS Early Show, a free gift at Bloomingdale's and much much more. You can get a two night package for $363 per person (which considering hotel rates in NYC, this is not a bad deal). Flying just about any airline from Tampa would cost approximately $200-$250 round trip, where Houston would range from $280-$360 and from LAX you're looking at approximately $500 round trip. Once your in NYC all the Fleet Week activities can be reached by taxi or other public transportation.

Chicago
Memorial Day in the Windy City has lots to offer visitors of all ages. On Saturday, May 24th and Sunday, May 25th, the Randolph Street Market Festival begins in the West Loop neighborhood. Stroll among more than 200 vendors including food, a wine bar and live music. At noon catch the Chicago Memorial Day Parade which travels down State Street from Wacker Drive to Van Buren Street. Over 10,000 participants are expected in this parade which follows the Wreath Laying Ceremony at the Eternal Flame on Daley Plaza at 11:00 am. The Navy Pier will have their usual fireworks display beginning at 10:15 pm on Saturday and again at 9:30 pm on Sunday. Plan on spending the day there and ride the ferris wheel or take part in a bevy of activities available. If you can squeeze it in, you can catch a Cubs game at Wrigley Field. They will be playing the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday, May 26th at 1:20 pm. For something more meaningful, not that a good baseball game isn't, visit the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum where you can see artifacts of war. Admission is $10 and active military personnel get in free. Right now fares from Tampa are around $240 at the cheapest, but farecast.com indicates that they will be dropping. Arriving from Houston will set you back approximately $270 and from LAX you're looking at approximately $500. Check out travelzoo.com for hotel rates as low as $119 for this weekend.

I hope that the above suggestions help some of you make special plans for the Memorial Day Weekend. However, like most of us these days, maybe a trip out of town is out of the question. For those of us not lucky enough to live in or near one of these great cities that hosts Memorial Day activities, you can still make it a special weekend. Gas prices getting you down? They certainly should be keeping some of us from getting out. If this is the case then plan a nice weekend at home. How about a three day party? Just gather enough friends and have three people host a party over three days. Everyone can contribute or just have everyone bring a personal picnic for their group. That way costs stay down and friends and family stay safe and together. You can't get much safer than your own backyard (depending on who is manning the grill). If you're itching to get out of the house and it turns out to be one of those picture perfect days where you live, then a short drive should get most of us to a nice park where you can have some family fun and fresh air or spend the day at the beach. Whether you make it a day at the beach, the park or in your backyard, keep in mind some ways to stay safe. Make sure there is sunblock available for everyone and plenty of water. Most parents are certainly going to worry about their children, but they tend to forget about themselves, especially when imbibing. Alcohol does not give us superpowers to deflect the sun. You will burn just as fast and you will dehydrate even faster.

Whatever you decide to do for this Memorial Day Weekend, the most important thing is to take some time to remember exactly why you have this three day weekend....remember those who died for the sake of freedom, without which we wouldn't have this time off. Be safe and kind!