major travel holidays

Best time to book a vacation for major travel holidays

Published January 2024

The beginning of the year is a popular time to start mapping out travel plans and how new adventures, visits to friends and family, and annual vacations will all fit together in the calendar—and budget. It’s only fitting then that National Plan for Vacation Day is celebrated on the last Tuesday in January, as a reminder not to dally when it comes to booking your getaways.

Our experts always advise, particularly for holidays and peak travel periods, to book early in order to find the best selection of vacation homes and the best selection of rates. And that advice holds this year more than ever, with 64% of U.S. travelers planning to travel more frequently in 2024 than they did in 2023—according to Vacasa’s 2023-2024 Holiday and Winter Trend Report . But if you’re not prepared to book your full trip list just yet, we’re here to help map out when is the best time to book a vacation in the year ahead. We dug into Vacasa.com data to see when searches spiked for the major travel periods last year so that you can aim to beat the curve*.

Spring Break

Book by: late january.

While there is an initial uptick in December and early January, it’s not until late in January that searches for the week-long school break, typically in March or April, see a significant spike.

Based on Vacasa.com searches for check-ins March 3 - April 23, 2023

Summer Vacations

Book by: early april.

While you may have more runway for planning August trips, it’s a good rule of thumb to book your summer mid-spring—after that, search volume steadily climbs and the best beachfront getaways fill up.

Based on Vacasa.com searches for check-ins June 1 - August 30, 2023

Memorial Day Weekend

Searches for this three-day weekend—recognized as the unofficial kick-off to summer—get underway in early February, but booking by early April will still put you ahead of the pack.

Based on Vacasa.com searches for check-ins May 26 - May 30, 2023

4th of July Weekend

Book by: mid-may.

Searches for Independence Day getaways hold steady for the first part of the year, but see a sizable jump in late May, so best to book before most travelers are in a summer mindset.

Based on Vacasa.com searches for check-ins June 29 - July 5, 2023

Labor Day Weekend

Book by: late june.

This year, travelers trended ahead of schedule when it came time to plan their ideal summer sendoff. Be sure to lock down your Labor Day vacation home before pulling out the barbecue for the 4th of July.

Based on Vacasa.com searches for check-ins September 1- 5, 2023

Winter Break / Holidays

Book by: late august.

While some get a jump start and book for the following year during the current holiday, the true surge comes at the end of summer, as people start preparing for the next travel rush.

Based on Vacasa.com searches for check-ins December 15, 2023- January 1, 2024

Book by: early September

Ski season is no stranger to last-minute bookings (especially if there’s a good snow dump), but most people start planning their winter or spring trips to the slopes just after Labor Day.

Based on Vacasa.com searches for check-ins December 1 - April 30 in 2022 and 2023, as well as use of the ski-in-ski-out amenity filter.

Put your vacation on the books

With a Premium Cleaning program, local management teams, and 24/7 customer support, you can ease back into a worry-free vacation.

*Disclaimer: the "book by" dates for each holiday are based on historical search data from Vacasa.com and may vary in 2024.

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The Top Holiday Travel Destinations Of 2023

From sunny beaches to snowy slopes, these are our picks for the best year-end holiday destinations, both domestic and international

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Whether traveling to be with family, get away from family, or to visit the sunny shores of Costa Rico or the slippery snowy slopes of Vail, Colorado, odds are you won’t be alone during this most wonderful time of the year. Data has revealed the top holiday travel destinations of 2023, so you can see if your vacation destination made the list. 

Traveling for the holiday season is bigger than ever this year, with AAA  predicting over 115 million Americans traveling 50 miles or more from home over the 10-day year-end holiday travel period — from Saturday, December 23, 2023, to Monday, January 1, 2024. That’s a 2.2% increase over last year. AAA's data collection also including finding the most popular travel destinations, based on flight booking information.

And since this is the season for spreading good cheer, it’s nice to know that gas prices and airfares are projected to be the same or even a bit less than last year. 

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According to AAA, the average price for a roundtrip ticket to Orlando this holiday season is $613, down from $735 last year. A roundtrip ticket to Las Vegas is now $508 compared to $705 in 2022. 

Meanwhile, U.S. gas prices are projected to be in the $3.10 and $3.20 range, while international petrol prices can range from $2.30 up to $8.50 per gallon. 

Here are the top travel destinations in 2023

Not sure where to go? Thanks to AAA’s flight booking data, we now know the top year-end holiday destinations, both domestic and international.

Take a look here:

Looking for travel destination inspiration?

If you’re strapped for cash but getting away from the hustle and bustle is just what you need, Kiplinger handpicked five bargain vacation destinations off the beaten path just in time for the holidays. 

Instead of pricey Barcelona, which hosts more than 30 million visitors each year, chose Lima, Peru. Or, bypass Vail, Colorado, and get away to Snowbasin, Utah, located just an hour’s drive from the Salt Lake City airport. 

Longing to build a sandcastle instead of a snowman? Florida has dozens of attractive destinations that are more affordable than Miami. Two of the best are St. Petersburg and Delray Beach. St. Petersburg for its "lively downtown, clubs and bars, and Delray Beach for its "thriving life with lots of restaurants, great street scene and beautiful beaches.

Kiplinger also checked in with a professional skier for recommendations on where to ski this winter , if you're looking for those thrills. 

And if you're traveling in retirement, we've got you covered too, with suggestions of great holiday destinations for retirees to check out this winter . 

When you're talking "let's pack our bags and get the heck out of here" kind of traveling, just remember that roadways and airports are unusually crowded during the holidays, so plan ahead — you don't want to get your tinsel in a tangle.

Related Content

• Nine Cheap Vacation Alternatives to Popular Places
• 75% of Holiday Travelers Are Cutting Back. Are You?
• How to Budget for a Vacation When Prices Keep Rising
• What You Need to Travel to Europe in 2024

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For the past 18+ years, Kathryn has highlighted the humanity in personal finance by shaping stories that identify the opportunities and obstacles in managing a person's finances. All the same, she’ll jump on other equally important topics if needed. Kathryn graduated with a degree in Journalism and lives in Duluth, Minnesota. She joined Kiplinger in 2023 as a contributor.

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Holidays of the United States

• 1 The holiday season
• 2.1 New Year's Day
• 2.2 Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• 2.3 Presidents' Day
• 2.4 Memorial Day
• 2.5 Juneteenth
• 2.6 Independence Day
• 2.7 Labor Day
• 2.8 Columbus Day
• 2.9 Veterans Day
• 2.10 Thanksgiving
• 2.11 Christmas
• 3.1 Super Bowl Sunday
• 3.2 Valentine's Day
• 3.3 St. Patrick's Day
• 3.4 Cinco de Mayo
• 3.5 Mother's Day
• 3.6 Father's Day
• 3.7 Flag Day
• 3.8 Halloween
• 3.9 Black Friday
• 3.10 New Year's Eve
• 4.1 Chinese New Year
• 4.2 Good Friday
• 4.4 Passover
• 4.5 Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (the High Holidays)
• 4.6 Hanukkah
• 4.7 Kwanzaa
• 5.1 Groundhog Day
• 5.2 Mardi Gras
• 5.3 Emancipation Day
• 5.4 Patriots' Day
• 5.5 Pioneer Day
• 5.6 Oktoberfest
• 5.7 Alaska Day
• 6 Stay safe

The United States has no nationwide, mandatory public holidays, and instead has a hodgepodge of national, regional, ethnic and religious holidays that can both delight and frustrate travellers – sometimes simultaneously – as they journey around the country.

The holiday season [ edit ]

The time between Thanksgiving (the fourth Thursday in November) and January 1 is commonly called "the holiday season." Many people take vacations during this period and visit family and friends. Airports, interstate highways, bus stations, and train stations will be very crowded near the major holidays. If you must travel, allow extra time to check in and clear security. This is also a major gift-giving season: most shopping malls and department stores will be crowded, especially on the day after Thanksgiving, the week before Christmas, and the day after Christmas. There are also many Christmas/holiday season parties at workplaces and between friends, though most of them are before Christmas Day as people prefer to spend that day with family and only the closest friends. Christmas Day and New Year's Day are good days to fly, as most people prefer not to travel then, so air fares are usually significantly cheaper on those days than for some time before and after, security lines are shorter and the atmosphere is more relaxed.

Also relevant to the Christmas season are the many publicly-displayed Christmas trees, the most famous of which is probably the one at Rockefeller Center in Midtown Manhattan , always a very tall tree with many lights. You can generally expect public Christmas trees to be displayed at least the entire month of December through January 1.

Several cities host one or more Christmas markets , but do not expect to see as many people drinking mulled wine or staying out late as in European Christmas markets, and don't expect them to still be open much past New Year's Day, if they are even open past Christmas. Whereas in many other countries, Epiphany is a major public holiday, in the U.S., it is strictly a church holiday, so you can expect few if any public observances or store closures.

Federal holidays [ edit ]

Federal holidays are 11 dates designated by the U.S. federal government as official holidays. All federal government offices, post offices and banks close on federal holidays, but private businesses may choose whether or not to observe them. Nearly all states and localities observe the federal holidays; most also observe an additional handful of their own. If a federal holiday falls on a weekend, the observance will be shifted to the nearest weekday (either Friday or Monday). The festivities and major retail closings will occur on the annual date, even if it's the weekend. All U.S. embassies are closed on the federal holidays in addition to the holidays of the host country.

New Year's Day [ edit ]

Most non-retail businesses closed; parades; brunches and football parties. Philadelphia has a unique parade every New Year's Day called the Mummers Parade, which has roots in the city that date back to the 17th century.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day [ edit ]

Many government offices and banks closed; people volunteer in their communities; speeches, especially on African-American history and culture.

Presidents' Day [ edit ]

Officially named Washington's Birthday . Many government offices and banks closed; some non-retail businesses closed; many stores have sales, especially furniture and mattress stores.

Memorial Day [ edit ]

Most non-retail businesses closed; some patriotic observances; trips to beaches and parks; traditional beginning of summer tourism season.

Juneteenth [ edit ]

Added as a new federal holiday in 2021, Juneteenth celebrates the emancipation of African-Americans who had been enslaved. It was on this date in 1865 when slaves in Texas were told that they were free, following President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in 1862. Most government offices and some non-retail businesses are closed.

Independence Day [ edit ]

Known colloquially as the Fourth of July . Most non-retail businesses closed; patriotic parades and concerts, cookouts and trips to beaches and parks. Fireworks displays, both professional and amateur, which often continue well into the night or early morning. Almost every town puts on some sort of festivity to celebrate the day.

Labor Day [ edit ]

Most non-retail businesses closed; cookouts and trips to beaches and parks; many stores have sales; traditional ending of summer tourism season. Whereas most countries celebrate Labor Day on May 1 to commemorate the Haymarket affair of 1886, the U.S. chose to celebrate it in September, due to fear that a May celebration would encourage similar Haymarket-style protests and energize the radical left.

Columbus Day [ edit ]

Commemorates the arrival in North America by Christopher Columbus . Many government offices and banks closed; some stores have sales. Italian-themed parades in some cities. Columbus Day can be controversial, especially among Native Americans and Latinos, and is not as widely observed as it was in the past. In some places, Columbus Day has been renamed as Indigenous People's Day , with celebrations of native cultures occurring. Other places have opted to call the day Italian Heritage Day .

Veterans Day [ edit ]

Government offices and banks closed; some patriotic observances. Called "Remembrance Day" in most Commonwealth countries, it has been expanded in the U.S. to celebrate all veterans of the U.S. armed forces; Memorial Day serves the purpose of recognizing war dead.

Thanksgiving [ edit ]

Family dinners with roast turkey as the centerpiece and traditionally featuring many foodstuffs that originate from the Americas, but Thanksgiving meals vary greatly, just like Americans do. Many people fly or drive to visit extended family. New York City and Chicago host parades, Detroit and many other cities hold races. Many other smaller events fill the landscape, including a re-creation of the original Thanksgiving dinner in Plymouth , Massachusetts. Airports are extremely crowded on the Wednesday before and Sunday after Thanksgiving. Most businesses are closed, including grocery stores and many restaurants, though the restaurants that stay open usually serve some version of a Thanksgiving dinner, so if you have no invitation to anyone's home, you can have a Thanksgiving experience, anyway. Many people spend part of this day volunteering to serve at a soup kitchen.

Christmas [ edit ]

Families and close friends exchange gifts; Christian religious observances. Almost all businesses, grocery stores, and many restaurants closed the evening before and all day. Many offices close at noon on the 24th, with everything closed on the 25th. However, many Chinese and Jewish businesses remain open, as do movie theaters.

Other national holidays [ edit ]

Super bowl sunday [ edit ].

This annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL) is the most-watched sporting event of the year. Supermarkets, bars, and electronics stores are busy, and there are many football-watching parties. If you have no-one to watch the game with and would like to do so in a festive and friendly atmosphere (unless you're rooting against the home team), this is a good time to visit a sports bar, though even bars that don't typically show sports on their TVs often show the Super Bowl.

Valentine's Day [ edit ]

Private celebration of romance and love. Most restaurants are crowded; more popular restaurants may require reservations made well in advance. As on Mother's Day, many restaurants raise their prices and serve only a couple of prix fixe dinner options, so if you want to eat out that day, a little extra research may be advisable to find better deals.

St. Patrick's Day [ edit ]

Irish-themed parades (New York's is the largest of them in the world) and parties. Expect bars to get crowded early. They will often feature themed drink specials. The wearing of green clothes or accessories is common.

Cinco de Mayo [ edit ]

A minor holiday in Mexico that celebrates the 1862 Battle of Puebla against the French, but a major celebration of Mexican-American culture. Expect bars to be crowded, even in places without large Mexican-American communities. Margarita specials are common on and during the leadup to this day.

Mother's Day [ edit ]

Children and adults give gifts to their mothers. Most restaurants are crowded, especially for brunch and lunch; some restaurants may require reservations made well in advance. Furthermore, they commonly serve expensive, boring prix fixe meals because they are absolutely slammed and have to deal with people who eat out once a year and may have unreasonable expectations and demands on service. If you don't have to eat out on Mother's Day, try to avoid doing so.

Father's Day [ edit ]

Children and adults give gifts to their fathers. Many restaurants and sporting events are crowded, although not to the same extent as Mother's Day.

Flag Day [ edit ]

Celebrated nationally as an observance. Also commemorates the adoption and symbolic patriotism of the American national flag that is celebrated annually in parades.

Halloween [ edit ]

Children dress up in costume and knock on other houses' doors to get treats. There are spooky attractions, such as haunted corn mazes, hayrides and costume parties. Some small family-owned shops and restaurants may close early in the evening. Adults get in on the action too: boozy Halloween parties and bar-hopping in costume are common, often taking place on "Halloweekend": the weekend prior to October 31st. New York City has a Halloween parade that is very crowded but a lot of fun; see New York City#Parades .

Black Friday [ edit ]

Major Christmas shopping traditionally begins, most stores have sales and many open in the very early morning (with a few now opening on Thanksgiving night). Most non-retail employees are given Friday off or take it as a vacation. This is a really good day not to shop, as shops are extremely crowded and there have been cases of crazed shoppers trampling people on that day.

New Year's Eve [ edit ]

Many restaurants and bars open late; lots of parties, especially in big cities. Some offices close at noon. The atmosphere is festive, so if you have no invite to a party, it's a great though crowded night to go barhopping. Be particularly mindful of drunk drivers on this night.

Ethnic or religious holidays [ edit ]

Chinese new year [ edit ].

Also known as the Lunar New Year . Chinese-Americans hold cultural celebrations. Cities with major Chinatowns, such as New York, San Francisco , Los Angeles and Chicago, have popular parades including traditional lion dances, often accompanied by firecrackers. The Korean and Vietnamese new years also fall on the same day, with celebrations in those respective communities.

Good Friday [ edit ]

Christian (especially Catholic) religious observances. Some restaurants and shops close. The governments of some states with large Catholic populations (e.g. New Jersey) observe the holiday and close government offices on this day.

Easter [ edit ]

Christian religious observances. Many fast-food restaurants are closed, but sit-down restaurants are more likely to be open. Major retailers generally open; smaller shops may or may not close. Egg-dyeing parties and the White House egg roll (actually moving eggs, not making Chinese-American egg rolls, but you probably won't be invited) are traditional, some people dress up like the Easter Bunny or wear Easter bonnets, and New York City has a huge, famous Easter parade, but Christmas is a much bigger occasion than Easter in the U.S.

Passover [ edit ]

Jewish religious observances. Many American Jews invite non-Jews to their Seder on one of the first two nights. Expect very heavy traffic on Seder afternoons and evenings in areas with large Jewish populations such as the New York Metro Area and South Florida.

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (the High Holidays) [ edit ]

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, and many Jews have a special dinner on either the first or both nights of Rosh Hashanah that you might be invited to. Yom Kippur is a 25-hour fast, followed by a break-fast meal. It is traditional to spend all day in the synagogue on Yom Kippur, after a somewhat lengthy service the night before.

Hanukkah [ edit ]

Also spelled Chanukah . Jewish religious observances, often culturally associated with Christmas. In cities with large Jewish populations, very big electric menorahs (candelabras) are lit, one candle for each night.

Kwanzaa [ edit ]

African-American cultural observances.

Regional holidays [ edit ]

Groundhog day [ edit ].

A tradition observed regionally that derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day and sees its shadow, it will retreat to its den and winter will go on for six more weeks; if it does not see its shadow, spring will arrive early. There are small ceremonies throughout the eastern half of the U.S., but the most famous is held at Punxsutawney in western Pennsylvania and features a semi-mythical groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil.

Mardi Gras [ edit ]

A number of historically ethnically French cities and regions in the country have celebrations, particularly in Louisiana . The celebration in New Orleans is world famous.

Emancipation Day [ edit ]

Observed in Washington, D.C. , commemorating the date that President Abraham Lincoln signed the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act. D.C. holds an Emancipation Day parade.

Patriots' Day [ edit ]

Observed in Massachusetts , Maine , Wisconsin , Connecticut and North Dakota . Commemorates the battles of Lexington, Concord, and Menotomy that touched off the Revolutionary War against Britain in 1775. State offices and public schools are closed, reenactments take place in Massachusetts, the Boston Marathon is run and the Red Sox baseball team plays a home game at Fenway Park.

Pioneer Day [ edit ]

Celebrated in Utah . Commemorates the entry of Brigham Young and the first group of Mormon pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. Parades, fireworks, rodeos, and other festivities. Many local and all state-run government offices and many businesses are closed on Pioneer Day.

Oktoberfest [ edit ]

German-Americans are the largest ancestral group in U.S., and there are hundreds of large and small Oktoberfest celebrations held annually throughout the country, the largest being Oktoberfest Zinzinnati in Cincinnati , Ohio.

Alaska Day [ edit ]

Celebrated in Alaska and commemorates the transfer of Alaska to the United States from Russia. There is a parade in Sitka . State government offices are closed.

Stay safe [ edit ]

Be careful on the roads around major holidays, such as New Year's, Memorial Day, Independence Day or Thanksgiving, as well as New Year's Eve, St. Patrick’s Day and Cinco de Mayo, as there are more drunk drivers on the roads then.

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• Holiday Travel

These Will Be the Busiest Travel Days of the 2021 Holiday Season

As many Americans continue to work from home, the holiday travel schedule is going to look a little different this year.

Editor's Note: Those who choose to travel are strongly encouraged to check local government restrictions, rules, and safety measures related to COVID-19 and take personal comfort levels and health conditions into consideration before departure.

While the travel industry is certainly rebounding from its lowest point during the pandemic, things are getting a little dicey with all the COVID-19 variants out there. This summer, it seemed as if travel was almost back to normal, but with new restrictions in place both at home and abroad, it's possible that the numbers of travelers hitting the road (or the skies) might slow down a little bit once again as we head into the holiday season. But many travelers are determined to continue with their vacations. According to a survey of more than 5,000 travelers by vacation rental site Evolve, 32 percent of travelers are not factoring the Delta variant into their travel plans at all, and of the travelers who are, 46.5 percent won't consider canceling their plans because of it "until much closer to the trip dates." If you're planning on traveling for the holidays this year, here's what you can expect.

How Holiday Travel Will Be Different in 2021

Despite numbers still being a bit lower than they were before the pandemic, demand is rebounding, especially regarding air travel. "We're already seeing significant momentum around international and domestic flight searches when compared to 2020, up 155 percent and 212 percent, respectively," says Matt Clarke, the VP of marketing at online travel agency, Kayak. "When compared to 2019, however, both international and domestic flight searches are down, 52 percent and 43 percent, respectively."

But unlike in the pre-pandemic era, when Americans would book holiday flights weeks if not months in advance, Clarke suspects folks are sitting tight as they monitor travel restrictions, waiting until the holidays approach to purchase tickets. "The trend for last-minute bookings is strong," he says.

This wait-and-see mentality is especially true for international travel, and for good reason; Europe just designated the U.S. a high-risk country, prompting some countries like the Netherlands to reinstate quarantines for American travelers . It remains to be seen if those restrictions will be lifted in time for Christmas, a traditionally popular period for overseas travel.

As such, you can expect a surge in domestic travel in the coming months — something Kayak has already seen in the car rental industry. "The demand for car rentals in the U.S. this holiday season is already up 229 percent compared to 2019 and up 244 percent compared to 2020, an indicator that we could experience another car rental shortage this holiday season as we're seeing an increase in those searching further in advance for car rentals than years prior," says Clarke.

Most Popular Travel Days for Thanksgiving in 2021

Interestingly, the busiest travel days didn't change between 2019 and 2020. According to Priceline data, the most popular departure date for Thanksgiving weekend in 2019 and 2020 was the preceding Wednesday, with most travelers returning the following Sunday in both years. The only difference was the number of travelers: In 2019, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), logged 2.6 million travelers passing through security checkpoints at airports that Wednesday, while in 2020, it only logged one million passengers that same day.

But as of September 9, 2021, this year is looking different. Priceline reports that the busiest travel day for the Thanksgiving holiday is Monday, November 15, while the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the second busiest. It's likely that after 18 months of remote work, Americans are finally getting accustomed to the idea of working from anywhere, allowing them to travel more freely.

Most Popular Travel Days for Christmas in 2021

Winter holiday travel is slightly more complicated, as the popular travel days are dictated by the day of the week on which Christmas falls. Most often, December 23 is the busiest travel day preceding Christmas, while on the other side of the holiday, the Sunday after Christmas is the busiest travel day. According to Kayak data, that trend held in 2020, but in 2021, those dates are changing slightly. As of September 9, 2021, the most popular travel day before Christmas is Wednesday, December 22, and the most popular travel day after Christmas is Tuesday, December 28. Again, travelers are likely taking advantage of work-from-home policies to travel more flexibly.

When to Book Holiday Travel in 2021

Though some travelers might be hesitant to book travel early given the uncertainty regarding the COVID-19 variants, experts suggest taking advantage of the flexible cancellation policies offered by travel companies, as prices are only going to rise as the holidays approach.

Stefanie Waldek is a freelance space, travel, and design journalist. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter at @stefaniewaldek.

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Christmas travel is here: What you can expect this holiday season

Nearly every peak travel period in 2023 brought air travel records, and airports are again bracing for large crowds as the end-of-year holidays approach.

U.S. airlines expect to serve some 39 million passengers between Dec. 20, 2023, and Jan. 2, 2024, according to the airline trade group Airlines for America. That's up 16% from the same period last year.

The Christmas and New Year's rush follows a summer that proved to be the busiest in the Transportation Security Administration's history — a trend that continued over Thanksgiving , when the agency set a single-day record with 2.9 million passengers screened Nov. 26.

"We saw more travelers during this Thanksgiving break than we've seen in our history — not just for Thanksgiving — for any week of holiday peak travel," Ed Bastian, Delta Air Lines' CEO, noted during an appearance this week on CNBC while predicting an "equally strong" December holiday period.

Large crowds expected

Airlines expect the busiest days to fly will be Dec. 21-22 and Dec. 26-29. That's the Thursday and Friday before Christmas (which will be on a Monday this year) and the four days immediately following the holiday.

Though the TSA likely won't see any one day as busy as the Sunday after Thanksgiving, checkpoints are gearing up for sustained demand over the better part of two weeks, as is typically the case for the year-end holidays.

"We don't usually see the [single-day] volumes that we see around Thanksgiving," Dan Velez, TSA New England spokesperson, said in a recent interview. "But, a week before Christmas, it's going to pick up quite dramatically."

Crowded skies 

The holiday travel rush won't just play out in the form of crowded airport terminals.

In the skies, airlines will offer 5.6% more scheduled seats on U.S. domestic flights this month versus December 2022, according to data from Cirium. Also, domestic seats are up 2% this month compared with December 2019 — though with airlines offering 12% fewer flights . Airlines are flying larger planes with more capacity, so they can cut the number of flights and still fly more passengers.

Travelers — not to mention the U.S. Department of Transportation — will surely keep a close eye on how airlines perform over the holidays, particularly Southwest Airlines. Last year, a scheduling meltdown in the wake of a winter storm led to Southwest canceling 16,700 flights.

That operational failure drew scrutiny from lawmakers and prompted the carrier to bolster its winter weather equipment on the ground, make investments to improve its technology and overhaul internal decision-making processes — an effort that, Southwest insists, is already making a difference.

"We are now so much better prepared for these extreme weather events," Andrew Watterson, Southwest's chief operating officer, emphasized on the company's third-quarter earnings call.

Airlines confident about holiday operations

Southwest isn't the only airline voicing confidence heading into the holidays. Airlines for America has repeatedly touted carriers' hiring efforts in recent months, which have airline staffing levels at the highest point in two decades, according to the organization.

In the year to date, U.S. carriers have canceled a collective 1.3% of flights, according to data from FlightAware. That's down sharply from 2.4% last year. (It is worth noting, though, that delays have remained roughly steady from last year, at around a fifth of flights).

Also, with the exception of United Airlines' operational troubles over a few days in late June — which primarily stemmed from challenges at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) — this year has largely been without meltdowns of the sort we saw regularly last year.

"I do not expect another Southwest or similar meltdown. The airlines have cut the number of flights and are very focused on not overloading their systems," Michael McCormick, a longtime air traffic control veteran, said. (McCormick previously managed New York's critical center and currently serves on the faculty at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.)

Still, a continued shortage of air traffic controllers does bring at least some risk of disruptions, particularly when the weather is bad (more on that in a moment). However, the Federal Aviation Administration has routinely opened up new corridors in the skies during peak travel periods this year while extending a temporary policy allowing airlines to reduce flight schedules in New York through October 2024.

"The FAA is deeply focused on holiday travel and will [have the] staffing to meet it," McCormick told TPG. "The remaining unknown is the weather."

Early weather models look promising

Indeed, how Mother Nature cooperates may be the top factor this year in how smoothly air travel runs over the end-of-year holidays, as U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg acknowledged last month.

Fortunately, the early weather models look promising — in contrast to the winter storm that precipitated Southwest's problems a year ago.

"Overall, this December is going to be quite different from last year," Paul Pastelok, Accuweather senior meteorologist and long-range forecaster, told TPG. "This year, leading up to Christmas, it's going to be mild for a good portion of the country. In fact, it could be fairly quiet for a while."

Pastelok is watching two weather systems — one on the East Coast this coming weekend and another around Christmas Eve that could affect the northern Great Plains.

However, he says, milder temperatures mean those systems will likely bring wind and rain instead of snow and ice.

Indeed, Accuweather is predicting it won't be a white Christmas for much of the country.

Tips for traveling this holiday season

If you intend to fly this holiday season, it's a good idea to plan now. If you're a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck member, make sure you've added your Known Traveler Number to your reservation so you'll be able to access the TSA PreCheck lanes.

Driving to the airport? Book your parking online now to save money and guarantee yourself a spot.

Also, download your airline's app and familiarize yourself with its features. After all, that app can be your key to checking in, tracking a bag or rebooking if something goes wrong.

Related reading:

• When is the best time to book flights for the cheapest airfare?
• The best airline credit cards
• What exactly are airline miles, anyway?
• 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
• Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
• The best credit cards to reach elite status
• What are points and miles worth? TPG's monthly valuations

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The 10 Best Group Travel Tour Companies for 2023

Caroline Morse Teel

Caroline Morse Teel is the Managing Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Follow her adventures around the world on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline.

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For those truly epic, once-in-a-lifetime destinations, you want to leave your itinerary to the experts. Whether your dream is to see the Big Five on an African Safari, trek tall mountains, explore European cities, or something even wilder, a group tour is the easiest way to do it.

However, picking the wrong group tour company is the quickest way to ruin your trip. Make sure you choose a tour company that aligns with your goals and travel styles. Do you want an intimate group tour or do you prefer to make lots of new friends in a big group? Does the price line up with what you like (luxury vs. budget)? Is the itinerary going to all the places you want to see? 

We’ve done the research and found the very best group travel tour companies for 2023 for every type of traveler.

Best Overall Group Travel: Exodus Travels

With trips on every continent, Exodus Travels covers anywhere on this planet that you could possibly want to go, from popular destinations like the Amalfi Coast to well off-the-beaten path adventures like Tajikistan. This award-winning group travel company boasts thousands of repeat customers who sign up for trips year after year (97% of past participants would recommend Exodus Travels to a friend). 

These small group tours operate with only around 12-16 people, and always feature experienced local leaders who can give you a unique insight into your destination. Exodus Travels caters to any type of travel style, including trips broken down by type of activity (think walking, cycling, multi-adventure, winter, or cultural) as well as type of traveler (family, age group, etc.). There are curated collections (coastal, “away from it all”, European wilderness, and trips of a lifetime) to inspire you, as well as self-guided options for when you want all the benefits of a group tour planner without the actual group. Looking for that special safari? Exodus Travels just partners with the African Wildlife Foundation to create carefully curated luxury adventures that go above and beyond the standard safari. 

Exodus Travels tours work for almost any budget, with options that range from affordable to premium. 

Top Trip: Explore under-the-radar Europe by foot on Exodus Travels’ Lakes & Mountains of Slovenia walking tour .

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Best Adventure Group Travel: World Expeditions

World Expeditions has been taking adventurous travelers to remote locations all over the world ever since its first group trek through Nepal in 1975. Today, World Expeditions offers active itineraries on every continent. Intrepid travelers can opt for trips themed around mountaineering, rafting, cycling, hiking, and more. 

World Expeditions aims to leave communities and places where they operate tours better than they found them. Trips are created using the company’s Thoughtful Travel Charter as a guideline, which emphasizes respect for the environment, sustainability, having a positive impact on local communities, protecting wildlife, and more. 

World Expeditions’ trips are capped at just 16 people to provide a good experience for participants, and there are no single supplements for solo travelers willing to share a room with someone of the same gender. 

Top Trip: Summit Africa’s tallest mountain on a fully-supported trek up Kilimanjaro on World Expeditions’ eight day trip up the beautiful Lemosho Route . 

Best Budget Group Travel: G Adventures 

For travelers on a budget, G Adventures offers cheap group tours that make dream destinations accessible to nearly anyone. (Think: sailing the Galapagos for just $1,124 , criss-crossing India’s Golden Triangle for $559 , or spending 8 days in Bali for less than $800.)

G Adventures is one of the best tour companies for solo travelers as well, as most trips don’t have a single-supplement. You can choose to share a room with another G Adventures solo traveler, or pay extra to have your own space.

G Adventures keeps costs down by opting for cheaper hotels and local meals, and making certain activities optional (for an additional cost). Pick your travel style—options range from “basic” to more luxe tours run in partnership with National Geographic. Family tours, local living tours (featuring homestays), and wellness-focused tours are also available. 

Top Trip: G Adventures’ China Express trip is a great way to see the highlights of China if you’re short on both time and budget. 

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Best Educational Group Tours: EF Go Ahead Tours

When you really want to learn about a destination, consider a group trip with EF Go Ahead Tours . EF is the world’s largest private education company, and the Go Ahead Tours arm capitalizes on the company’s relationships with local educators, historians, and tour guides to create group trips that take you deep into a destination. 

These small group tours generally cap at 38 travelers, and feature unique educational experiences. For a bucket list trip, EF Go Ahead Tour’s special event tours are particularly enticing, as they offer behind-the-scenes access to tough-to-plan trips like Oktoberfest in Munich or Cherry Blossom season in Japan. 

Intimidated by solo travel? EF Go Ahead Tours is a great option for solo travelers, since it offers designated trips for solo travelers , where everyone is traveling alone, making it less intimidating.  

Top Trip: Bring the tastes of Italy home with you on EF Go Ahead Tours’ Food & Wine: Piedmont & Tuscany tour (operated in partnership with America’s Test Kitchen), where you’ll learn how to make local dishes. 

Best Responsible Group Travel: Intrepid Travel

Looking for a responsible group travel operator that focuses on bettering the communities and destinations they visit? Intrepid Travel is the world’s largest travel B Corporation, a certification for companies doing good. 

Intrepid Travel’s tours focus on sustainability, diversity, inclusion, and sustaining communities. The company has its own charity, The Intrepid Foundation , which has donated over 7 million dollars to over 130 community organizations. 

Intrepid Travel’s small group tours attract a wide range of travelers, but they are especially great for younger travelers, as they have a large number of trips designed for people aged 18-29 . (Other trips, including family-focused trips, are geared toward any age.)

Top Trip: Experience unforgettable wildlife encounters on Intrepid Travel’s Premium Uganda & Rwanda trip which includes time with the mountain gorillas of Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. 

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Best Private Group Travel: Kensington Tours

Whether your group consists of just two people or involves taking the entire extended family, Kensington Tours will take all the hassle of planning out of the equation. This private group operator creates personalized trips and itineraries tailored to your preferences, while their experts handle all the logistics and bookings. 

Plans are entirely flexible, and can even be changed while on the trip on a whim. Need some inspiration? Browse Kensington Tours’ travel ideas , to get some ideas for your next adventure. 

Top Trip: Sail around the stunning shores of Croatia and the Dalmation Islands on a private luxury catamaran on Kensington Tours’ fully customizable tour . 

Best Polar Group Travel: Chimu Adventures

Whether you’re headed north to the Artic or south to Antarctica, Chimu Adventures has the perfect polar group trip for you. Chimu Adventures has some of the most variety for polar trips, with options to fly, cruise, or a combination of both to get to your destination.

For an ultra-unique Antarctica trip, Chimu Adventures offers cruises departing from Australia or New Zealand (most Antarctica trips depart from Argentina). Can’t stay long? Book one of Chimu Adventures’ scenic flights to Antarctica , which fly as far as the south pole in one spectacular 16-hour day.

Chimu Adventures is one of the cheapest group trips to Antarctica, with rates starting under $5,000.

Top Trip: If you’re pressed for time (or simply don’t have the stomach for the Drake Passage), Chimu Adventures’ Antarctica Fly Cruise will get you to the ends of the earth quickly and smoothly.

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Best Group Tours for Solo Travelers: For the Love of Travel

Group tours can be a great way to meet new people, but they can sometimes skew on the older age range. If you’re between 25-39 and a solo traveler looking to meet new people, you’ll love For the Love of Travel . All participants on the trips are between 25-39, and according to the company, 80 percent are solo travelers—so you’ll make friends fast. Hoping to meet someone who will be more than just a friend on your next trip? Trips include a balanced number of “gal and guy spots” to ensure an even balance of genders within groups (and of course, non-binary genders are always welcome). 

For the Love of Travel offers weeklong (or longer) international trips as well as shorter weekender trips to nearby destinations like Mexico or Denver—perfect for people without a lot of vacation time.

Top Trip: Sleep in a glass igloo under the Northern Lights, go sledding with huskies, and warm up in traditional saunas on For the Love of Travel’s Lapland tour , already booking dates for 2024.

Best Biking Tours Group Travel: DuVine Cycling

Biking through the rolling hills of Italy or across the mountain roads of Chile sounds like a dream, but the logistics seem daunting (especially if you don’t want to haul all your own stuff from point-to-point). Enter: DuVine Cycling , a luxury small group tour company that specializes in bike trips. 

With trips across Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the United States, DuVine Cycling is a cyclist’s dream. Choose from all-biking trips or mix things up with a cycle and sail bike tour or a multi-sport adventure —no matter what, everything is included, from luxury boutique accommodations to top-quality name brand bikes. 

Top Trip: DuVine’s Holland Bike Tour promises “tulips, windmills, beer, and cheese”—what more could you need?

Best Luxury Group Travel: Abercrombie & Kent

Abercrombie & Kent has been delighting discerning travelers since 1962. Today, they take travelers on unforgettable adventures across over 100 different countries and all seven continents. Although Abercrombie & Kent’s trips are pricey, they encompass once-in-a-lifetime experiences like private jet tours around the world or luxury chartered cruises .

There are trips designed for solo travelers and families , and the small group journeys max out at around 14-18 guests.

Top Trip: Swim with whale sharks in the Philippines, feed proboscis monkeys in Malaysia, and photograph wild tigers in India on Abercrombie & Kent’s Wildlife Safari: Around the World by Private Jet trip , already booking dates into 2024.

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For independent explorers who don’t want to miss out on these amazing destinations, book your hotel stay for a great rate with SmarterTravel Hotels .

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American holidays

The United States recognizes 12 federal holidays. Learn about federal, state, and cultural holidays celebrated in the U.S. 

Federal holidays

Many government offices and some private businesses close on annual federal holidays. If the holiday falls during the weekend, the government may observe it on a different day.

• New Year's Day (January 1)
• Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Third Monday in January)
• Inauguration Day (January 20, every 4 years following a presidential election)
• Washington's Birthday (Also known as Presidents Day; third Monday in February)
• Memorial Day (Last Monday in May)
• Juneteenth National Independence Day (June 19)
• Independence Day (July 4)
• Labor Day (First Monday in September)
• Columbus Day (Second Monday in October)
• Veterans Day (November 11)
• Thanksgiving Day (Fourth Thursday in November)
• Christmas Day (December 25)

The difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day

On Memorial Day, America honors those who died while serving in the military. On Veterans Day, the country celebrates everyone who has served in the military.

State holidays

States and the District of Columbia may recognize their own holidays, such as Emancipation Day or Indigenous Peoples Day. These holidays recognize events and people important to a state’s history and culture.

Commonly celebrated holidays and observances

Some holidays honor specific groups and events, such as Flag Day and Halloween. These are not federal holidays. Some holidays and observances receive presidential proclamations.

Ethnic and religious holidays

Various ethnic and religious groups in the United States celebrate days with special meaning to them. These holidays include Easter for Christians, the High Holy Days for Jews, Ramadan for Muslims, Day of Vesak for Buddhists, and Diwali for Hindus.

LAST UPDATED: December 6, 2023

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Holiday travelers can expect cheaper flights, packed hotels and lots of boomers

This year’s post-pandemic travel boom is continuing into the holidays.

Nearly half (48%) of Americans plan to travel between Thanksgiving and mid-January, up from 31% last winter, a recent Deloitte survey found. AAA expects 55.4 million travelers to venture at least 50 miles from home during the Thanksgiving period alone, a 2.3% increase from last year.

That means if you’re hitting the roads or the slopes this season, you’ll have lots of company. Here’s what to expect as you pack your bags for a winter getaway or to visit loved ones.

More affordable airfare

Airline ticket prices are falling even as more Americans intend to fly.

Deloitte found 33% of holiday travelers plan to take a domestic flight, up from 29% last year. Despite the strong demand, airfares were more than 13% cheaper last month than at same time a year ago, federal inflation data shows.

Domestic tickets are expected to be noticeably cheaper this season. Round-trip flights within the United States are set to average $268 during Thanksgiving (an annual decline of 14%) and $400 around Christmas (down 12%), according to the booking platform Hopper .

It’s more of a mixed picture for foreign getaways, for which Deloitte foresees softer demand.

Hopper expects international airfares to ease over the Thanksgiving holiday versus last year, but popular destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean are set to stay 5% to 11% higher than before the pandemic. And global flights around Christmastime are generally expected to stay elevated, according to Hopper, “with fares to all destinations outside the Caribbean and Oceania higher than 2019 and 2022 prices.”

(Hopefully) smoother-running airports

Airlines and aviation officials sound confident about handling the holiday crush. While major U.S. carriers — including American , Delta and United — expect record passenger numbers this Thanksgiving, many are touting their readiness for the season.

“We are now so much better prepared for these extreme weather events,” Southwest’s chief operating officer, Andrew Watterson, told investors on a recent earnings call, referring to the carrier’s holiday meltdown last December.

American Airlines is reassuring customers that it “has been running the most reliable operation of any U.S. network carrier for the past 14 months.” And United unveiled a new boarding process last month that it says should speed up the process.

The entire industry was snakebit from last year’s debacle, and airlines have adjusted their operations accordingly.

SCott Keyes, Founder of Going

Track records for flight cancellations and missing luggage have improved ahead of the holidays. About 1.7% of flights were canceled during the first eight months of this year, much better than the 3.0% rate for the same eight-month period last year and 2.3% in the comparable stretch of 2019, the Department of Transportation reported. And in August, the latest month with available data, the mishandled baggage rate dropped to 0.61% from 0.75% the month before.

A broader push to streamline and automate operations “will continue to help curb mishandling as we approach the holiday season,” said Nicole Hogg, head of baggage for SITA, an air transport IT company. But travel experts still suggest adding an AirTag or other digital tracking device to your luggage, especially during busy travel periods.

“Mother Nature will cause some number of cancellations, guaranteed,” said Scott Keyes, the founder of the airfare tracking site Going. But he noted that “cancellations caused by the airlines — the most galling for travelers — are at multiyear lows” and added that many carriers have bulked up on pilots, planes and staff.

“The entire industry was snakebit from last year’s debacle,” Keyes said, “and airlines have adjusted their operations accordingly.”

Pricier hotel rooms

More holiday travelers are set to book rooms than exclusively bunk with friends or family this year. Deloitte found 56% plan to stay in hotels, a sharp jump from 35% in 2022.

That could push up room rates, which were already 0.8% pricier in October than the year before . Jan Freitag, director of hospitality analytics at the commercial real-estate research company CoStar, said this season’s strong travel numbers will likely nudge Christmastime room rates above last year’s levels. In the first full week of November, they were up 4% in the U.S. from the same week a year ago, averaging $156 per night, CoStar said.

Price-conscious Christmas travelers might want to “book early to lock in lower rates, shorten their trips or trade down to a different class of service,” said Freitag, or else take their chances with last-minute reservations. Inventories will be slimmer in the eleventh hour, but hotels may still cut prices on unsold rooms.

More middle-aged and older seatmates

Baby boomers, who represented just 21% of those traveling during the holidays in 2022, are expected to make up 29% of travelers this year, Deloitte projects.

“Last year, older Americans were more likely to cite potential travel disruption and health as reasons to avoid travel,” said Steve Rogers, managing director of Deloitte’s Consumer Industry Center. “But this year, inflation, health and travel disruption concerns may have eased, and boomers are making up for lost trips.”

Inflation, health and travel disruption concerns may have eased, and boomers are making up for lost trips.

Steve Rogers, manager director of Deloitte’s Consumer Industry Center

Gen X travelers will also comprise a greater share of holiday travelers, Deloitte said, growing from 26% last year to an expected 29% this season. Millennial and Gen Z travelers, by contrast, are expected to fall back a bit — with millennials going from 36% of holiday travelers last year to 31% this year, and Gen Zers from 14% to just 8%.

How much each age group shells out over the holidays remains to be seen. The market research firm Future Partners found in a survey last month that boomers tend to have bigger full-year travel budgets — of around $4,408, above the $3,785 national average. However, PwC expects older travelers to trim their holiday travel spending by 22% since last year, partly so they can take more trips throughout the year.

“On the flip side,” said Jonathan Kletzel, PwC’s airline and travel practice leader, “Gen Z is making the biggest increase in their [holiday] travel spending, landing around 23% higher than last year.”

Growing reasons to tap loyalty points

This year 75% of holiday travelers plan to use credit cards to cover at least part of their expenses, according to a recent NerdWallet/Harris Poll survey, even though about 8% of those who charged holiday travel costs last year are still paying them off.

Americans have piled on credit card debt this year even as rates have surged. But stiffer interest fees appear to be making some holiday travelers a bit more cautious than last year, when 85% put at least some holiday travel costs on plastic, NerdWallet found.

“One way travelers are finding balance between the experiences they want and an increase in costs is through points and customer loyalty programs,” said Kletzel.

A Morning Consul report this month backed that up, showing across-the-board jumps in consumers planning to use rewards for bookings at hotels, travel companies and airlines this season. The share of those making points-based travel reservations through credit card programs rose 13% this Thanksgiving from last year and 9% for the winter holidays.

“A lot of people are sitting on more credit card rewards and/or hotel points than they realize, and about a quarter didn’t redeem any over the past year,” said Ted Rossman, a senior industry analyst at Bankrate. And because travel points typically don’t gain value once netted, he said, “it makes sense to earn and burn rewards strategically.”

Harriet Baskas is an NBC News contributor who writes about travel and the arts.

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What Are The Major U.S. Holidays?

One of the most exciting things about living in another country is experiencing its holidays. What are The major U.S. holidays? Do you know how to celebrate them? Keep reading to find out!

Major U.S. Holidays

Here are the major U.S. holidays. In some cases, businesses, government offices, and schools will be closed.

New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day

Mlk jr. day.

• President’s Day

Valentine’s Day

St. patrick’s day, easter/spring break, mother’s day, memorial day, father’s day, 4th of july, thanksgiving, christmas eve, christmas day.

What is the significance of each of these holidays? And how do you celebrate them? Read on to find out!

Date: December 31 and January 1

Importance: The beginning of the new year according to the Western (Gregorian) calendar.  

How the holiday is celebrated : On New Year’s Eve (December 31st), many people drink champagne or sparkling wine.

Many people watch the New Year’s show in Times Square in New York. It’s common to decorate with black, silver, and gold: some people also wear hats or glasses with the new year printed on them.

At midnight, people count down from 10 to 1 and then celebrate. Couples kiss at midnight and friends hug and say “Happy New Year.”

On January 1, many stores are closed. Most people relax and have a big meal with their friends and family.

Date: The third Monday of January

Importance: This holiday celebrates the January 15th birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., who is

known for activism during the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. (The Civil Rights Movement was the protest of U.S. laws that were racially discriminatory.) Sadly, Dr. King was assassinated in 1968.

How the holiday is celebrated : The holiday usually includes inspirational speeches and parades. For many, it is a time to think about public service and about improving our communities and societies: during this week, schools teach children about the life and achievements of this inspirational person.

Presidents’ Day

Date: The third Monday of February

Importance: Presidents’ Day was originally to celebrate the birthday of the first President of the United States, George Washington. Today, the holiday celebrates all U.S. Presidents.

How the holiday is celebrated : Presidents’ Day is a time for patriotic celebration: many places will be decorated with red, white, and blue. In school, students learn about some of the most influential U.S. Presidents during this week. Because the Monday is a holiday, many businesses have three-day-weekend sales.

Date: February 14

Importance: A traditional holiday of love.

How the holiday is celebrated : Valentine’s Day is common in many parts of the world. In the U.S., the holiday is celebrated with chocolate, red roses, and sparkling wine. Many restaurants have a special menu on this day, and many couples give each other gifts. In school, children give each other “valentines,” which are cards. Stores sell “conversation hearts,” which are heart-shaped candies with words written on them.

Date: March 17

Importance: St. Patrick’s Day is originally an Irish holiday, but Americans decided to make this an official holiday as well!

How the holiday is celebrated : On this day, everyone wears green: if you do not wear green, then someone can pinch you! For some adults, St. Patrick’s Day is a very big “party holiday:” people drink green beer and wear silly hats or costumes when they go to a bar. Many eat corned beef and cabbage, which is a traditional Irish dish.

Date: Changes each year (usually late March or early April)

Importance: Originally a Christian holiday, this is now a common time for schools to take a one-week break during the spring season.

How the holiday is celebrated : To many, Easter is the beginning of the spring season. People begin wearing brighter colors after wearing dark clothes during winter (some buy a special outfit for Easter, and it is usually in pastel colors).

Easter is on a Sunday. Before Easter, many people dye eggs: they use special food coloring to make white eggs into bright colors. On Easter, parents hide the eggs and children have an Easter egg hunt. After the Easter egg hunt, most people eat a large lunch (often with lamb, ham, peas, and carrots).

Americans also have the myth of the Easter Bunny, which is a large rabbit that brings gifts to children on Easter. (Most of the gifts are chocolates and candies.) Christians celebrate Easter by attending a special church service.

Date: Second Monday of May

Importance: Celebrating motherhood!

How the holiday is celebrated : Mother’s Day is typically celebrated by a brunch. Children make or buy gifts for their mothers.

Date: Last Monday of May

Importance: Memorial Day is to remember all of the people who died while serving in the U.S. armed forces (Navy, Army, etc.). It also is the unofficial beginning of summer for many.

How the holiday is celebrated : Since Memorial Day began as a patriotic holiday, there are always decorations in red, white, and blue. Many stores have sales.

Many celebrate the long weekend outdoors by having a barbecue, going camping, or going to the beach or a lake.

Date: Third Sunday of June

Importance: Celebrating fatherhood!

How the holiday is celebrated : Father’s Day is typically celebrated with a barbecue for dad. Children buy or make gifts.

Date: July 4th

Importance : The 4th of July celebrates the “birth” of the USA

How the holiday is celebrated : Fireworks and barbecue! On the 4th of July, people wear red, white, and blue and typically eat hamburgers, hot dogs, coleslaw, chips, fruit salad, and beans.

After the sun goes down, many go to a local park or beach to watch a fireworks show.

Date: First Monday of September

Importance: Labor Day celebrates the workers of the U.S. and gives them a well-deserved day of rest.

How the holiday is celebrated : Labor Day is the unofficial end of summer, so many people celebrate with activities related to water or the outdoors, including a barbecue. As with all three-day weekends, there are of course sales in the stores.

Date: October 31

Importance: Celebrating the old pagan tradition of remember those who died; in modern times, Halloween in the U.S. is more about dressing in costume and eating candy.

How the holiday is celebrated : Halloween is celebrated by adults and children. People dress in costumes, go to a haunted house, and have Halloween parties. Many go to a pumpkin patch and carve pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns: they leave their decorations next to their front door. Children go “trick or treating,” where they go to the houses in their neighborhood and collect candy.

Date: Fourth Thursday of November

Importance: This holiday celebrates the harvest and a story of the settlers from Europe having a large meal with the Native Americans. It is now a day to give thanks for all of the wonderful things we have in our lives.

How the holiday is celebrated : Thanksgiving dinner is a large meal with some special foods that many people do not eat the rest of the year. Most people roast a whole turkey and serve it with mashed potatoes, yams, cranberry sauce, green beans, and stuffing (flavored bread that is cooked inside the turkey). For dessert, many have apple, pumpkin, and pecan pie.

Date: December 24

Importance: The night before Christmas!

How the holiday is celebrated : Some families open presents on Christmas Eve. Many choose to have a large dinner and give the children new pajamas (which they will wear on Christmas Day, when they open presents in the morning).

It is tradition for small children to make cookies and leave them for Santa, who will bring the children gifts during the night.

Date: December 25

Importance: A day of giving gifts. For Christians, this day celebrates the birth of Jesus.

How the holiday is celebrated : Christmas is a time to be with friends and family. The day begins by opening gifts (including the stockings, which are large “socks” filled with gifts).

IEC-OCC Admin

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Maximize your time off work this summer: Turn holidays into long weekends

Are you looking to maximize your paid time off this summer? Here are a few holidays that might help you turn a paid day off into a longer stretch.

Memorial Day: Monday, May 27

Memorial Day is already a three-day weekend, but if you take off May 24 with paid leave, you can make it four. Or, if you're craving more time off, taking leave from May 28 to 31 gives a nine-day stretch without work and only uses four vacation days.

Juneteenth: Wednesday, June 19

While more than half the U.S. got Juneteenth off work in 2023, it isn't a guaranteed day off for all workers.

President Joe Biden made the day, which commemorates the end of slavery, a federal holiday in 2021 and granted federal workers the day off . It is a recognized holiday by the state of Iowa, but it's not a paid day off for state workers.

This year Juneteenth falls in the middle of the week. If you want more time off to commemorate, take part in educational activities or relax, you can use two vacation days to make it a five-day weekend.

More: These 'serene' Iowa towns are best to escape to for a weekend retreat. What made the list?

Independence Day: Thursday, July 4

July 4 can become nine days off work by using only four days of time off.

This year, July 4 is on a Thursday. Taking off July 1-3 and 5 is the best way to optimize your time if you're looking for a long vacation. But, if you want to be simple with it, take off Friday, July 5 for a four-day weekend.

Labor Day: Monday, Sept. 2

Labor Day is the perfect way to say goodbye to the summer. It's automatically a three-day weekend for most workers, but if you take leave on Friday too you have an opportunity for a quick four-day trip.

Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at  [email protected]  or follow her on Twitter  @VictoriaReynaR

Politics latest: Key voter on Humza Yousaf's future will make proposals to 'help him out of a tight corner'

Ash Regan, who is the Alba Party's sole MSP and potentially the deciding vote in a no-confidence motion in Mr Yousaf, is expected to meet with the first minister.

Sunday 28 April 2024 11:00, UK

• Sunak refuses to rule out July general election
• Watch in full: Trevor Phillips interviews the prime minister
• Key voter on Yousaf's future will make proposals to 'help him out of a tight corner'
• Connor Gillies:  First minister must reset relations with very people he's burned bridges with
• Salmond asked Alastair Campbell to negotiate on behalf of Scotland if it gained independence
• Explained: How did we get here - and what happens next?
• Tap here to follow Electoral Dysfunction
• Sam Coates explains why the local elections matter
• Live reporting by Brad Young

Lorna Slater, co-leader of the Scottish Greens, has said her party will not be changing its mind about supporting the upcoming motion of no confidence in First Minister Humza Yousaf.

Ms Slater said they would vote in favour of the motion on BBC Scotland's Sunday Show,

"I cannot imagine anything at this point that could change that position.

"This was a spectacular breach of trust."

She was asked if policy offers from Mr Yousaf ahead of the vote could persuade them to abstain.

“[The Bute House Agreement] was based on mutual trust and respect. I do have trust and respect for many of my SNP colleagues," she said.

"But Humza Yousaf himself has broken that and he needs to face the consequences."

Policing minister Chris Philp said he was posing a "rhetorical question" after he appeared to ask whether Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo were different countries.

The MP for Croydon South said he was struggling to hear when he was asked about the government's new law on deporting some asylum seekers to Rwanda by a Question Time audience member.

He told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg: "I was struggling a little bit to hear the question.

"When I put that point to him I was asking that as a clearly rhetorical question rather than a substantive question, as I think any fair-minded listener would conclude."

What did he say on Question Time?

The audience member, from Congo, pointed out there has been a long history of violent conflict with neighbouring country Rwanda.

He asked Mr Philp: "Had my family members come from Goma [a city on the country's border] on a crossing right now, would they then be sent back to the country they are supposedly warring – Rwanda? Does that make any sense to you?"

Mr Philp replied: "No, I think there's an exclusion on people from Rwanda being sent to Rwanda."

After the audience member objected that his parents were not from Rwanda, the Conservative MP appeared to ask: "Well, I mean, Rwanda is a different country to Congo, isn't it?

"It's a different country?" he said, followed by laughter from some audience members.

Rishi Sunak was quizzed over the local and general elections, the Rwanda Scheme and defence spending today on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips.

If you missed it, here's your chance to catch up on all the key moments - or watch the interview in full.

• The prime minister tried to manage expectations for Thursday, saying: "Local elections are always difficult for incumbent parties";
• Asylum seekers travelling across the land border to Ireland was a sign the Rwanda scheme was working as a deterrent, he said;
• Despite being asked several times, Mr Sunak refused to rule out a July general election;
• He declined to comment on polling and, when asked if he would have any regrets should the Conservative Party lose, Mr Sunak said: "You're again focused on all this personality stuff."

A little earlier this morning, Rishi Sunak told Sky News that the movement of migrants from Northern Ireland into the Republic of Ireland showed his Rwanda scheme was working as a deterrent.

But the Irish government is to consider legislative proposals next week on returning asylum seekers back to the UK who have travelled across the land border.

Justice minister Helen McEntee will also meet Home Secretary James Cleverly next week, after saying the number of migrants crossing the border was now "higher than 80%".

"I'll have emergency legislation at cabinet this week to make sure that we can effectively return people to the UK," she told RTE.

Ms McEntee added Brexit was responsible for the UK seeing an increase in people seeking asylum.

A spokesman for Irish premier Simon Harris said he is "very clear about the importance of protecting the integrity" of Ireland's migration system.

"Ireland has a rules-based system that must always be applied firmly and fairly.

"In that context, the Taoiseach has asked the minister for justice to bring proposals to Cabinet next week to amend existing law regarding the designation of safe 'third countries' and allowing the return of inadmissible international protection applicants to the UK."

Alex Salmond asked Alastair Campbell to negotiate on behalf of Scotland with the UK government in the event it voted for independence in 2014, Mr Campbell tells Sky News.

The proposal was made when the pair were in Scotland ahead of the referendum, making tributes to Tony Benn, the former Number 10 communications director says.

"If Scotland had become independent, then that would have been a massive, massive thing for the country, so I would have been very happy to do that.

"I would want people who weren't necessarily pro-indpendence to be part of that team."

As Humza Yousaf fights to maintain leadership of Scotland, the Alba Party's Alex Salmond joins Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips.

Meanwhile, Ash Regan, the Alba Party's sole MP and potentially the deciding vote in a no-confidence motion in Mr Yousaf, is expected to meet with the first minister.

Ms Regan will "make a set of reasonable proposals to help him out of a very tight corner", says Mr Salmond.

"Scotland is lucky that somebody like Ash Regan is in that position."

Independence forces should be "cooperating together to try and get independence back as a priority in Scottish society".

Asked if an agreement can be reached with the SNP, Mr Salmond says Mr Yousaf is "in a very difficult position" but he will be in a "listening mode".

"He wouldn't have sacked the Greens from his administration unless he wanted a significant change in direction," says Mr Salmond.

"One possible outcome of this political crisis is there might be a Scottish election."

Earlier this week, Labour pledged to nationalise the railway system.

Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting says the plan is a "reflection of the failure of privatised rail and the absence of competition".

If you bring the franchises back into public ownership as they come up, the profits can be reinvested into better services and fairs, argues Mr Streeting.

"There is already enormous public ownership of our railways, but they are owned by French, German, Dutch and Italian taxpayers, and our profits go into their countries."

"It's time that we had public ownership of our railways so we can reinvest."

Trevor Phillips continues to put questions to shadow health secretary Wes Streeting.

He is about Keir Starmer's pledge to maintain the triple lock, with Phillips raising statistics showing median wealth for those in their early 60s was nearly nine times higher than those in their early 30s.

"I don't buy into that intergenerational conflict argument. We need to give pensioners the reassurance to know that as they have planned for retirement... that Labour will protect the triple lock."

Wes Streeting is asked about the possibility of a July election, which the prime minister has refused to rule out.

The shadow health secretary says: "He should get on with it. We are not just ready, we are, as with the rest of the country, fed up of waiting."

People are "crying out for an opportunity to deliver their verdict on this government and vote for change", he says.

"That's why the prime minister bottled an election earlier this year, that's why he's bottled it now, and that's why he will have to be taken out of Downing Street by his fingernails."

Labour's shadow health secretary Wes Streeting is next on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips.

He says Dan Poulter's defection to Labour is a reflection of the "disillusionment of millions of Conservative voters", as well as of a "changed Labour party" because "only Labour can be trusted with the NHS".

Mr Poulter defended and carried out NHS reforms under the Conservative government.

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

May bank holiday travel chaos feared as people warned to plan journeys now

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Travellers are set to face mass journey disruptions over the May Bank Holiday next weekend. 

London ’s Euston Station will be closed next Sunday to all but London Overground passengers. 

People looking to travel are therefore advised to check for the latest updates before planning their routes, especially if they’re headed to Scotland . 

From Saturday to Monday, May 4 to 6, engineers will also be carrying out major railway upgrades across the North West of England . 

Those wanting to travel between Crewe, Liverpool, Warrington, Runcorn, Wigan, Bolton, Manchester, Preston and Carlisle are therefore advised to check well in advance of setting off. 

The Bank Holiday misery comes after the Easter break was marred by three days of motorway and train line chaos , when severe congestion and planned works choked many of the nation’s most crucial motorways, A-roads and rail routes. 

James Dean, passenger director for Network Rail’s North West and Central region, said: ‘We know there is never an ideal time to shut the railway but bank holidays continue to be the least disruptive time for us to carry out this essential maintenance.’

‘With Euston closed our advice is once again to check before you travel over the long weekend, and to plan ahead by checking National Rail Enquiries to see how your journey could be impacted. 

Engineering work will further see buses replace trains between Doncaster and Darlington. 

In the capital, other constructions and repairs will also cause disruption between Farringdon and Loughborough Junction, between Blackfriars and Herne Hill, and between Battersea Pier and Factory Junction. 

On Sunday 5, there will be no Thameslink services running from either Wimbledon or Sutton. 

The Sevenoaks service will also run from London Victoria instead of London Blackfriars.

Meanwhile, repair work between Shepherd’s Bush and Watford Junction will see the Southern service suspended between 8pm on the Saturday and noon on Sunday. 

Trains along that route will then be suspended again from 9pm that evening.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected] .

For more stories like this, check our news page .

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