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Strip off your sweaters; the official start of summer is coming in hot. Gear up for a long weekend where the smell of bonfires, the taste of freshly grilled hamburgers and the feel of the ocean wash all the winter blues away. Memorial Day Weekend — when millions of Americans take off for vitamin D-drenched destinations from sea to shining sea — is just around the corner.
Whether you’re looking for a coastal California retreat or a fun Hamptons getaway, these are the best hotels to check into this Memorial Day weekend.
The Omni Homestead Resort
It seems only natural that America’s oldest resort pulls out all the stops for Memorial Day. This American Express Hotel Collection member is in the leafy green mountains of Bath County, Virginia, near the West Virginia border.
Holiday weekend celebrations here are jam-packed with activities, including a carnival with face painting, live music by the pool, T-shirt tie-dying classes and fireworks — perfect for families. Parents will love the minigolf tournament, formal afternoon tea and the Kick-Off To Summer cookout with a live orchestra.
Rates at The Omni Homestead Resort start at $503.
Washington Hilton
There’s no better place to honor America’s fallen soldiers than in Washington, D.C. Home to the country’s largest war memorials and monuments, spend days visiting these historic sites and evenings poolside at the Washington Hilton.
With views over the Washington Monument, the hotel will mark the weekend by opening its poolside restaurant and bar for the summer season. They’re partnering with Roseblood Rosé for creative drink specials and merch giveaways from Friday to Monday. The team here will also be putting on a poolside barbecue with Washington, D.C.’s famous half-smoked hot dogs, barbecue chicken and hamburgers.
Rates at Washington Hilton start at $212.
Chatham Bars Inn
Few summertime destinations invoke more Americana than Cape Cod. This stately inn at the center of Chatham, one of its most frequented oceanside towns, has been a beloved institution for 110 years.
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This American Express Preferred Hotels & Resorts member hosts a jam-packed calendar of events each year and has more perks than ever this Memorial Day Weekend. From an adult tennis camp led by a tennis pro to build-your-own stuffed animals for kids to a paint-and-sip class, there’s something for every family member. There are also plenty of ocean offerings, including whale watching, fishing and lobstering (or lobstah-ing) on the Cape.
Rates at Chatham Bars Inn start at $900.
Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club
In the idyllic Orange County city of Dana Point, it’s summer year-round, and this Hilton hotel loves any excuse to throw a shindig.
Start the holiday weekend with a special breakfast buffet — stocked with homemade pastries and piles of bacon — at Aveo while live music plays and waves break in the distance. Burn off the morning buns with a family-friendly session of beach yoga. With toes in the sand, all ages are welcome to practice their sun salutations. Then, spend the day by the Monarch Pool, where DJs spin tracks and margaritas flow.
Rates at Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club start at $800
The Lodge at Blue Sky
Are you in search of big, open skies? You’ll find plenty at this 3,500-acre private ranch near Park City, Utah. This Auberge resort is all about nature, where horseback riding and fly fishing are par for the adventure.
Memorial Day Weekend is all about the food, though. The Lodge at Blue Sky is hosting famed director Guy Ritchie’s first U.S. pop-up, WildKitchen. A laundry list of incredible chefs, including Kim Canteenwalla and Viet Pham, come together for a can’t-miss gourmand event on the world’s first fully retractable canvas and hardwood WildTent. Using local produce from Utah, they’ll steam, grill, smoke and slow roast some of the best bites this side of the Mississippi.
Rates at The Lodge at Blue Sky start at $1,499.
Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa
New Yorkers rejoice: The Hamptons is once again calling for summer fun, and Montauk’s luxurious oceanside hot spot Gurney’s knows how to party. Memorial Day celebrations start with DJ sets from artists like Chachi, Surf Mesa and Ian Asher at its Beach Club.
If you’ve jumped on the health and wellness train, don’t worry; you can combine the two. As part of the resort’s Signature Summer Fitness program, they’ll be offering classes like DJ Yoga, where you can move to the beats.
Kid-friendly activities include a “Dive-In Movie” at its indoor pool as well as guided crafts and activities at the kids club. Little ones will love the ice cream hour, while adults partake in the mixology class at the resort’s stylish Scarpetta Bar.
Rates at Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa start at $1,200.
W Nashville
A long weekend in Nashville is always a good idea. So, pack your cowboy boots and head to America’s country music capital for Memorial Day Weekend. Book a room at the W for an ideal city stay in the chic neighborhood of Gulch.
Bring your bathing suit for the hotel’s poolside cookout at the Wet Deck on Monday afternoon. Then, indulge in Southern classics like smoked brisket on Hawaiian rolls, peach barbecue chicken, beer-braised bratwurst, deviled eggs and mini apple pies. Wash it down with themed cocktails while live music plays in the background. Plus, the hotel’s “Summer Sundays” start with drink specials and a set by local favorite DJ Sparkle City Disco.
Rates at W Nashville start at $352.
Related: The best hotels to book in Nashville for the full Music City experience
Ponte Vedra Inn & Club
Head down to Florida for a long weekend full of family fun. Oceanfront rooms along Florida’s azure Atlantic coast are primed for a dreamy stay. Did we mention the hotel’s four pools, two championship-level golf courses and 15 tennis courts?
Over the course of the weekend, this property hosts various kids’ games on the sand. Little ones can partake in a hula hoop contest, face painting, a treasure hunt, complimentary Popsicles and watermelon. On May 27, the hotel will host a huge “all-American barbecue” with classics like potato salad, smoked barbecue ribs, grilled ribeye, macaroni and cheese, peach cobbler and strawberry shortcake.
Rates at Ponte Vedra Inn & Club start at $699.
C Lazy U Ranch
Days spent at this all-inclusive guest ranch dating back to 1919 are rarely lazy. The traditional Western experience near Denver offers horseback riding, tennis, pickleball, mountain biking, hiking, fly fishing, archery and hatchet throwing for nature-loving guests.
During the holiday weekend, guests can indulge in an outdoor breakfast, including Cowboy Coffee with views over the Indian Peaks mountain range; evening cookouts feature a pig roast. Serenaded by acoustic guitar and karaoke, families can enjoy s’mores by a roaring fire under the Colorado sky.
Rates at C Lazy U Ranch start at $685.
Sea Island Resort
Memorial Day is one of the biggest weekends of the year for this private island off the coast of Georgia. As a member of the American Express Hotel Collection, guests can soak in the sun on its five-mile stretch of beach or play a few rounds on its golf course overlooking the water.
Sea Island goes all-out to kick off the summer with events including a Spring Fling, a beach club seafood buffet, tie-dye on the beach and a barbecue contest between the island’s chefs (where guests vote for the winner). Kids will love the different themed nights, including Carnival Night and Dinos After Dark, where they watch movies and munch on snacks with the resort’s junior staff.
Rates at Sea Island Resort start at $662.
Big Cedar Lodge
In the shadow of the Ozarks, this Ridgedale, Missouri, resort overlooks majestic Table Rock Lake. Marketed as “America’s premier wilderness resort,” Big Cedar Lodge gets especially patriotic during every Memorial Day weekend.
Sign up for Stars & Stripes Beach Bingo or a Run to Remember 5k. There are also crafts and games, including black light paint and pour, pedal boat family fishing and a family bowling tournament for all ages. This year, on May 25, country singer Morgan Wallen will perform at the resort’s new outdoor amphitheater, Thunder Ridge Nature Arena.
But the hotel’s Patriotic Picnic is the main attraction, with a massive spread of food and a performance from a local band. End the evening with a Lady Liberty fireworks cruise on the lake.
Rates at Big Cedar Lodge start at $550
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