Recently updated on January 22nd, 2020 at 07:24 pm
As this year’s USA Memorial Day celebrations come around, we take a look at some of the best ways to celebrate this country’s great history over the long weekend. From lively parades held in honour of military heroes, to some of the most significant sites to visit for a dose of history, here’s our pick of the best places to spend Memorial Day in the US.
Washington, D.C.
With so many memorials within its parameters, Washington, D.C. naturally had to be included in our selection of places to spend Memorial Day in the US. The city also hosts one of the country’s biggest parades, alongside other Memorial Day events that pay tribute to both the military and veterans over the three-day weekend. Constitution Avenue is the setting for the National Memorial Day Parade, which brings together marching bands, floats and performers. Then, over on the West Lawn of the US Capitol, there’s the free National Memorial Day Concert. While you’re in town, set aside enough time to stroll along the National Mall and stop by the National Museum of American History.
Visit Washington, D.C. on the Trails of Liberty, Historic Highlights, Great East Coast Cities, East Coast USA and Canada, and Trans-American Grand Adventure.
New York
Parades take place across the city, but The Little Neck-Douglaston Memorial Day Parade in Queens is one of New York’s biggest processions. Having been held since 1927, 2016 will mark the event’s 89th year. Another of the city’s most notable events is over in Brooklyn. Now 149 years old, the Brooklyn Memorial Day Parade is among the country’s oldest, and this year it will be led by the United States Military Academy Band.
Explore New York with Trafalgar on the Great East Coast Cities, East Coast USA and Canada and Trans-American Grand Adventure itineraries.
Mount Rushmore
Offering both natural beauty and an insight into the history of the United States, it’s no wonder Mount Rushmore attracts visitors from across the world. See the monument to US presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, carved into Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota, and take the chance to look back at the history that made the United States what it is today.
See Mount Rushmore for yourself on the Wild West Cowboys and Buffalos, National Parks Wonders, Trans-American Grand Adventure, Western Frontiers and Scenic Parks Explorer.
Boston
In celebration of the beginning of summer in Boston and in honour of those who fought for the country, Boston bursts with activity over the long weekend. Each year at this time, the Massachusetts Military Heroes organisation places 37,000 US flags, known as the Garden of Flags, in front of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument on Boston Common. At Parkman Bandstand on Boston Common, meanwhile, visitors can catch the free-to-attend Honour & Tribute: Memorial Day Concert, which this year features the Boston City Singers and the Metropolitan Wind Symphony Orchestra.
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Gettysburg
Another of the country’s longest running Memorial Day parades takes place in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where it has been held for 149 years. Spending the weekend in Gettysburg also means having the opportunity to explore the region’s poignant and historically significant sites. Visit Gettysburg Battlefield, and then stop by the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum.
Reflect on the country’s history with Trafalgar on the Trails of Liberty, Historic Highlights and Trans-American Grand Adventure.
Image credits: Cover photo © iStock / Kenneth Wiedemann. Lincoln Memorial © iStock / tomwachs. Memorial Day Parade © iStock / Michelle Malven. Mount Rushmore © iStock / Lynn Bystrom. Boston Garden of Flags © iStock / BAKillgoar. Pennsylvania Memorial at Gettysburg © iStock / Dwight Nadig.