SURVEY SAYS: When WIll Your Memorial Day Weekend Begin (and End)?

…and certainly more so than when I asked readers a week ago, as a bonus question, if they planned to be taking advantage of the long week before, the long weekend of, or the short week afterwards for a little time off?   

A plurality of the responses (47.8%) were “just” taking advantage of the long weekend, though nearly as many (41.6%) planned to take advantage of that weekend AND maybe sneak out a bit early on Friday (though, as one reader noted, “I don’t really have to sneak out Friday. We close two hours early for the long weekend!”). 

Roughly 9% were taking the week before AND the holiday off (which likely means they aren’t here to read this survey), while only 1% were planning to take advantage of the short week next week. 

That’s about the same (1%) as those for whom this would not even be a regular weekend.

As for travelling plans, more than two-thirds (68.3%) said they weren’t, while another 5% said that, while they were travelling, it wouldn’t be far. 

On the other hand, nearly a quarter (23.3%) were going to be traveling more than a hundred miles, while the remaining 3.3% would keep that travel radius to within 50 miles (though, as one reader noted, “Staying in town, but putting many miles on my car traveling between my two sons' baseball tournaments.”

One category that I didn’t have on the selection list, but which drew a fair amount of support in the ever-popular “other” category were those who planned to take the whole day Friday, as well as the long weekend.  Among those:

Will work from home on Friday morning, and the company usually lets employees go around mid-day prior to a holiday weekend.

“Taking the Friday before off because an old (maybe I should have said former) co-worker is coming to town. Didn't even realize it was a holiday weekend - lucky me!” 

There were, of course, some “other” responses that fell into the “other” category, including these:

Taking two day's off before just because my daughter is getting married - normally I'd be looking at a normal week on both sides as it's 5500 season!

Taking the 3 days before, and the week after for a family vacation.

And, as always, a goodly smattering of colorful responses/expanded explanations:

Going anywhere is so hectic. I stay home and work on my yard/garden (weather permitting of course).

I'm traveling six hours one way to take my dogs to a weekend of Earthdog games.  We took them last year and they refused to show any interest in the rats.  Hopefully we'll have better luck this year.

Attending an all-day Bachelorette Party on Sunday.  Using Monday to recover!!

Summer vacation ... mmmmmm... not sure what that is anymore.

I need the time off, even if it’s only one additional day.

Why am I paying $4.03 a gallon for regular unleaded gas, when the price of oil's $98 a barrel?

Gas is too expensive to drive very far for the weekend.

Bring it on!

We will be traveling to my grandfather's house about 250 miles away to pick up a 1929 Hupmobile and maybe a 1926 Model T frame.  He has collected cars his entire life and at 100 can't care for them so a couple have been passed on to us.

Leaving tonight Wed. the 18th to open our summer place in Rhode Island. All the neighborhood guys go down the Thursday & Friday the week before Memorial Day week, open our places, help each other do the work that’s needed and have quite a few refreshments, then next week all the families come down  and everything is done, so summer can officially start.

I hate summer and suffer from Summer Seasonal Affective Disorder.  What?  You thought only winter had a disorder?  Yes, Virginia, there is such a thing as Summer Seasonal Affective Disorder and I have it.

Summer?  I live on the East Coast and we haven't even had spring yet.  I'd like a little bit of sun and warm weather before jumping into the heat of summer, thank you.

Heading to a wedding in San Fran and decided to stretch it into a nice little vacation. Can't wait to get away from everything and enjoy the city, a trip to wine country, and a Giants game. It can't come soon enough...

What's a summer vacation?  Since we home school, the school year means nothing.  Would rather travel in the fall to Florida or winter to Florida then the summer.

I love the summer but it seems like it goes by way too quickly.  I'm just hoping to be able to take a whole week off to enjoy it.

Going mountain biking and wine tasting with friends in Colorado's Wine Country - Palisades, Fruita, & Grand Junction!

Growing up there seems to be more events surrounding Memorial Day.  Now it just seems like people think of it as the beginning of summer.  Really, too bad for teh younger generation.

We usually stay home during summer holidays.  The highways are just too dangerous!  Well, not the highways themselves, but the drivers who started "celebrating" before getting in their cars!

I enjoy Memorial Day and the recognition of armed service personnel and service orientation in general.  We have a large parade in our community and it is nice to see every one come out and share the patriotic spirit.  With all the political divisions and angst lately, Memorial Day feels like a more cohesive way to celebrate and support what Americans have in common.

So looking forward to the spring snows in Yellowstone.....

Can't wait - the summer is going to end with a trip to Ireland.

We're returning from a week's vacation on Sunday the 29th, and I'm planning to be in the office Memorial Day to survey the damage in peace and quiet before the normal frenzy Tuesday morning.

We've had rain and more rain, the temperatures are in the 50's, and because of this I've been unable to get my boat painted and in the water.  It's starting out to be a very short summer.

Hard to even think of summer when all we see is rain, rain and more rain.

Memorial Day is the right time to reflect on the sacrificies those before us made so we can enjoy what we have in this country today.

How did it get here so fast?  I still have my received Christmas cards in a pile to record and throw out.

Every year when Memorial Day rolls around, I always think, "wow, summer is finally here". When Labor Day arrives, I always think, "where did the summer go"! I believe the old saying that the older you get, the faster the years go is absolutely a truism.

Here were my favorites:

403b plan auditors are in the week before and the week after. Ugh.....I'll need 3 days on Memorial Day weekend just so that it feels like I had a regular 2 day weekend!

Thanks for reminding me to find something to do!

Considering the "spring" we've had thus far, I'm hoping it's now safe to move the snowblower and its winter friends to the shed, plant some flowers in the muck remaining and, at the same time, be thankful I'm not picking dandelions.

The in-laws will be hanging around all weekend. I may just go to the office to get away.

Memorial Day?  Is it May already?

Wait... it's almost summer?  I did not get the memo.

But this week’s Editor’s Choice goes to the reader who observed, “Hoping everyone else will take the whole week off so I can actually get some work done around here!”

Thanks to everyone who participated in our survey!  If you’re traveling (or not) – be safe!  And let’s not forget what Memorial Day is (really) all about!