Hacking Your Calendar to Take More Long Weekend Vacations in 2026

New year, new you. And most importantly, new travel opportunities! If you’re looking to prioritize (or re-prioritize) travel in 2026, you’ve come to the right place. Although travel can be resource-intensive, requiring time and money, it can also be easier than you think to make a PTO day here or there into a long weekend. That’s especially true with a pre-planned calendar of potential 2026 long weekend vacations — and with a rental RV that allows you to travel in comfort and style, without having to wait in long airport security lines or bounce from hotel to hotel. 

In fact, 2026 features seven “natural” long weekends (no paid time off required), and with just six or eight days off, you could easily expand that to ten or more short vacations (or one longer one). Below, we’ll show you some of the best PTO hacking opportunities for long weekend vacations in 2026, as well as the tips and tricks you need to hit the road in an RV like a pro.

What Is PTO Hacking?

PTO hacking is pretty much what it sounds like: using the minimum amount of PTO (paid time off) to achieve the maximum vacation opportunity. Often, this means planning PTO around holidays you already have off from work in order to make long weekends even longer.

This tactic works especially well for RV trips since many people are looking to visit drivable locations that aren’t too far from home, and which are suitable for a three- or four-day weekend. And since in an RV, even the journey is part of the fun, you won’t have to waste even a single second of your paid time off navigating a busy airport or schlepping your suitcases into and out of a hotel. (That’s not to mention the fact that you won’t be limited by flight schedules, delays, and other out-of-your-control aspects of air travel.)

The Basic PTO Rule

The basic rule of PTO hacking is simple. Use the fewest PTO days possible — and get the maximum amount of time off. Some simple ways to achieve this include:

• Taking PTO on Fridays or Mondays to extend a normal, two-day weekend
• Stacking PTO around federal holidays to create longer long weekends (our favorite approach) 
• Combining your PTO with flexible remote work, if your company allows it, to create longer working vacations that combine downtime with productivity

Below, we’ll show you some specific 2026 long weekends that lend themselves easily to PTO hacking.

Why RV Trips Are Perfect for Long Weekends

You won’t be surprised to learn that we think RVing is the best way to go no matter what. But our favorite style of travel really does combine well with a PTO-hacking approach. That’s because:

• You aren’t limited by flight schedules, which can eat into limited vacation time
• Similarly, you choose the departure time, which maximizes your adventures (by leaving on Thursday night or early on Friday, for example)
• It’s pet-friendly, so you can bring your four-legged family members wherever you go
• It works well for remote workers, who are often most eager to stack PTO days and take advantage of travel opportunities
• Plus, it’s just plain fun to see the U.S. by road

Convinced yet? Let’s dive into the details about how you can make it happen for yourself and your family this year.

2026 Federal U.S. Holidays That Create Built-In Long Weekends

Good news, PTO hackers. There are eight federally-recognized holidays that naturally lend themselves to long weekends in 2026, most of which won’t require you to take even a single day of PTO. (In the table below, you’ll also see that we include Independence Day, which this year falls on a Saturday — but that July weekend is fun enough that we figure it might be worth a day off or two anyway!)

2026 Long Weekend Holidays

Turn 1–2 PTO Days Into 4–5 Day RV Getaways

Now that you’ve got a baseline for which holidays are available for turning into adventures, let’s take a closer look at how to hack your PTO to get the highest number of days off (and the most vacation time bang for your buck) with some specific examples.

Best PTO Combinations for 2026

While not exhaustive, here are some of our top-hit options for turning a few PTO days into a longer vacation in 2026.

1 PTO Day → 4-Day Weekend

The very first opportunity for this one is coming right up — take off the Friday after New Year’s Day and you’ll have a four-day weekend running from Thursday, January 1 to Sunday, January 4, 2026.

When it comes to learning how to turn one PTO day into a long weekend, other good opportunities include any Friday or Monday holiday. Just take the other day (Friday or Monday) off to turn a three-day weekend into a four-day one. Examples include taking Friday off before Memorial Day or taking Monday off after Juneteenth.

2 PTO Days → 5-Day Weekend

Looking for an even longer long weekend? Here are some easy opportunities to turn two PTO days into five full days off.

• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: Take off Thursday and Friday for a five-day vacation from Thursday, January 15 through Monday, January 19 (the actual holiday)
• President’s Day: Take off Thursday and Friday for a five-day vacation from Thursday, February 12 through Monday, February 16 (the actual holiday)
• Memorial Day and Labor Day can be hacked using the same formula: take off the Thursday and Friday before a Monday holiday for a five-day weekend (or the Tuesday and Wednesday after, if you’d rather come home to a much shorter work week)
• For Juneteenth, which falls on a Friday you can reverse this tactic and take off Monday and Tuesday to turn a three-day weekend into a five-day vacation

4 PTO Days → 9-Day RV Trip

Looking for a serious upgrade? Here are some opportunities to use four PTO days to get more than a full week off.

• Monday holidays (like Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, etc): Take the following Tuesday through Friday off to get nine uninterrupted days of travel time
• Friday holidays (like Juneteenth): Take the Monday through Thursday preceding the holiday off and you’ll have the nine days from weekend to weekend totally free and ready for adventure

Month-by-Month Long Weekend Ideas for 2026

Now that you’ve got your eyes on some specific 2026 long holiday RV travel weekends, only one question remains. What, exactly, will you do with that time? Good thing we’ve got some great ideas for you

Winter Long Weekends (Jan–Mar)

While the warmer weather travel months may get all the glory, winter has a lot to offer! Consider, for example:

• Desert RV trips, which get you the warmth and brightness you’re missing (not to mention stunning desert national parks like Joshua Tree, Death Valley and Saguaro)
• Speaking of national parks, you might also take this opportunity to head to any of the others to experience them with fewer crowds than you would during the busy summer season
• You can also consider snowbird-friendly RV destinations, especially if you’re a full-timer or remote worker looking to follow the sun

Spring Long Weekends (Apr–Jun)

Springtime means more sun and plenty of plants coming out to play. For your long weekends, consider:

• Following the wildflowers as they come into season in places like the southwest and California 
• Another opportunity to visit national parks during the shoulder season, which may not be as empty as winter but still won’t be as crowded as summer and may offer more sun
• Coastal drives such as the Pacific Coast Highway are popular options in the springtime as well

Summer Long Weekends (Jul–Sep)

Summer is the height of travel season, and indeed, there are some destinations that are just best when the sun is out and burning all day long. We recommend:

• Lake trips to places like Lake Tahoe or the Great Lakes so you can take a dip and get on the water
• Mountain escapes for hikers and other outdoors enthusiasts, so you can take full advantage of the landscape without having to invest in expensive and technical winter gear
• Event-based weekends that can orient your vacation around a music festival or other local fair

Fall Long Weekends (Oct–Dec)

Autumn can be such an underrated travel time! During this second shoulder season of the year, consider: 

• Traveling for fall foliage (aka “leaf peeping”)  in places like New Hampshire, Great Smoky Mountains National Park or parts of the desert southwest
• Attending fall harvest festivals where you can enjoy the bounty of the season with good company
• Mild-weather desert travel, especially in the U.S. southwest, which will allow you to get out and hike and enjoy the scenery

Why Long Weekends Are Perfect for First-Time RV Renters

Honestly, if you’re new to the RVing lifestyle, we couldn’t recommend a long weekend vacation more. Here’s why.

Less Time, Less Pressure

Long weekends mean you don’t have to go through extensive planning or map out an intensive itinerary. Just enjoy an easily paced, relaxing trip at your own rhythm.

Cost Benefits of Short RV Trips

If you’re renting an RV, a few days is often less costly than renting the rig for a full week (though many owners on our peer-to-peer platform offer longer-term rental discounts!). RVing can also be more cost effective than flying and staying in hotels, especially during shorter trips and split among multiple travelers.

Choosing the Right RV for a Long Weekend

Different adventures call for different modes of transport, and RVs really do have something for everybody and every destination. More rugged, off-grid trips might be perfect for camper vans or small travel trailers, while more luxurious and spacious Class A and Class C motorhomes are available for those who like to hit the road in comfort and style.

Find an RV near you for your next long weekend.

Sample 2026 Long Weekend RV Itineraries

While the options truly are endless, here are a few sample long weekend RV itineraries you could take in 2026.

Example Itineraries:

• MLK Jr. Day (Jan 17–19, 3 days): Desert loop starting in Joshua Tree → Anza-Borrego → Palm Springs
• Memorial Day (May 23–25, 3 days): Start in Yellowstone, then head to Bozeman → Mammoth Hot Springs → Paradise Valley soak
• Juneteenth (June 19–23, 5 days with 2 days of PTO): Blue Ridge Parkway and Shenandoah NP → Peaks of Otter → Asheville
• Labor Day (Sept 3–7, 5 days with 2 days of PTO): Utah red-rock sampler starting with Capitol Reef → Grand Staircase-Escalante → Bryce Canyon

Tools to Plan Your 2026 Long Weekend Calendar

Having the right tools in your toolbox can make all the difference when it comes to planning the best possible 2026 long holiday weekends. Some of our favorites include:

• Google Calendar / Apple Calendar: You’re probably already using these, and you can easily add U.S. holidays, color-code PTO vs travel, and share a dedicated calendar with family members and companions
• Cozi: A simple shared calendar + notes for couples/groups; great for aligning PTO and travel plans
• Notion: A lightweight PTO tracker (annual allowance, used, planned) plus trip pages with links and checklists
• Roadtrippers: A great way to get a bird’s-eye view of your trip and what to do and see along the way

And, of course, RVshare, where you can find your perfect rental rig weeks or even months in advance!

FAQs: 2026 Long Weekend & PTO Planning

Make 2026 the Year You Travel More, Without Taking More Time Off

We hope this post leaves you feeling motivated to take full advantage of your PTO and the natural weekends that are going to fill 2026 with adventure. The time to start planning is right now — and besides, can you think of any other way you’d rather spend a winter day than dreaming of this spring or summer’s vacation?

Start planning your 2026 long weekends now.