5 Lakes Worth Partying on This Memorial Day Weekend
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Nothing says Memorial Day like hanging out near a big old body of water. According to AAA, 36.1 million people are expected to travel this weekend, up 1.5% from last year.
This means that plenty of travelers will be headed for a beach this weekend, but there’s just as much fun to be had, if not more, at some of the country’s lakes and rivers. Here are a few to consider if you’re still in need of a Memorial Weekend getaway plan.
1. Guadalupe River/New Braunfels, Texas
Located 29 miles northeast of San Antonio and 45 miles southwest of Austin, New Braunfels is home to the some of the best tubing and rafting waters you’ll ever find, courtesy of the Guadalupe River. There’s nothing better than spending a day lazily floating the river’s Horseshoe Loop on a rented tube with an ice chest full of booze. The town, settled by Germans in 1845, is also home to the popular Schlitterbahn Water Park, and the place to find some of the best sausages known to man.
When you’re not in the water, visit the Gruene Historical District located within the New Braunfels city limits, home to the Gruene Hall, one of the oldest dance halls in Texas. Just don’t order imported beer (stick to Lone Star or Budweiser) or you might get your butt kicked.
WHERE TO STAY: There are hundreds of cabins available for rent along the river in New Braunsfels, many of them on sites like VRBO, not to mention numerous campgrounds for camping. The Crystal River Inn in nearby San Marcos is a great option as well, especially if your visit happens to fall on one of its delightfully cheesy “Murder Mystery” weekends.
2. Lake Havasu, Arizona
Quietly one of the more popular tourist destinations in Arizona, Lake Havasu offers 60 miles of waterways for beaching, boating, swimming and fishing. And, because its Arizona, you can’t spit in any direction without your saliva landing on a golf course. Most interestingly though, Lake Havasu is home to the London Bridge. Yes, THAT London Bridge, the one on the River Thames from the nursery rhyme you heard as a kid. In 1967, the city of Lake Havasu successfully bought the London Bridge. It was dismantled in blocks and reassembled in Lake Havasu, where it was unveiled in 1971.
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WHERE TO STAY: The Havasu Dunes resort features 94 rental condos priced between $125-$225 per day, with outdoor hot tubs and pools accessible 24 hours per day.
3. Chattahoochee River/Roswell, Georgia
The river that forms the southern portion of the Alabama/Georgia border is so popular when it comes to water sports that country superstar Alan Jackson wrote a song about it, one whose music video features him water skiing in a cowboy hat, no less. The river is also immensely popular for people who like to canoe and kayak in addition to rafting and tubing.
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WHERE TO STAY: Stonehurst Place Bed & Breakfast is located in the heart of Atlanta but features lush gardens home to many native flowers and plants, making it an urban oasis of sorts. Recently restored while maintaining much of its 1800s charm, the Stonehurst staff describes the B&B as “Soho meets sweet tea.”
4. Lake Mead, Nevada
Located roughly 30 miles from Las Vegas, Lake Mead is one of the best places in the country to swim, fish or spend any kind of time on the water in a boat with family or friends. Additionally, the surrounding terrain make biking, hiking, and horseback riding viable leisure time options as well. And make sure to check out one of America’s engineering marvels nearby, the Hoover Dam, without which there would be no Lake Mead, or Las Vegas for that matter. The Lake Mead area is also a great place to get bitten by a diamondback rattlesnake, so just watch your step out there if that’s not your thing.
(Photo: Thinkstock)
WHERE TO STAY: Come on, you can’t be this close to Vegas and not stay in Vegas, and in doing so why not go the full Vegas and stay at one of the old stalwarts like the Flamingo,in all of its pink glory. If it’s good enough for Donnie and Marie, it’s good enough for you.
5. Bogue Chitto River/Franklinton, Louisiana
At the Bogue Chitto State Park, visitors can experience what the state hypes as “one of the most dynamic and scenic river systems in Louisiana” on the 1,786 acre site, one ideal for tubing, kayaking or canoeing. Additionally, Bogue Chitto (pronounced bo-guh chit-uh) boasts 11 lakes stocked with freshwater fish and more than 14 miles of equestrian trails. The area is also home to a national wildlife refuge, making it a haven for birdwatchers.
WHERE TO STAY: Similar to New Braunsfels, cabins are available for renting on or near the river. Outside of that, there isn’t much to offer in the way of places to stay in Franklinton, but nearby Covington offers a plethora of well-known hotel chain outposts. Of course, you could also always stay 70 miles to the south in New Orleans at some place charming and fabulous like the Terrell House.
