You’re staring at your monitor. The cursor is blinking. It’s a Tuesday, but it feels like a second Wednesday, and honestly, you’re just done. We’ve all been there, hitting that mid-afternoon wall where the only thing keeping you going is the vague hope of a three-day weekend. You need to know when is the next holiday, not just for the sake of trivia, but because your sanity depends on a scheduled break.
Right now, we are sitting in that weird January stretch. New Year’s Day is a fading memory of resolutions you’ve probably already broken. But here’s the good news: the wait isn't nearly as long as it feels when you're buried in emails.
The Immediate Milestone: MLK Jr. Day
The very next federal holiday on the 2026 calendar is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, falling on Monday, January 19. It’s the first real "breather" of the year.
Most people see a Monday off and think "extra sleep." That's fair. But there is a specific rhythm to how federal holidays work in the United States that most folks ignore until they’re trying to book a last-minute flight and realize prices tripled overnight. Established by Congress in 1983 and first observed in 1986, this holiday is technically a "day of service." It’s a bit of a weird one for the corporate world. While banks, post offices, and government buildings definitely shut their doors, only about 45% to 50% of private employers actually give their staff the day off with pay, according to data from Bloomberg Law.
If you're in that lucky 50%, you’ve got a three-day weekend staring you in the face. If not? Well, you're likely looking ahead to February.
Why Presidents' Day Is the Real MVP of Q1
If you miss out on January, your next shot at a federally mandated nap is Presidents' Day on Monday, February 16.
Technically, the government still calls this "Washington’s Birthday," but let’s be real: nobody says that. It was shifted to a Monday back in 1971 thanks to the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. This was a massive win for the travel industry. By moving holidays to Mondays, the government basically engineered the modern American "long weekend."
Here is a pro tip that most people miss when asking when is the next holiday for travel purposes: February is the "sweet spot" for what travel experts call the "dead zone." Between the New Year’s rush and the Spring Break chaos in late March, flight prices often bottom out. If you’re planning to use that February 16th break, booking even three weeks out can save you roughly 20% compared to waiting until the week of.
The Long Desert of Spring
After February, things get a little grim. You’ve probably noticed that March and April feel like an eternal marathon. There is a huge gap.
Why? Because the U.S. doesn’t have a federal holiday in March or April.
- Easter (April 5, 2026) is a massive cultural event, but it’s always a Sunday.
- Good Friday is a state holiday in places like Connecticut, Delaware, and Hawaii, but for the rest of us? It’s just another Friday.
- St. Patrick’s Day is great for the soul (and the liver), but it’s not giving you a day off work.
This is where the "vacation itch" really starts to hurt. Most people don't realize that the gap between Presidents' Day (Feb 16) and Memorial Day (May 25) is a brutal 14-week stretch. That is nearly 100 days without a built-in break. This is exactly why "Spring Break" became such a cultural phenomenon—not just for college kids, but for burnt-out adults who realized the federal government wasn't coming to save them until the end of May.
Memorial Day and the Summer Kickoff
Finally, we hit Monday, May 25. Memorial Day.
This is the big one. It’s the gatekeeper of summer. While its primary purpose is deeply somber—honoring those who died in military service—it has evolved into the definitive "barbecue weekend."
If you are trying to maximize your PTO, this is the first tactical opportunity of the year. Take the Friday before (May 22) or the Tuesday after (May 26) off. Because everyone else is traveling on the Monday, you can often find better transit deals by padding the edges of the holiday.
👉 See also: 4th of july makeup: How to Actually Wear Red, White, and Blue Without Looking Like a Costume
The 2026 Federal Holiday Cheat Sheet
To keep it simple, here is the chronological rundown of the federal holidays remaining for the year. No fluff, just the dates you need to mark in your planner.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Monday, January 19
Presidents' Day: Monday, February 16
Memorial Day: Monday, May 25
Juneteenth National Independence Day: Friday, June 19
Independence Day: Saturday, July 4 (Observed Friday, July 3)
Labor Day: Monday, September 7
Indigenous Peoples' Day (Columbus Day): Monday, October 12
Veterans Day: Wednesday, November 11
Thanksgiving Day: Thursday, November 26
Christmas Day: Friday, December 25
The Weird Logic of "Observed" Holidays
You might have noticed that July 4, 2026, falls on a Saturday. This is where people get confused. When a holiday hits a Saturday, the "legal" holiday usually moves to the Friday before. If it hits a Sunday, it moves to the Monday after.
So, for 2026, you're actually getting a "bonus" day off on Friday, July 3. This is a gift. It means the holiday travel rush will likely start on Thursday afternoon. If you’re planning a road trip, stay off the interstates between 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM on that Thursday. It’s going to be a parking lot.
Navigating the Corporate "Floating Holiday"
Kinda funny how we all assume "holiday" means "office closed," right?
In reality, many modern tech companies and startups are moving toward "Floating Holidays." This is basically their way of saying, "We know not everyone celebrates the same things." If your boss says you have two floating holidays, don't let them sit there. Most people forget to use them until December, and then they lose them.
Honestly, use a floating holiday in March. Since there’s no federal break that month, it’s the perfect time to vanish for a long weekend while everyone else is grinding away. You’ll return refreshed while your coworkers are still five weeks away from seeing a Monday off.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Break
Knowing when is the next holiday is only half the battle. Executing the break is where the skill comes in.
- Check your employee handbook tonight. Seriously. Don't assume you have MLK Day or Juneteenth off. Some companies exchange these for a longer "Winter Break" at the end of the year. Know your "Paid Holiday" list vs. the "Federal" list.
- The 21-Day Rule. If you plan on traveling for any of the Monday holidays (Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day), flight prices usually spike exactly 21 days before departure. Set a calendar alert for 25 days out. That’s your "buy or fly" deadline.
- The "Buffer" Day. Don't come back from a holiday trip on Sunday night and go to work Monday morning. If you can, take the day after the holiday as a "recovery day" to do laundry and grocery shop. It prevents that immediate "I need another vacation" feeling.
- Volunteer. If you have MLK Day off, look for local "Day of Service" events. It’s a way to honor the actual intent of the holiday rather than just catching up on Netflix.
The rhythm of the year is predictable, but it’s easy to let it slip by. Mark these dates now. Your future, less-stressed self will thank you for having a plan when the February gloom inevitably sets in.