Weather Trends: Best Beaches for Memorial Day

The top beach destinations for Memorial Day.
By: Allee Sangiolo
The official start to summer is just around the corner -- and a 3-day weekend is calling your name. But before you pack the car full of beach towels, sunblock, boogie boards and plastic sandcastle sets, check out weathertrends360’s top picks for beach destinations with the best weather.

Unfortunately, weathertrends360’s long-range forecasts call for a pretty stormy Memorial Day weekend, so head to one of these “low risk” stateside destinations for your best chance of a rain-free vacation. If you’re really ready to break the bank, we’ve also included the top destinations around the world for ideal Memorial Day weather -- beautiful beaches with 80-degree weather and no rain showers in sight.

Photo by: Beadmobile, flickr

Beadmobile, flickr

Head to the beaches of the mid-Atlantic for a low risk of bad weather over Memorial Day weekend. Weathertrends360 meteorologists predict that Virginia Beach will have 2 partly cloudy (or partly sunny, if you’re an optimist!) days, but highs in the low 80s will ensure you get to put on your bathing suit and show off that beach bod you’ve been working on all winter. If you’re not quite in bikini shape yet, consider renting a bike for a ride down the 3-mile-long boardwalk -- it even has a separate bike path! As with many other locations on the East Coast, some rain is possible on Saturday.

139969103

Photo by: Thinkstock

Thinkstock

Believe it or not, the lake beaches in Minneapolis will have some of the best Memorial Day weather in the country -- the city is predicted to have 2 fully sunny days with highs in the upper 70s. Have a back-up plan, though, as there’s a chance it could rain on Saturday.

139989860

Photo by: Thinkstock

Thinkstock

Visitors to Cape Hatteras National Seashore on the Outer Banks are in luck when it comes to Memorial Day weather. It’s possible there could be a stray thunderstorm early in the weekend, but Memorial Day itself is predicted to be sunny and in the 70s. If it’s too chilly to swim, test your endurance with a climb up America’s tallest lighthouse. The faint of heart are no match for the 248 spiral steps, but the view is worth the climb.

140389721

Photo by: Thinkstock

Thinkstock

Two mostly sunny days with highs near 85 degrees make up for the light rain that’s predicted on Saturday in Hilton Head. Luckily, the island has plenty of activities to keep even the most fidgety kids (or adults) entertained on a rainy day -- visit The Sandbox Children’s Museum or the indoor Island Playground if the kids get stir-crazy.
San Diego

San Diego

Photo by: Thinkstock

Thinkstock

It’s likely that visitors to San Diego, CA, over Memorial Day weekend will be completely rain and worry-free! With highs in the upper 60s, the city is expected to be cooler than some of the East Coast destinations, but all 3 days of the long weekend are expected to be sunny.
Top 5 International Destinations
There’s no denying that the weather in the US this Memorial Day weekend isn’t exactly ideal. The East Coast is predicted to be stormy, and even the West Coast is trending cooler than normal. If you really want perfect weather, you’ll have to get out your passport and hop on a plane to one of these international destinations:

138175975

Photo by: Thinkstock

Thinkstock

Economic troubles aside, a trip to this Mediterranean island off the coast of Greece during the last week in May is a sure bet. Weathertrends360’s long-term forecast predicts that the week will bring 100% sunshine with highs in the upper 70s.
Lampedusa

Lampedusa

Photo by: Thinkstock

Thinkstock

Take a few extra vacation days this Memorial Day weekend and relax on the warm white sand of Rabbit Beach on the island of Lampedusa, located in Italy’s Pelagie Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. This gorgeous island is predicted to have perfect, sunny weather with highs in the mid 70s.

101459102

Photo by: Thinkstock

Thinkstock

If you’ve been dreaming of a trip to Greece, now might be the time to splurge. Mykonos will be sunny with highs near 80 degrees over the long weekend.
Acapulco

Acapulco

Photo by: istock

istock

Warm weather awaits on the golden-sand beaches of tropical Acapulco. The forecast for Memorial Day weekend calls for temperatures in the upper 80s with mostly sunny conditions.

Photo by: istock

istock

Head south of the border for highs in the low to mid 80s over Memorial Day weekend. Be sure to lather on the sunscreen, as it’s predicted to be bright and sunny all week!

Next Up

Best Beaches for Labor Day

Check out our list of hurricane-free beaches for Labor Day.

Weather Trends

Get tips from meteorologists on where to go for your next trip.

Vietnam's Best Beaches

Vietnam's idyllic beaches have luxurious resorts and even some unassuming beach towns with turquoise waters and unique scuba diving along the country's central and south coast.

Turks and Caicos' Best Beaches

Grab some SPF and a pair of shades, we're taking you to Turks and Caicos' best beaches.

Surfer's Paradise Beach, Australia

Every year millions of visitors flock from all over the globe to this Gold Coast beach to surf, swim, party and to have a generally good time.

Tenerife, Canary Islands

Tenerife is the largest island in the Canary Island archipelago, which is part of Spain.

Weather and Flight Apps

Get instant travel and flight info with cool apps.

Don't Feel Like a Travel Prisoner

You can learn a lot about how to survive flight cancellations these days thanks to internet search engines. Just type in "how to survive in prison."

Chasing the Lava Flows

Get a first-hand account of an exciting, sight-seeing boat tour to see lava flow from Hawaii's Mt. Kilauea.

June 2012 Weddings

The meteorologists at weathertrends360’s rundown of the best -- and worst -- places around the country for a June 2012 wedding.

More Creepy Content

Follow Us Everywhere

Join the party! Don't miss Travel Channel in your favorite social media feeds.

On TV