Memorial Day Travel: find your perfect rental from just $50 per night!
Create travel memories and experiences that you won't soon forget. Memorial Day holiday weekend is an exciting time for families and individuals to enjoy a change of scenery together and celebrate the start of summer.
| 💳 Highest rates | in December |
|---|---|
| 🥳 Busiest month | December |
| 🛏️ Popular home types | Condo and House rental |
| 🌡️ Hottest months | 88 °F in July and August |
| ❄️ Coldest months | January and February |
| 🌧️ Rainiest months | May and June |
On average, you can get a great vacation home from $320 and get discounts up to 82%!
House rentals in the USA should be considered for large groups, since they fit 9 guests.
You can choose from 295,606 Condos and 722,649 House rentals in the USA right here on HomeToGo.
Looking to usher in the summer with a splash? For serene sunbathers, fishing fanatics, boating buffs, and keen kayakers, HomeToGo has dived deep into the data to surface the 24 best U.S. destinations for lakeside stays over the Memorial Day weekend. Shortlisted for the affordability of their surrounding accommodations, and ranked according to factors such as popularity, size, and spring/summer weather, these locations have been revealed as the top spots in which travelers can 'lake' it easy. Discover where to go for wonderful waterside weekends in the list and interactive map below:
|
Rank
|
Lake
|
State
|
Price Score
|
Popularity Score
|
Size Score
|
Weather Score
|
Total Score
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Douglas Lake | Tennessee | 5.02 | 10.00 | 7.18 | 8.80 | 31.00 |
| #2 | Shasta Lake | California | 10.00 | 5.29 | 7.10 | 8.60 | 30.99 |
| #3 | Lake Lure | North Carolina | 6.06 | 9.93 | 5.03 | 8.20 | 29.22 |
| #4 | Bear Lake | Utah/Idaho | 5.00 | 7.10 | 10.00 | 6.60 | 28.70 |
| #5 | High Rock Lake | North Carolina | 8.63 | 5.33 | 6.07 | 8.40 | 28.43 |
| #6 | Lake Placid | Florida | 8.06 | 5.11 | 5.22 | 10.00 | 28.39 |
| #7 | Lake Sinclair | Georgia | 6.00 | 5.95 | 6.08 | 8.80 | 26.83 |
| #8 | Center Hill Lake | Tennessee | 6.34 | 5.18 | 6.29 | 8.60 | 26.41 |
| #9 | Lake Burton | Georgia | 7.21 | 5.45 | 5.18 | 8.20 | 26.04 |
| #10 | Lake Jocassee | South Carolina | 5.85 | 5.57 | 5.52 | 8.80 | 25.74 |
| #11 | Clear Lake | Iowa | 7.81 | 5.46 | 5.24 | 7.00 | 25.51 |
| #12 | Cayuga Lake | New York | 5.45 | 5.83 | 8.04 | 5.80 | 25.12 |
| #13 | Liberty Lake | Washington | 9.15 | 5.00 | 5.03 | 5.80 | 24.98 |
| #14 | Watauga Lake | Tennessee | 6.43 | 5.28 | 5.44 | 7.80 | 24.95 |
| #15 | Lake Almanor | California | 5.55 | 5.57 | 6.99 | 6.20 | 24.31 |
| #16 | Big Bear Lake | California | 5.70 | 7.74 | 5.19 | 5.40 | 24.03 |
| #17 | Indian Lake | New York | 8.32 | 5.17 | 5.31 | 5.20 | 24.00 |
| #18 | Twin Lakes | Colorado | 8.34 | 5.03 | 5.17 | 5.00 | 23.54 |
| #19 | Shaver Lake | California | 5.96 | 5.80 | 5.13 | 6.40 | 23.29 |
| #20 | Lake Toxaway | North Carolina | 5.28 | 5.18 | 5.02 | 7.60 | 23.08 |
| #21 | June Lake | California | 6.83 | 5.83 | 5.00 | 5.20 | 22.86 |
| #22 | Greenwood Lake | New York | 5.49 | 5.12 | 5.12 | 6.80 | 22.53 |
| #23 | Lake Arrowhead | California | 5.60 | 6.26 | 5.03 | 5.40 | 22.29 |
| #24 | Priest Lake | Idaho | 5.23 | 5.21 | 5.16 | 6.00 | 21.60 |
Douglas Lake enchants with its Smoky Mountain backdrop, offering endless water sports and trophy-sized bass fishing. Discover secluded coves (perfect for picnics or birdwatching) while hiking its scenic surrounding trails.
Median nightly price for a vacation home: $478.44
Emerald waters and cascading mountains frame Shasta Lake, a haven for houseboating, fishing, and hiking in Shasta-Trinity National Forest. Explore miles of shoreline and hidden waterfalls in this majestic outdoor playground.
Median nightly price for a vacation home: $225.72
Tucked in Hickory Nut Gorge, Lake Lure offers serene boat tours, refreshing swims, and sun-soaked shores. Venture to nearby Chimney Rock State Park for hiking trails and breathtaking cliff-top views.
Median nightly price for a vacation home: $425.52
Dubbed the "Caribbean of the Rockies," Bear Lake dazzles with its turquoise waters and sandy beaches. Straddling the Utah-Idaho border, it's a hotspot for boating, trout fishing, and swimming.
Median nightly price for a vacation home: $479.52
Nestled in the Piedmont region, High Rock Lake invites guests to tranquil waters ideal for fishing, tubing, and watching the sun set. Don't miss the nearby town of Lexington, touted as the "Barbeque Capital of the World".
Median nightly price for a vacation home: $295.38
HomeToGo price data was used to collate a shortlist of 24 U.S. lake destinations in which the median price per night for a vacation home stay was less than $500 during the two weeks surrounding the 2024 Memorial Day weekend. In order to rank these destinations, four data points were researched: the median nightly cost for a vacation rental, the popularity of each lake destination amongst travelers, the size of each lake, and the average weather conditions for the area during the months of May and June. After obtaining the raw data, each data point was assigned a representative numerical value between 5 and 10, with 5 representing the lowest data point and 10 representing the highest data point. The hypothetical "perfect score" would be 40 out of 40. The following equation was used in order to calculate this for every factor:
Score(i) = 5 · (x(i) - xmin ) / (xmax - xmin ) + 5
Price Score: HomeToGo data was used to find the median cost per night for a vacation rental on/near to each lake with a check-in date during the two weeks surrounding the 2024 Memorial Day weekend. The area with the lowest median nightly price for a vacation rental was awarded a maximum score of 10, and the remaining locations were awarded a score of 5 or higher. Data was collected in April 2024, prices are subject to change.
Popularity Score: HomeToGo data was used to find the search volume for vacation rental stays with a check-in date during the time period surrounding Memorial Day 2024 (27 May) for each lake. The area with the highest search volume was awarded a maximum score of 10, and the remaining locations were awarded a score of 5 or higher.
Size Score: The lake surface area in acres for each destination was calculated. The location with the largest lake surface area was awarded a maximum score of 10, and the remaining areas were awarded a score of 5 or higher. Data was collected in April 2024, availability is subject to change.
Weather Score: Historical weather data was used to determine the average maximum temperatures for the months of May and June. The lake destination with the highest overall average temperature was given a score of 10, and the remaining areas were awarded a score of 5 or higher.
