California PTO planner 2026

Every holiday in California in 2026

Here is each day off in date order, what it marks, and the quickest way to turn it into a longer stretch.

United StatesiPhoto: Gordon Leggett · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

• Thursday, January 1: New Year's Day. New Year's Day opens the year with parades, college football bowl games and a quiet day at home. When it falls near a weekend, it extends the holiday season into a longer break. Take Friday, January 2 off and you have 4 days in a row, January 1 to 4.
• Monday, January 19: Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Honors the civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the third Monday of January. Many people volunteer in a day of service, and the Monday creates the first long weekend of the year, popular for ski trips. That makes 3 days off in a row without using any leave, January 17 to 19.
• Monday, February 16: Presidents' Day. Officially Washington's Birthday at the federal level and widely called Presidents' Day. Some states place the day elsewhere, even next to Christmas; wherever it sits, it is a classic hook for a long weekend and big retail sales. That makes 3 days off in a row without using any leave, February 14 to 16.
• Tuesday, March 31: Cesar Chavez Day. Honors Cesar Chavez, the farmworker and labor rights leader, at the end of March. In California it is a state holiday; elsewhere it is often a day of service and community events. Take Monday, March 30 off and you have 4 days in a row, March 28 to 31.
• Monday, May 25: Memorial Day. Memorial Day honors the men and women who died serving in the armed forces. It falls on the last Monday of May and unofficially opens summer: beaches, lake houses and road trips fill up. That makes 3 days off in a row without using any leave, May 23 to 25.
• Monday, September 7: Labor Day. Labor Day honors American workers on the first Monday of September and marks the unofficial end of summer. It is the last big long weekend for beaches, lakes and road trips before school is back in full swing. That makes 3 days off in a row without using any leave, September 5 to 7.
• Wednesday, November 11: Veterans Day. Veterans Day honors everyone who served in the U.S. armed forces, on November 11, the anniversary of the First World War armistice. Federal offices and many schools close; many businesses stay open. Take Monday, November 9 and Tuesday, November 10 off and you have 5 days in a row, November 7 to 11.
• Thursday, November 26: Thanksgiving Day. Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November: turkey, family and football. It is the busiest travel weekend of the year in the United States, so book flights and drives early. You get 4 free days in a row, November 26 to 29, with no leave needed.
• Friday, November 27: Day after Thanksgiving. The Friday after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday. A day off for many state workers, it turns Thanksgiving into a four day weekend for family visits, holiday shopping and travel. That makes 4 days off in a row without using any leave, November 26 to 29.
• Friday, December 25: Christmas Day. Christmas Day is a federal holiday: most shops close and families gather. The weeks around it are a peak time for flights and drives, so book early if you plan to travel. That makes 3 days off in a row without using any leave, December 25 to 27.

What 1 to 10 PTO days get you

With 1 PTO day the longest run you can build is 4 days, January 1 to 4. Three days stretch to 9 days off (November 21 to 29). Five days, a typical week, become 11 days off around Thanksgiving Day and Day after Thanksgiving, November 26 to December 6.

iPhoto: David Kernan · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Ten days, the most this planner books in one go, give 19 days in a row, November 11 to 29. For nine days or more away you need 3 PTO days.

Many US employers offer around 10 to 15 PTO days a year. Spend four of them well and you can have two four-day weekends and one long week, without touching the rest.

Season by season in California

Winter: New Year's Day on January 1, Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 19, Presidents' Day on February 16 and Christmas Day on December 25. The pick of the season is January 1 to 4 with 1 PTO day for 4 days off.

iPhoto: Felix König · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Spring: Cesar Chavez Day on March 31 and Memorial Day on May 25. The pick of the season is March 28 to 31 with 1 PTO day for 4 days off.

Fall: Labor Day on September 7, Veterans Day on November 11, Thanksgiving Day on November 26 and Day after Thanksgiving on November 27. The pick of the season is November 21 to 29 with 3 PTO days for 9 days off.

Summer has no holiday in California this year, which makes it the time to use a full week of PTO for a longer trip.

Where to go on a long weekend from California

Californians spread long weekends between Yosemite in late spring, Big Sur and the Monterey coast all year, Lake Tahoe for summer swims and winter skiing, and Joshua Tree in the cool months. Napa and Sonoma are at their best during the fall harvest.

Big SuriPhoto: Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

MontereyiPhoto: Laurens R. Krol · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Your strongest stretches this year fall in January, March and November, so pick the trip that suits that season, and book early: everyone else in California has the same days off.

Where these dates come from

Every date on this page comes from the official source for California: CalHR Leave Benefits page, Holidays table and OPM federal holidays, read directly and compared day by day with an independent second source. A year appears once its official list is published, and we never fill a gap with another state's dates.

The planner treats weekends and full holidays as free days and works out where your PTO days turn into the longest time off. Days kept in part of California or as observances are shown but never counted. Last checked on October 1, 2026.