Wisconsin PTO planner 2026

Holidays 2026 in Wisconsin and what each one gives you

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

iPhoto: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

iPhoto: David Kernan · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

iPhoto: Frank Schulenburg · CC BY-SA 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.'s Birthday. 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, 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.
• Friday, July 3: Independence Day. The Fourth of July celebrates the Declaration of Independence: parades, barbecues and fireworks. When it lands near a weekend, it creates one of the busiest summer travel stretches of the year. The date itself, Saturday, July 4, falls on a weekend, so the day off is Friday, July 3. That makes 3 days off in a row without using any leave, July 3 to 5.
• 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.
• 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. Take Friday, November 27 off and you have 4 days in a row, November 26 to 29.
• Thursday, December 24: Christmas Eve Day. Christmas Eve is a day off for state workers here, giving a longer Christmas break. Expect the busiest travel days of December around it, with family dinners and church services in the evening. You get 4 free days in a row, December 24 to 27, with no leave needed.
• 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 4 days off in a row without using any leave, December 24 to 27.
• Thursday, December 31: New Year's Eve Day. New Year's Eve is a day off for state workers here. Cities host fireworks and countdown parties at midnight, and many people pair it with New Year's Day for a short winter break. It sits in the middle of the week, so it works best as a single day off.

How far each PTO day goes in 2026

With 1 PTO day the longest run you can build is 4 days, January 1 to 4. Three days stretch to 9 days off (December 19 to 27). Five days, a typical week, become 10 days off around Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday, January 10 to 19.

Ten days, the most this planner books in one go, give 17 days in a row, January 3 to 19. 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.

2026 through the seasons

Winter: New Year's Day on January 1, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday on January 19, Christmas Eve Day on December 24, Christmas Day on December 25 and New Year's Eve Day on December 31. The pick of the season is January 1 to 4 with 1 PTO day for 4 days off.

iPhoto: Keith Pomakis · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons

Spring: Memorial Day on May 25. The pick of the season is May 23 to 31 with 4 PTO days for 9 days off.

Summer: Independence Day on July 3. The pick of the season is June 27 to July 5 with 4 PTO days for 9 days off.

Fall: Labor Day on September 7 and Thanksgiving Day on November 26. The pick of the season is November 26 to 29 with 1 PTO day for 4 days off.

Where to go on a long weekend from Wisconsin

From Wisconsin, Door County suits summer and fall, the Wisconsin Dells and the lakes of the Northwoods are the classic summer escape, and the Apostle Islands' ice caves can draw winter visitors. Milwaukee makes a good city break.

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

Where these dates come from

Every date on this page comes from the official source for Wisconsin: Wisconsin DPM: State Holidays with the observed dates of the DOA State Controller's 2026 Holiday Schedule 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.

iPhoto: Tore Sætre · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

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 Wisconsin or as observances are shown but never counted. Last checked on October 1, 2026.