Public Holidays in United States
Statutory public holidays in United States, with the dates that give people the day off, how the calendar is set, and what it means for travel, cities and culture.
United States at a glance
The United States has eleven federal holidays, and states add their own, so the calendar varies by location. Many are set on a Monday to create long weekends.
Thanksgiving in late November and the Christmas-to-New-Year stretch are the two biggest travel periods of the year.
United States public holidays 2026
The dates below come from United States’s published calendar for 2026. Open the full year for the complete list.
| Holiday | Date | Year |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Jan 1Thu | 2026 |
| World Braille Day | Jan 4Sun | 2026 |
| Epiphany | Jan 6Tue | 2026 |
| Orthodox Christmas Day | Jan 7Wed | 2026 |
| International Programmers' Day | Jan 7Wed | 2026 |
| Estelle Reel Day | Jan 7Wed | 2026 |
| Battle of New Orleans | Jan 8Thu | 2026 |
| Stephen Foster Memorial Day | Jan 13Tue | 2026 |
| Orthodox New Year | Jan 14Wed | 2026 |
| Isra and Mi'raj | Jan 16Fri | 2026 |
| World Religion Day | Jan 18Sun | 2026 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Jan 19Mon | 2026 |
Showing 12 of 528 dates recorded for 2026.
Major cities in United States
The urban centres that anchor most trips to United States.
Washington DC
A capital of monuments, museums and a National Mall between them.
New York
A city of a dense grid, a harbour and an unmatched cultural density.
Los Angeles
A sprawling city of beaches, hills and the entertainment industry.
Chicago
A lakefront city of architecture, deep-dish pizza and a great riverfront.
New Orleans
A city of a French Quarter, jazz funerals and a distinctive cuisine.
San Francisco
A hilly city of a bay, a bridge and a tech economy.
Top attractions in United States
The places that draw most visitors to United States.
Grand Canyon
A mile-deep canyon cut by the Colorado across the Colorado Plateau.
Statue of Liberty
A copper colossus on a harbour island, the symbol of American welcome.
Yellowstone National Park
The first national park in the world, of geysers and wildlife.
Yosemite National Park
A granite valley of waterfalls, domes and giant sequoias.
Great Smoky Mountains
The most visited national park, of mist-covered ridges and forest.
Everglades National Park
A vast subtropical wetland of sawgrass, alligators and wading birds.
Festivals, food and getting around United States
What the calendar looks like on the ground, and how to move through the country around it.
Festivals behind the holidays
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🎉
New Year's Day
Falls on Jan 1
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🎉
World Braille Day
Falls on Jan 4
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🎉
Epiphany
Falls on Jan 6
-
🎉
Orthodox Christmas Day
Falls on Jan 7
-
🎉
International Programmers' Day
Falls on Jan 7
-
🎉
Estelle Reel Day
Falls on Jan 7
Food & drink
Getting around
Amtrak and the interstates define long-distance travel, but flying is usually the practical choice across such distances.
Travelling around United States’s holidays
What the dates mean once you are there.
Book around the peaks
Transport and hotels in United States tighten around major holidays; reserve early for the busiest weeks.
Check opening hours
Museums, banks and government offices usually close on statutory holidays, and often on the nearest Monday.
Carry local currency
Small vendors and rural businesses frequently take cash only, especially on holidays when banks are shut.
Expect crowded transport
Long weekends produce the year's heaviest road, rail and air traffic. Build in extra travel time.
Confirm the official list
United States's holiday dates are confirmed by government announcement; check the year page for the final arrangement.
Plan the long weekends
Pairing a holiday with adjacent weekends gives the longest breaks of the year — and the busiest.
United States public holidays: common questions
How many public holidays does United States have?
United States has 528 dates recorded on its 2026 calendar, ranging from national statutory holidays to widely marked observances that are not days off work.
Where can I find the full 2026 list?
The complete 2026 calendar for United States is on the year page, with every recorded date in order.
Are United States's public holidays paid?
Statutory national holidays are generally paid leave for employees. Observances and commemorative days are usually not.
Do holidays move if they fall on a weekend?
Where a holiday falls on a weekend, United States typically observes it on the nearest weekday. Check the year page for the confirmed arrangement.
Are there regional holidays in United States?
Some holidays are observed only in certain regions or by certain communities. The year page lists what applies nationally.
Which years are covered for United States?
Calendars are published for 2026, 2025.