We all know time off is precious, and considering D.C. is one of the most overworked cities in the nation, it’s worth remembering that everyone is entitled to some time off for their physical and mental well-being.
With the final months of 2024 approaching, you may already be trying to plan out your big trips for next year!
So to get the most out of your paid time off (PTO), here are the best vacation days you can reserve now to turn just 11 PTO days into 44 vacation days!
How to turn 11 PTO days into 44 days of vacation
There’s no shocker that we all want to get the most out of our paid time off and vacation days, but sometimes it can be competitive to book those preferred days off if you’ve got colleagues who want those same slots!
So here are the days you should request ASAP to maximize your time off from work in 2025:
January
- New Year falls on a Wednesday, so take Monday (December 30th) off (and Tuesday (December 31st) if you do not already have it off).
- This turns a single mid-week day off into an extended 5-day weekend.
- Second of January, as Martin Luther King Jr. Day always lands on a Monday (January 20th), you take the following Tuesday (21st) off.
- Extends your vacation days from a three-day weekend into a four-day weekend.
February
- Predisent’s Day (17th) landing on a Monday is the perfect opportunity to take the previous Friday aka Valentine’s Day (14th).
- This will extend a three-day weekend into a four-day weekend.
May
- With Memorial Day coming on Monday, May 26th, it’s another opportunity to take the previous Friday (23rd) to maximize your PTO.
- This will push your three-day weekend into a four-day weekend.
June
- With Juneteenth (19th) falling on a Thursday this year, you can turn a mid-week holiday into an extended weekend by taking the following day (20th) off!
- This will turn a mid-week single day off into a 4-day weekend.
July
- Take Thursday, July 3rd off to turn the 4th of July into the start of a four-day weekend!
- Turn what would be a 3-day weekend into a 4-day vacation.
September
- Labor Day falls on Monday, September 1st, so take the following day, Tuesday, September 2nd off to extend your long weekend.
- This will turn your 3-day weekend into a four-day weekend!
October
- Take off Columbus Day, which falls on Monday, October 13th.
- This gives you a potentially necessary 3-day weekend to enjoy the peak fall season and take a weekend trip to see some of the beautiful fall foliage the DMV area has at this time of year!
November
- Veteran’s Day falls on Tuesday, November 11th this year, so take Monday, November 10th, off.
- This turns a mid-week single day off public holiday into a four-day long extended weekend!
- Take Friday, November 28th, the day after Thanksgiving, off as well!
- This will turn your typical Thanksgiving Thursday into the start of a fun four-day long extended weekend.
December
- With Christmas falling on a Thursday this year, you’ll want to take the next day off on Friday, December 26th.
- This will turn the mid-week public holiday into an extended four-day long weekend leading into the new year.