Men's Journal

In West Virginia, wild rivers and cliffs are calling, and in New York, fighter jets and vintage planes will scream across the sky this Memorial Day Weekend.

by Chase Scheinbaum

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Memorial Day Madness, May 29-31

New River Gorge, West Virginia

This adventure bastion holds a lifetime’s worth of outings, but a long weekend offers the chance to sample each of the area’s main attractions: climbing, whitewater rafting, and mountain biking. River Expeditions makes a mandatory river outing easy with their Memorial Day Madness package. The one-stop bargain gets you a trip down a raging 12-mile section of the Lower New River, a barbecue dinner, three nights of tent camping and complimentary breakfasts, all for $120 per person. When not running the Class V rapids (you can choose to raft any day Saturday through Monday), fuel up with coffee and baked goods at the campground and ponder which of the area’s 1,600 routes to climb, or which trails to bike or hike.

To see the gorge from a perch on one of the world-class sandstone cliffs, head out with New River Mountain Guides; $120 for a half-day. Or click here to peruse an online guidebook. The Brooklyn-Southside Junction Trail, a moderate six-mile path along the banks of the New River, is another good way to take in some of the scenery.

Travel and Accommodations

Fayetteville, the gorge’s hub, is in the wilds of West Virginia. Fly to Columbus, Ohio, about four hours away, and get driving! If you’re not partaking of the package deal, click here for a slew of accommodation listings. Cabins with six full-size beds are also available with the Memorial Day Madness Package, starting at $65 per night.

New York Air Show, May 29-30

Jones Beach State Park, Wantagh, New York

The sky above Jones Beach State Park lights up with some aeronautical acrobatics in the Bethpage Federal Credit Union New York Air Show. Held Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the show is host to vintage and new-school airplanes alike. Outfits like the U.S. Army Golden Knights and the U.S. Navy Blue Angels will perform alongside more than a dozen other military and non-military groups. Get to the park early to set up your camp and grab some food — recent years have seen as many as 440,000 attendees over the weekend. Expect flawless sunny weather both days (Sunday will be in the mid-80s) and a $10 parking fee, but admission is free. Don’t forget to bring a chair and a cooler: Jones Beach State Park has more than six miles of ocean beaches and a sea of sand in which to bury your toes while cracking a cold drink. And if there is any doubt about your prowess on the links, you can settle the matter on the mini-golf course once and for all ($5).

Travel and Accommodations

Jones Beach is only about an hour by car from New York City. Public transportation will get you close, but the nearest train station is still a short taxi ride away. (Click here for directions from the NYC area.) The nearby Nickerson Beach Campground has RV hookups, tent sites, and cabanas; call (516) 571-7724 for availability and pricing.