It’s easy to get lost in the spirit of L.A.’s holiday season, but as we blaze through Christmas and NYE celebrations, many of us are starting to stare down 2025.
Now’s a great time to look ahead at the next batch of federal and state holidays observed in California. Whether you need to reserve flights for upcoming travel, or simply want to enjoy an extravagant at-home celebration, it’s worth planning your days off around the existing public holiday calendar to maximize your time.
Paid time off and holiday observations vary between workplaces and states. The United States observes 11 federal holidays, which, thanks to the Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968, have granted us a decent amount of three-day weekends. We’ve outlined each one of them below (plus California’s César Chávez Day), along with some ideas for how to maximize your off days or PTO. Be sure to check your workplace’s observed holidays before putting in requests.
1. Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025: New Year’s Day
New Year’s Day falls on a Wednesday this year, meaning we will miss a long weekend. Still, you can work your way around to get a mini vacation:
- Take Dec. 30 and 31 for 5 days off.
2. Monday, Jan. 20, 2025: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
MLK Day happens on the third Monday in January, bringing us a three-day weekend to kick off the new year.
- Take Jan. 16 and 17 for 5 days off
- Take Jan. 16-17 and Jan. 21-24 for 9 days off.
3. Monday, Feb. 17, 2025: Presidents’ Day
Presidents’ Day (AKA, Washington’s birthday) takes place on the third Monday in February, meaning we have a another three-day weekend.
- Take Feb. 13 and 14 for 5 days off
- Take Feb. 18-21 for 9 days off
4. Monday, Mar. 31, 2025: César Chávez Day
Many workplaces in California observe César Chávez Day. This year the holiday falls on Sunday, Mar. 31, so it would be observed the following Monday, Apr. 1.
- Take Mar. 27 and 28 for 5 days off
- Take Apr. 1-4 for 7 days off
5. Monday, May 26, 2025: Memorial Day
Memorial Day falls on the last Monday in May, creating yet another three-day weekend.
- Take May 22 and 23 for 5 days off
- Take May 27-30 for 7 days off
6. Thursday, June 19, 2025: Juneteenth
Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day or Freedom Day, became a federal holiday in 2021. It is not a paid holiday for California state workers, but some workplaces may observe it. This year it falls on a Thursday, but you can get creative with your PTO.
- Take June 20 for 4 days off
- Take June 20 and 23 for 5 days off
7. Friday, July 4, 2025: Independence Day
The Fourth of July falls on a Friday this year, and you know what that means: three-day weekend!
- Take July 7 for 4 days off
- Take July 3 and 7 for 5 days off
8. Monday, Sept. 1, 2025: Labor Day
Labor Day takes place on the first Monday in September, giving us another well deserved three-day weekend.
- Take Aug. 29 and Sept. 2 for 5 days off
9. Monday, Oct. 13, 2025: Indigenous People’s Day
Indigenous People’s Day, also known as Columbus Day, falls on the second Monday in October. Some workplaces observe it for a three-day weekend.
- Take Oct. 10 and 14 for 5 days off
- Take Oct. 14-17 for 9 days off
10. Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025: Veteran’s Day
Veteran’s Day takes place on a Tuesday which means you can create your own four-day weekend by taking time off on Monday!
- Take Nov. 10 for 4 days off
11. Thursday-Friday, Nov. 27-28, 2025: Thanksgiving holidays
Thanksgiving is a federal public holiday on the fourth Thursday in November. Many workplaces also grant the day after Thanksgiving as a day off, and some states observe it as a civic holiday called Native American Heritage Day.
- Take Dec. 1 for 5 days off
- Take Dec. 1-5 for 11 days off
12. Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025: Christmas Day
Christmas Day 2025 and the first day of 2025 both land on Thursdays, meaning you can enjoy decent stretches of vacation time if you get creative with your days off. Here are a few possible combinations.
- Take Dec. 26, and 29-31 for 8 days off
- Take Dec. 26, 29-31 and Jan 2 for 11 days off
- Take Dec. 22-24 and 26 for 7 days off
- Take Dec. 29-31 and Jan 2 for 7 days off
Edited by Sofía Delpueche.