properties. Check in Thursday or Friday and stay for three nights for the $120 a night rate at the Helix, $130 per night at the Rouge, or $140 a night at Topaz, all in northwest D.C. near The White House, when you mention booking code "PMEM" (that's over 25 percent savings off of normal rates). From $120 per night over Memorial Day weekend, kimptonhotels.com. EASY GETAWAY FROM Albany, N.Y.; Baltimore; Boston; Charleston, S.C.; Columbus, Ohio; Hartford; Louisville, Ky.; Nashville; New York; Providence. Las Vegas: To party by the pool with like-minded folks WHY GO THIS WEEKEND Memorial Day weekend in Las Vegas is its of the busiest times of the year, along with New Year's Eve. Parties held around the resorts' elaborate pools are the big event, and become daylight nightclubs with DJs, drink carts, bottle service, cabanas, and more. To get in on the action, grab a chaise at the Venus Pool Club at Caesars Palace or the Rehab Pool Party at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (if you're a guest, there is no cover charge for hunkering down poolside, but most properties have food-and-drink minimums, which vary according to day and time; Caesars Palace is one of the few properties that allows non-guests to enjoy the party for a $20 cover charge). WHERE TO STAY The Tropicana Las Vegas has a new water lounge as of May 26. The South Beach–themed pool club, which was made over to the tune of $180 million, is modeled after the original Nikki Beach club in Miami. From $130 per night, troplv.com. Saint Louis: For comfort food and the ultimate treasure hunt WHY GO THIS WEEKEND Teams from across the country gather for an epic "rib-off" during the Rib America Festival at Soldier's Memorial Park Friday, May 27, to Monday, May 30. Admission is free before 5 p.m. Friday or 1 p.m. Saturday through Monday; after that tickets cost $7. And if that's not enough 'cue, head to the Brew and Q World Pork Steak Championships at Schlafly Bottleworks brewery on Friday and Saturday, where amateurs battle for best BBQ and pork steak to the sounds of local bands (winners take home $500 and title of "World Pork Steak Champion"). You'll need all this fuel to tackle the largest flea market in the Midwest, Gypsy Caravan, an annual Memorial Day event organized for the 39th year by the St. Louis Symphony Volunteer Association. WHERE TO STAY Downtown, the 179-room Roberts Mayfair Hotel has a rooftop pool and emerged from a $9 million makeover in March 2011. You can get the MetroLink light rail two blocks from the hotel, which will take you to Soldiers Memorial and other downtown sites. From $107 a night, wyndham.com. EASY GETAWAY FROM Chicago; Cincinnati; Kansas City, MO.; Memphis. Portsmouth, N.H.: For seaside New England charm WHY GO THIS WEEKEND Portsmouth keeps popping up on lists of cool, small towns, and Memorial Day weekend, when locals and visitors alike come out en force to honor our veterans, is a great time to explore the area. Sitting at the northern point of New Hampshire's brief coastline, the 17th-century seaport here is one of the oldest in America and hosts nautical festivities such as the weekend's annual tall ships festival (Sail Portsmouth). The U.S. Navy also conducts a ceremony at the USS Albacore Museum & Memorial Park, a World War II–era submarine set in a park honoring those lost in deep-sea battles. WHERE TO STAY The Ale House Inn, a 130-year-old former brewery, sits right downtown at Market Square. Its 10 contemporary rooms come with complimentary in-room iPads. From $139 per night, alehouseinn.com. EASY GETAWAY FROM Boston; Hartford; Portland, Maine; Providence. Austin: For boating season and bluegrass WHY GO THIS WEEKEND Head to Lake Travis to soak up some of Austin's best weather of the year, with plenty of sunshine and temperatures in the eighties. Memorial Day kicks off boating season here, so the place to be is the lake. To get in on the action, check out Austin's REI store's schedule of events to find out what classes and events are on offer this weekend or rent a ski boat at Just for Fun ($75 for one hour). When you've had your fill of watersports, head downtown to sample some Lone Star State wine, beer, and music at the Austin Wine & Music Festival, May 28 and 29th, when 27 of the state's 215 wineries offer tastings. WHERE TO STAY The Mansion at Judges' Hill is a reasonably priced, 48-room boutique hotel. Plus, the turn-of-the-century property is walking distance from downtown. From $129 per night, mansionatjudgeshill.com. EASY GETAWAY FROM Atlanta; Dallas. Outer Banks, N.C.: For unspoiled beaches and East Coast surf WHY GO THIS WEEKEND The Hatteras Kite Expo, which takes place over Memorial Day weekend, offers something for kiteboarders and stand-up paddle boarders of all levels. Give these fast-growing water sports a try in Hatteras, one of a narrow string of barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean and Pamlico Sound, which has consistent winds, miles of launchable areas, and shallow waters—an ideal spot for beginners. You can take a lesson with Real Watersports (from $100 for a beginner group), which has a permit to access undeveloped beaches in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Or rent a surfboard for $20 a day from Real and head to the S-Turns surf break on Highway 12 in Rodanthe. But there is no need to strain your self: Beach bums can watch the expos from the comfort of a lounge chair or simply enjoy the soft, sandy beaches with nary a high-rise in sight. WHERE TO STAY Waves Village, a year-old kiteboarding resort in Hatteras, has nine 3-bedroom condos. From $139 per night, wavesvillage.com. Charleston, S.C.: For high art with Southern hospitality WHY GO TH