Regina Olga Mullen

[Written for Frisco Limo]

Sunny days and warmer weather are finally heading our way for this week’s coveted three-day Memorial Day weekend, and it’d be a sin to let the sunshine and extra day of freedom go to waste. Don’t miss out on these unofficial start-of-summer festivities:

Third Annual Fremont Burger & Brew Fest:

If you’re sick of the San Francisco fog, then head on down to Fremont for a day of burgers, brews, and a forecast of mid-to-high 70s. This Saturday festival goes from 11am to 6pm, and offers the Bay Area’s finest selection of craft beers, burgers, sliders, and gourmet snack vendors, as well as some local arts and crafts booths. Be sure to get there in time for the “Burger Throwdown” — a live burger cooking competition.

Buy tickets at EventBrite, or head over to FunCheapSF to enter to win a pair! If your party is coming from across the Bay, or planning on ampley satiating their thirst (or both!), consider renting a town car or limo to make a day of it, while also ensuring your safety.

Treasure Island Flea Market’s 6th Birthday Bash:

On both Saturday (5/27) and Sunday (5/28), this happy smorgasbord of food trucks, pop-up shops, local bands, DIY community workshops, carnival games, three full bars, and a kid zone celebrates its 6th year of existence. With beautiful views of the city and the bay, free parking, zero pet restrictions, and only $3 entry (free entry to kids 12 and under!), this monthly market is a no-brainer for those who find themselves without plans this weekend.

Bring cash to buy tickets at the entrance, or buy them online ahead of time to get two drinks 50% off (for purchase of two tickets). You can also enter to win a $100 flea market shopping spree on FunCheapSF.

BottleRock Music Festival:

Grab a car and head out to this three-day music festival in downtown Napa, headlined this year by the Foo Fighters, Tom Petty, and Maroon 5 (see the full lineup here). Though technically sold out, you can still find one-day passes or three-day passes on StubHub and various other third-party sites. Nighttime accommodations can get pricey this last-minute, so your best bet might be to find a one-day pass, and rent a car to take you in the morning and bring you home at night.

Be sure to check out satellite events happening in Napa in conjunction with the BottleRock festival, like this Chandon American Summer Fete in nearby Yountville on Saturday and Sunday (which you can get into for free if you have a BottleRock wristband).

Carnaval SF:

Visit San Francisco’s Mission District (Harrison St. between 16th and 24th) on Saturday or Sunday to witness this long-standing celebration of San Francisco’s cultural and artistic heritage, which includes a parade (Sunday only), global cuisine, international music, dance, arts & crafts, and a variety of other activities. This year’s theme is “El Corazón de San Pancho” (“The Heart of San Francisco”), so head down to the Mission to experience traditions from Brazil, Mexico, Bolivia, Colombia, Trinidad & Tobago, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Nicaragua, Panamá, Perú, Guatemala, Chile, Haiti, and West Africa.

Admission to this widely-attended (400,000 people last year!) event is free, but donations are welcome on-site.

Wine Country Excursions:

Napa, Yountville, Sonoma, Calistoga (etc.) are typically much warmer than San Francisco and other spots in the Bay Area, and Memorial Day Weekend 2017 is no exception. With temperature in the high 70s and 80s this weekend, there’s no better time to break out your shorts and sundresses and sign up for a tour around wine country.

With one of these completely customizable tours, you can get chauffeured to some of the best spots Napa and accompanying cities have to offer, including the Castello di Amorosa, Chateau Montelena, Oxbow Public Market, the Old Faithful geyser, the many amazing restaurants in Yountville, and much, much more.

San Francisco’s Memorial Day Ceremony:

If you’re more inclined to celebrate the patriotic spirit of Memorial Day, check out this ceremony at the National Cemetery in the Presidio, which seeks to honor Bay Area veterans. The largest event of its kind, the ceremony features a grand march with veterans, a formal program with military dignitaries, guest speakers, and live music, a 21-gun salute, a tour of the National Cemetery, and a community picnic.

Register for this event at Eventbrite.

Your Guide to Memorial Day Weekend 2017 in the Bay Area