May and June are the holiday season in Germany. Within just over four weeks, four public holidays follow each other in quick succession: Labour Day, Ascension Day, Pentecost and Corpus Christi. Anyone who plans cleverly can turn nine official holidays into twelve consecutive days off. The only question: where to go, and how to fit everything into the car?

The 2026 Public Holidays at a Glance

A quick overview helps with planning:

Friday, 1 May – Labour Day. A long weekend without using a single vacation day.
Thursday, 14 May – Ascension Day. Take the Friday off and enjoy four days in a row.
Sunday and Monday, 24 / 25 May – Pentecost (Whitsun). Add the Tuesday as a bridge day and you have four days.
Thursday, 4 June – Corpus Christi. A public holiday in Hesse, Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland. Taking the following Friday off gives you another long weekend.

Using the three bridge days (Friday 15 May, Tuesday 26 May, Friday 5 June) turns three vacation days into either twelve days off in a row or three consecutive four-day weekends – whichever suits your family best.

Three Bridge Days, Three Short Getaways

If you prefer not to take it all at once, these long weekends are made for short trips. They are too short for a long-haul holiday but too long for a mere day trip. The classic setup: pack the car, leave Thursday evening, return Sunday night.

If you live in the Rhine-Main region, you are in a great spot: many appealing destinations are within a few hours' drive. Of four days off, you get three full days at your destination.

Destinations from the Rhine-Main Region

A few ideas that are particularly popular with our customers:

Black Forest and Palatinate

1.5 to 2.5 hours' drive. Hiking, wine trails, family-oriented holiday parks in the Black Forest. Luggage is usually manageable, but bikes or e-bikes take up serious space.

Lake Constance and Allgäu

4 to 5 hours. A classic Pentecost destination with water, mountains and plenty of attractions for kids. On longer stays, boot space gets tight quickly once you add swimming gear, strollers and jackets for every kind of weather.

North Sea or Baltic Coast

6 to 7 hours. A longer drive, but worth it over an Ascension or Pentecost long weekend. Typical roof-box territory: two adults, two kids, beach shelter, a trolley, rain jackets and warm clothes – fitting that into a station wagon without a roof box is an art form.

Saxon Switzerland or the Harz Mountains

3 to 4 hours. Quieter, less crowded than the popular spots, excellent for hiking and climbing. With outdoor gear plus luggage for four days, a rear box on the tow bar is often the better choice than an overstuffed boot.

What Goes on the Car – and What Goes Inside?

The right transport solution depends less on where you are going and more on what you are taking:

Family holiday with children: The classic use case for a roof box. Anything bulky, light and awkwardly shaped (bedding, clothes, beach shelter, trolley) goes on top, the boot stays free for snacks, toys and the bag of things you need on the road.
Cycling holiday: From Pentecost onwards, the cycling season is in full swing. Two bikes fit on a roof-mounted bike rack; from three bikes onwards, a tow-bar rack is the practical choice. More on this in our article Bike Racks: Roof or Tow Bar.
Electric vehicles: If range is a concern, a rear box on the tow bar is much kinder to your consumption than a roof box.

Why You Should Book Now

The May and June holidays are packed close together, and availability reflects that. The large roof boxes (500 and 600 litres), bike racks for four or more bikes and rear boxes are regularly fully booked over the long weekends. The longer you wait, the smaller the selection.

Short rental periods of three to five days are no problem – pick up the box Thursday lunchtime and return it Tuesday or Wednesday. That covers the long weekend exactly without paying for a full week.

Key Takeaway

May and June are made for stringing together several short family getaways. Plan your bridge days now, reserve your roof box or bike rack in time, and avoid the last-minute drama of a car that is too small. You can find all current boxes and carriers in our product overview – and we are happy to advise you in person in Darmstadt, in English by phone or email.

Pentecost and the Bridge Days: How to Turn 9 Holidays Into 12