Beaches and outdoor venues were packed during the holiday weekend, according to numerous local and national news outlets. On Friday, May 22, the Washington Post reported that four states were set to reopen beaches in time for the long weekend, including New York, where New York City has been described as the “epicenter” of the pandemic in the United States. After the weekend, the Washington Post reported that throngs of people gathered in pools, beaches, and other venues, citing multiple instances of little regard for social distancing or mask-wearing. A travel advisory was issued by Missouri authorities in response to numerous pool parties in the Lake of the Ozarks over the weekend, the Post reported, prompting one St. Louis official to describe the activities as “an international example of bad judgment.” Though Chicago beaches remained closed, the nearby Indiana Dunes National Park reportedly drew crowds so large on Sunday that police barred entry to its beaches, creating hours-long waits. Crowds were so large at Eaton Canyon Natural Area and Trails, a 198-acre park in Pasadena, that authorities closed it on Sunday “due to overwhelming crowds that were not following the COVID-19 public health requirements,” according to a tweet by Los Angeles County Parks & Recreation.
Sources:
https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/25/health/us-coronavirus-memorial-day/index.html
https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2020/04/13/new-york-city-epicenter-pandemic
https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2020/05/24/indiana-porter-beach-memorial-day-weekend-covid-19-pandemic/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/05/26/memorial-day-weekend-crowds-coronavirus/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2020/05/22/heading-beach-this-weekend-rules-vary-dramatically-depending-where-you-are/