What's Your Ideal Memorial Day Weekend?

Many of you will be finishing off plans for Memorial Day weekend today before setting out Thursday to get a start to the long weekend.

And as AAA points out , Memorial Day is a driving holiday:

AAA projects 34.8 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Memorial Day holiday weekend, an increase of 1.2 percent – or 500,000 travelers – from the 34.3 million people who traveled one year ago. The Memorial Day holiday travel period is defined as Thursday, May 24 to Monday, May 28.

Makes sense. The Indianapolis 500 is on Memorial Day weekend (and if they only count those miles)!

Let us know how you like to spend Memorial Day, whether it's watching the race at home, spending time with family, watching the parade or hitting the road.

Here are some ideas of events and things to do in 50 miles or less. Make sure you visit our live traffic updates page before you venture out.

• Lakewood Ranch Memorial Day Parade and Festival — 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday on Lakewood Ranch Main Street 

• Canoe, bike, fish or picnic at Myakka State Park , 13208 State Road 72

• Memorial Day Concert at Phillippi Estate Park — 3 p.m. Saturday. Cost is $5 for adults; children 12 and younger free.

• Rock out in St. Pete's Vinoy Park for the  97X Backyard BBQ — 11 a.m. Saturday. Bands included The Used, Middle Class Rut, Foxy Shazam and more. The concert is free but you must have a ticket, which the radio station lists locations on its website.

• Catch some minor league baseball — Dunedin Blue Jays are at home taking on the Jupiter Hammerheads on Thursday and Brevard County Manatees Friday through Sunday.

• Try a different beach. See which 

• Check out art at  in St. Petersburg.

• Bring a designated driver and get smashed at the Venice Brew Bash . Takes place along Miami Avenue from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday. Ticket sales close at 5 p.m Friday. Tickets cost $30.

• Memorial Day Ceremony at North Port's Veterans Park — 10 a.m. Monday.

CHIME IN: For us new to the area, what's the best thing to do or trip to take on Memorial Day?