Presidents Day 2026 In CA: What’s Open, Closed

Presidents Day on Monday is a federal holiday, but that doesn’t mean every government office in California will automatically be closed.

Most public schools are closed on Presidents Day. While many private schools in the state align with public school district calendars and close for Presidents' Day, they are not required to do so by state law.

If you need to run to the DMV or take care of any other government business, you may find the doors locked and lights off. Most states, including California, make Presidents Day a holiday for workers, with exceptions including those who perform essential services. Even in states that recognize Presidents Day as a holiday, not all counties and cities give workers a day off.

Banks, the New York Stock Exchange, Nasdaq, and bond markets will be closed. So will the U.S. Postal Service. Unless they’re typically closed on Mondays, most retail stores will be open as usual. The same goes for restaurants and bars. Some non-retail businesses will be closed, including Patch Media.

Here’s a look at what’s open and closed, schedule changes, and other things to know about Presidents Day in California:

Services

• Banks
  • Most bank branches close for the holiday, though ATMs and online banking remain available.
• Post Offices (USPS)
  • Post offices close and regular mail delivery pauses for the day.
• Government Offices
  • Federal offices close for the holiday.
• Stock Market
  • Markets close in observance of the federal holiday.
• Shipping Services
  • UPS usually runs normally, while FedEx may operate on modified schedules depending on service type.

Trash collection

While many trash providers in California will run a regular schedule for Presidents' Day, some cities may experience delays. Check with your local waste-hauler for the most accurate information about your trash schedule.

Library

Most public libraries are closed on Presidents' Day, though many offer digital resources through their websites that residents can continue to access.

Retail stores

Retail stores, grocery stores, and restaurants typically stay open because Presidents’ Day is mainly a federal holiday rather than a retail shutdown day.

• Costco
• 7-Eleven
• Albertsons
• CVS
• Starbucks
• Walgreens
• Vons
• Target
• Whole Foods
• Walmart

Presidents Day is the first free-admission day for national parks of 2026. The day kicks off a revised, more “patriotic” schedule of free entrance days for the year, with notable exceptions of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth. Flag Day on June 14, which is also President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday, was added to the schedule of fee-free admission days. Under another change this year, only U.S. citizens and residents.

The National Park Service manages more than 430 designated sites, including national parks, monuments, battlefields, historic sites, lakeshores, and recreation areas. Some places to consider in California include:

• Alcatraz Island.
  • More information here.
• Butterfield Overland National Park.
  • More information here.
• Cabrillo National Monument.
  • More information here.
• Castle Mountains.
  • More information here.
• Cesar E. Chavez National Monument.
  • More information here.
• Death Valley National Park.
  • More information here.
• Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
  • More information here.
• John Muir National Historic Site.
  • More information here.
• Joshua Tree National Park.
  • More information here.
• Lava Beds National Monuments.
  • More information here.
• Lassen Volcanic National Park.
  • More information here.
• Muir Woods National Monument.
  • More information here.
• Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front.
  • More information here.
• Redwood National and State Parks.
  • More information here.
• Yosemite National Park.
  • More information here.

The upcoming holiday is legally known as Washington’s Birthday, which was celebrated on Feb. 22 until it was moved to the third Monday in February under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which took effect in 1971.

Although the name of the holiday was never officially changed, it became known in the 1980s as Presidents Day, a celebration not just of a single president but of the office of the presidency. Many people also regard it as a holiday honoring both Washington’s birthday on Feb. 22 and President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on Feb. 12.