For many families, the ceremonies had a deeply personal meaning.
Mary Hargrove, for one, thinks about her 21-year-old son, Marine Cpl. Justin Swanson, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2009 when an IED exploded. He was supposed to return home in a month.
"I admit, Memorial Day before my son died, I went to the beach," she said. "I did the same thing everybody else does. But now I realize the price that was really paid by those who gave their life for it."
President Biden honors fallen veterans at Arlington cemetery
President Biden's full speech at Arlington National Cemetery
Every Memorial Day at Rosie The Riveter Park in Long Beach, service members read the names of those who died for our freedom.
They are reminding Americans that we are able to spend this day of rest and relaxation with family, because of the sacrifices made by others.
The nonprofit Honoring Our Fallen has worked to return the remains of nearly 1,000 fallen veterans to their families since its inception 11 years ago.
Laura Herzog, CEO and co-founder of Honoring Our Fallen, says it's OK to enjoy the Memorial Day holiday, but be sure to spend at least some time remembering the somber reason behind the day and paying respects to those families who lost loved ones to war.
"Go out and have a barbecue and go swimming and be with your family," she said. "But also pause and remember the fact that the reason you have the freedom to do that is because their loved one signed a blank check."