There are plenty of ways to spend the long, three-day weekend that has come to feel like the beginning of summer. But many of us end up doing the same old thing, year after year. Here are eight ways to change it up a bit.

Picnics and backyard BBQ parties are de rigueur. This tradition actually started when Decoration Day turned into Memorial Day, right after the Civil War. The picnics where families gathered to mourn their many losses took place in crowded cemeteries. So sharing picnic fare on this weekend is actually steeped in tradition. This year, make a special effort to invite a veteran, and honor any vets in attendance.

But Memorial Day is actually intended to honor those who have died for our country. There are parades in nearly every town and village in WNY, and the Star Spangled Pops is a tradition for many. Soldiers Through the Ages at Old Fort Niagara on Saturday and Sunday captures the spirit perfectly, as do Forest Lawn's Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Day Ceremony on Sunday and the Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday. 

Make a special effort to get to the Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park at Canalside. The largest inland naval park in the U.S., you'll find excellent exhibits, cool equipment (think helicopters and tanks), and immense ships to board and explore. When you're done at the Museum and have toured the USS Little Rock, be sure to take a stroll down the lovely, winding path though Veterans Park. Remember the fallen as you pass by the ten war memorials. 

While you're on the waterfront, have some fun! The Boardwalk Carnival on Canalside starts Saturday and does not let up until Monday evening. Stop by the first Saturday Artisan Market of the season while you're on there. Too crowded? Head over to the Outer Harbor. Explore the domes, tunnels and pods of the Architect of Air which just opened at Wilkeson Pointe. You've got to exerience this to believe it. Bring a kite, a bike or binoculars and make a day of it. There's a lighthoiuse to visit, a nature preserve (two, actually), and even a new restaurant to try. 

Take a tour - even if you have no out-of-town guests. Call it a staycation and discover facets of Buffalo you've always wondered about. Explore Buffalo offers a dozen different tours on Saturday and Sunday. Get a bird's eye view on the Silo City: Vertical tour, paddle a kayak through Elevator Alley, explore beautiful Lincoln Parkway - there are so many ways to experience the Queen City  Or just make your own tour: take a walk or a long, leisurely bike ride. You'll be amazed at what you discover, even on routes you take daily by car.

Get your hands dirty by getting that garden started! There's plenty of prep work to do to make it ready for tomato, pepper and zuchinni seedlings in the coming weeks. No place for a garden in your yard? Buffalo is awash in community gardens. Find our favorite and dig in. It's zen.

Gardening is considered to be fun by many. So how about some work? It's time to pack away your winter wear and pull out those white slacks and sandals. Then take down the storm windows and put in the screens. Scrub the lawn furniture and get the porch ready for company. We've got one of those fabulous Buffalo summers ahead us. Get ready to enjoy it now.

Or read a book, just for the fun of it. Could there be a more pleasant way to while the day away?

Have a safe and enjoyable weekend!