COVID-19 distancing compels shifts at the beach on crowded U.S. Memorial Day weekend


FILE PHOTO: People walk by a closed restaurant on the boardwalk at Coney Island beach ahead of the Memorial Day weekend following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Brooklyn, New York City, U.S., May 22, 2020. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly -/File Photo

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Americans excited about what for many was their first big break from coronavirus shutdowns flocked to beaches and outdoor areas on Saturday, snarling roadways and forcing some closures on the Memorial Day weekend that signals the start of the U.S. summer.

In Destin, Florida, The Back Porch, a surfside restaurant on Henderson Beach, was full. The restaurant was operating at 50% seating capacity to ensure that chairs and umbrellas could be placed 6 feet apart, and newcomers had to wait for places to become free before they could enter, said hostess Julianna Preede, 18.

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