Memorial Day marks the start of summer for many, and with it comes a scroll-worthy wave of sun, sand, and sea content. From luxury yacht selfies to barefoot strolls on the beach, these celebrity posts capture the full spectrum of oceanside living. While the photos weren’t all taken on the holiday itself, they each channel the energy that comes with warmer days and a reason to relax.
This roundup features standout Instagram moments from some of today’s most stylish and influential stars. Ashanti continues to be the blueprint for tropical travel content, while Angel Reese, Lady London and Duke Dennis bring fresh energy to the mix. You’ll also spot iconic couples like Joey BADASS and Serayah, as well as beachwear pros like Megan Thee Stallion and SZA. From the sand to the open sea, these posts offer pure summer inspiration — and a reminder that leisure is a luxury worth capturing.
1. Ashanti
At this point, Ashanti might as well hold a degree in tropical soft launches. In one of her many flexes, she stuns in a colorful two-piece while lounging on a boat, captioning the shot, “Bahama mama.” It’s classic Ashanti with glowing skin and serene waters. Her beach-and-boat content never feels forced, either; thirst trap or not (definitely not), it radiates real peace, the kind you earn after leveling up.
2. Lady London
Lady London gave luxury and introspection in equal measure with this over-water moment from Aruba. Rocking a bikini and framed by open ocean, she leaned into soft glam while letting the caption do the talking: “Baby, keep my head as [clear] as the water I’m swimming in.” The last slide added to the post’s poetic feel for potential suitors. “[I’d] rather not hear anything about what you intend to do for me. Let’s talk about it after you actually do it,” she wrote.
3. Rihanna
Rihanna knows how to give you a feeling of FOMO while also promoting her billion-dollar brand. In this case, she rocks cat cleats from her Fenty and Puma collaboration while on what appears to be a yacht with the ocean in the background. A full-on tropical outfit and a couple of mansion snaps add to the overall feel. I wouldn’t rush to drop new music, either.
4. Beyoncé
Beyoncé doesn’t even need a caption: Instagram pics of her enjoying a cigar and a bottle of two of her own SirDavis Whisky while neck deep in the ocean are more than enough to set the internet on fire. A quick clip of hubby JAY-Z joining in on the fun is nothing short of love goals. The kids must’ve been hanging with mama Tina during this scenic getaway.
5. Joey BADASS and Serayah
Speaking of love goals, hot couple Joey BADASS and Serayah brought their fans to St. Lucia for some shots on the sand and on the boat. The swimsuits are top-tier and the vibes are like Valentine’s Day year-round. “F**k it, girl, let’s take a trip, drop all [your] s**t and let’s leave,” Joey wrote next to the pictures, which came courtesy of Waqas Ghani.
6. Megan Thee Stallion
If anyone is going to serve, it’s going to be Megan Thee Stallion. In celebration of her birthday, the Houston star decided to get off a slew of different photos from an undisclosed location, which you can check out here. She can be seen rocking different beachwear fits while hanging with friends, including fellow Texan Asian Da Brat. If the body-revealing shots weren’t enough, she even provides social media with a close-up of her stylish pedicure in the sand.
7. Angel Reese
In one post on Instagram, Angel Reese stated, “He said it’s anything for big mama [for real].” Whomever the lucky “he” is has the college champion-turned-WNBA star sitting pretty on a custom jetcar in the middle of the sea. Breathtaking bikini beauty aside, the vehicle alone attracted plenty of attention from the likes of Monica, Odyssey Sims, Jodie Woods, Satou Sabally and Kysre Gondrezick.
8. Lynae Vanee
No smoke or mirrors needed for multitalented personality Lynae Vanee. The host of “The People’s Brief” gave us a few shots showing her coming out of the ocean in a stylish swimsuit, enjoying life amongst the waves. “Nah, these crazy,” she wrote in the post’s description. Indeed.
9. Latto
Even while on the job, Latto is gonna get her pics off. During the filming of her visual for “Somebody” in Jamaica, the Clayton County frontrunner enjoyed all that the island had to offer. She floated on the water, kicked it with Jada Kingdom, and showed off her body in a skimpy flag-bearing bikini. This particular post is the definition of living life to the fullest.
10. Chloe and Halle Bailey
Sisters Chloe and Halle Bailey made the best use of downtime by enjoying a resort getaway in St. Lucia with Halle’s son Halo in tow. “Thank you so much to Windjammer Landing for taking care of us,” Hally wrote to the presumed sponsors of her fantasy vacay. “This was our first sister trip in a minute, and we both just wrapped our films, feeling more blessed than ever.”
11. SZA
If you really want to turn the heat, you better call SZA. The TDE talent took a break at an undisclosed tropical destination and brought her fans and peers with her through a series of titillating photos and videos. She hit the beach, the boats and the jungle before giving a farewell to her vacation before boarding a private jet.
12. Duke Dennis
The women aren’t the only ones throwing out thirst traps to their respective audiences. Hot-shot streamer Duke Dennis made sure to treat the ladies to pictures from a day out on a yacht, which includes close-ups of his heavily tattooed torso for good measure. A quick scan of his comment sections showed the masses’ overwhelming approval.
13. Quavo
As Quavo himself put it: “Went tropics goin’ sand, coming back wit’ [a] tan!” The North Atlanta rapper paid a visit to Aruba and made sure his Instagram followers saw what went down, from an impromptu beachfront photo shoot to a ride in a dune buggy on land. Consider this a sign to treat yourself to a personal vacation for some mental wellness.
14. Cardi B
Work with us here: This might be a single video clip devoid of any still images, but it gives us Memorial Day-styled vibes all the same. In this post, a carefree Cardi B enjoys herself by riding what some are pegging as an “aqua-cycle” (a pedal boat of sorts) over the water. “It’s up and it’s stuck!” the rapper captioned in reference to one of her many hit songs.
15. Sha’Carri Richardson
Olympic gold medalist Sha’Carri Richardson is pure joy in a single photo on a majestic beach (a more hi-res version can be found on her Instagram). Given all that she has accomplished in sports for her country, community and loved ones, few are more deserving of a tropical getaway than her. No caption was even needed; her expression was enough to make us all want to book a plane ticket.
16. Karrueche
In this particular post, the show-stopping Karrueche Tran bared all during a trip to Mexico’s Cabo San Lucas with loved ones. The socialite and actress enjoyed everything from a yacht kickback to fireworks, and everything in between. We suppose it’s all well-deserved after nabbing multiple awards for her work, including Daytime Emmys.
17. Ari Fletcher
Ari Fletcher made sure she brought a photographer out for her yacht excursion, which saw her rocking a fly swimsuit with stripes and polka dots. Finding some time away from her fellow boat riders, the entrepreneur got some amazing looks at various locations over the water with the beautiful sky, sun and palm trees as the background.