End summer on an Oahu rooftop with champagne.
Labor Day weekend marks the end of summer, making it all the more compelling to take advantage of the holiday to properly say farewell with one final getaway before the return to busier schedules and fewer days spent in the sun.
Take your pick from these 10 last-minute trips that promise to fill the long weekend with barbecues, pool decks, cornhole tournaments and much more.
Say goodbye to summer with one final indulgence: a champagne toast to the sun as it sets over Waikiki Beach on the rooftop of this ultra-exclusive Five-Star hotel that offers just nine full-floor suites. ESPACIO’s Sunset Champagne & Caviar Hour lets you sip bubbly and enjoy caviar on mochi blini with crème fraiche and shaved egg yolk before taking a dip in the infinity pool. End the night on your suite’s private balcony, complete with a personal Jacuzzi and daybed. (Editor’s note: Oahu was not affected by the recent wildfires.)
Pitmaster Jack Arnold will cook up a feast.
Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley
On September 2, Big Green Egg expert Jack Arnold will lend his prowess to Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley’s talented CAMPO team to create the quintessential summer barbecue: a poolside buffet of grilled tacos accompanied by margaritas, sunshine and the pool’s vineyard views. Luckily, the festivities don’t end there. The following day, Arnold will join TRUSS Restaurant + Bar to fire up a three-course meal featuring wagyu ribeye and Southside Market sausages, along with live music. Bid the season farewell as you watch the sun set over the vines and peaks of the Palisades mountains.
Escape to the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Charlottesville, Virginia’s historic Blue Ridge Mountains retreat makes the most of outdoor summer fun on its 3,000-acre property (fun fact: these expansive grounds were part of the state’s first land grant in 1734). Through October 5, on the first Thursday of each month, the resort hosts an alfresco party on The Green with views of Heritage Lake, games, a rotating roster of live music and local food, beer and wine vendors. September’s first Thursday boasts an impressive lineup with a performance by local band Don’t Look Up, beverages from Starr Hill Brewery and DuCard Vineyards, and your lawn game of choice: cornhole, Ladder Golf, giant Jenga, Spikeball, Kan Jam or a giant-sized Connect Four.
Unwind at Verbena Spa.
Austin Proper Hotel & Residences
There’s never a dull weekend in Texas’ capital, and this holiday proves no exception. The centrally located, 244-guest-room Austin Proper Hotel & Residences provides just the place to explore all the city has to offer. It’s footsteps away from Lady Bird Lake, a coveted spot in the happening downtown 2nd Street District, and offers a fleet of onsite Tesla Model 3s at your disposal. The hotel’s fifth-floor pool, Verbena Spa and a discounted rate on three-plus-night stays make your Labor Day destination an easy decision.
Rest your head in Palo Alto.
The all-inclusive Clement Hotel will ensure a labor-free Labor Day weekend as your Palo Alto home away from home. The boutique hotel’s shared spaces include a fully stocked pantry open 24/7 — no grocery store run necessary; a “Living Room” library as comfortable as your own, perhaps even more so, given the cocktail servers eager to take your order; and 23 one- and two-bedroom suites, which thanks to the twice-a-day housekeeping service, you won’t even have to make your bed.
Stay amid the mountains in Telluride.
Film buffs know their plan for the three-day weekend — the Telluride Film Festival. This year’s edition is particularly special, as the festival will celebrate its 50th anniversary. If you secured your ticket but have yet to find a place to stay, look no further than The Inn at Lost Creek. You’ll enjoy the easy access afforded by the resort’s downtown Telluride location, the knowledgeable concierges on hand to assist you in securing any last-minute reservations and the cinematic, slope-facing views of the inn’s 32 rooms.
Enjoy a European-inspired getaway in Carmel.
A trip to Europe might be out of the question for a long weekend, but you’ll find the same elegant design, courtyards, artwork and culinary mastery you crave at L’Auberge Carmel. The intimacy of the boutique hotel’s 20 rooms lends the property the feel of a European chalet, as do the decorative accents, such as the building’s white stucco façade, French windows and antique doorknobs. Top it off with a meal at Five-Star Aubergine, a dining destination helmed by lauded chef Justin Cogley that rivals any restaurant you’d find abroad.
Spend the holiday poolside.
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara
Soak up the last of the summer sun in style with The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara’s Stay Longer & Experience More package — the more nights you stay, the more discounted the nightly rate. While you’re there, partake in The Ritz-Carlton’s roster of Labor Day Weekend activities (a party at one of its three zero-edge pools, a cornhole tournament held on the hotel’s gorgeous oceanfront grounds and a massage at the 42,000-square-foot spa) and visit its newly opened Bacara, the first Cohiba cigar lounge in the U.S.
Attend the hotel’s Culinary Classic.
Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection
Celebrate Hawaii’s culinary contributions at the Big Island hotel’s inaugural Culinary Classic, created in partnership with pioneering chefs, including Bruce and Eric Bromberg of Blue Ribbon restaurants; Andrew Zimmern, popular TV personality; and Jose Garces of Forbes Travel Guide Recommended Volvér in Philadelphia. Take classes with the gastronomic greats, sip wines from volcanic regions at tastings and bid in a philanthropic silent auction. (Editor’s note: Mauna Lani was not affected by the recent wildfires.)
Go out for a hike.
The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch
Labor Day might mark the end of summer, but it also denotes the beginning of The Ranch’s pop-up wellness program at The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch, just in time to witness the season turn in the Rocky Mountains. An average day of The Ranch’s mindfully structured five-day program — limited to an intimate 25 guests — begins with a self-paced morning hike, followed by a plant-based lunch (all meals are made by The Ritz-Carlton’s executive chef, Jasper Schneider, and The Ranch Malibu’s executive chef, Meredith Haaz), more fitness programming and a much-needed daily massage.
