Choosing West Coast Destinations for Labor Day Weekend

Considering Labor Day is on a Monday—September 4—which makes it a 3-day weekend for many, quite a few pack their bags and take a little much-deserved break from the daily hustle-and-bustle. If you’re trying to decide where to go for your own trip, the west coast has a lot to offer and there’s a little something for everyone. Many west coast destinations, including Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, Napa Valley, Bend, San Diego, and Tacoma, are just some of the multitude of places to consider, but how are you to choose when you have so many options?

Consider The Crowds
Since it is a busy weekend for traveling, some destinations are going to be much more crowded than others, especially when you consider that it’s essentially one last hurrah to summer. Should you want to deal with as few crowds as possible, if there’s a little out-of-the-way gem that you’ve been wanting to visit, Labor Day weekend could be a perfect opportunity to do so.

Evaluate Your Budget
Some west coast destinations are much cheaper to get to and explore than others, so you’re going to want to evaluate your budget and see how much you’re working with. Don’t forget to also factor in accommodations, food, and getting around the area while you’re staying there.

Check Accommodations
Certain west coast cities are big tourist spots for Labor Day weekend which means that many of the accommodations are going to book up fast, not just hotels and motels but vacation rentals as well. You’re not going to want to stay in a place that’s dirty or dangerous, and you’re also not going to want to stay at a place that’s out of your price range, so if there seem to be very few worthwhile accommodations still available in a city you’re considering visiting, you might want to put that destination off for now and check out some other locations.

Check Your Bucket List
Chances are you have at least a few destinations on your bucket list that are located on the west coast, so think about visiting one of them for Labor Day weekend. Narrow down your list by pinpointing west coast destinations, then narrow down your options even further by factoring in other aspects that are important to you such as the expense and crowds.

Decide On Activities
What do you want to do during your west coast Labor Day weekend vacation? It’s an important factor when you’re planning your trip especially considering you’re likely only going for a 3-day weekend and travel to/from is also involved. Do you want to sit on a beach? Go camping and sleep under the stars? Visit amusement parks? Spend many hours hiking through gorgeous state parks? The west coast has a multitude of different ways to spend your time, so decide what you want to do with it and go from there.

Now that you have some tips for deciding how to go about taking a Labor Day weekend west coast trip, who’s ready for a vacation?