For the late summer lovers among us, Labor Day weekend might just be the best time of the year. The season is coming to a close, yes, but the water is at its warmest, the farmstand fruit is at its sweetest, and the temperatures, once far too high, have usually cooled down to the high 70s and low 80s (perfection).
If you’ve put off solidifying plans and are now behind on planning a long weekend escape to enjoy these simple pleasures, we’ve got you covered. Whether you want to laze around on the beach with a good book and freshly cut watermelon or dive deep into nature with hiking trails and swimming holes, here are four last-minute Labor Day trip ideas on the East Coast for soaking up the last days of summer—all within easy reach of NYC.
For a Rugged Coastal Escape: Block Island, Rhode Island
Courtesy of Block Island Beach House
Most people who visit Rhode Island from New York tend to go to Newport for the opulent Gilded Age mansions, Providence for the rising creative scene, or Watch Hill for the Taylor Swift of it all (she bought her “holiday house” there back in 2013). But as a native Rhode Islander myself, I am here to confirm that Block Island is the local favorite for a late-summer escape. Located nine miles south of mainland Rhode Island and just 14 miles east of Montauk, the island is known for both its relaxed, old-timey New England feel (think crumbling stone walls, weathered shingles, and lots of white picket fences) and its more rugged natural beauty, with vast beaches, sand dunes dotted with beach grass, and steep clay bluffs overlooking the Atlantic. Be sure to rent a bike in town and ride out to North Light, one of the island’s historic lighthouses.
Stay: The 46-room Block Island Beach House is the boutique darling of the island. Renovated in 2019, it feels more like staying at an actual beach house than a hotel—if said beach house belonged to your most stylish friend.
For a Woodsy Weekend Retreat: The Eastern Catskills
Courtesy of the Airbnb photographer community