With more than 30 percent of all Labor Day bookings made the week prior, it’s almost never too late to plan for the last weekend of summer – or the first weekend of fall.
DALLAS – Celebrated annually on the first Monday of September, Labor Day is often seen as a last chance for fun in the sun at the beach or the lake. But since it is also a time when kids are going back to school and football season is getting into full swing, the question becomes: Is Labor Day the end of summer or the beginning of fall?
To answer this question, Travelocity surveyed 1,000 Americans and found that by a three to one margin, most people are not ready for summer to end, hoping for at least one more warm summer weekend. However, with more than a quarter of Americans (30 percent) identifying the Labor Day weekend as the start of fall, a significant number of people are looking forward to the cool, crisp temperatures of autumn as well.
By looking at average daily temperatures for the month of September in cities and towns across the United States and identifying those places with decidedly fall-like weather (between 50 and 60 degrees) and those still basking in the sun (more than 80 degrees), Travelocity has created a list of destinations optimized for both Labor Day travelers seeking the summer heat and for those who can't wait to get a jump on fall.
It's (almost) never too late to decide
While it may be a hard decision whether to hang on to the last days of summer or to chase the first signs of autumn, according to Travelocity data, it's almost never too late to decide. Last year, more than 30 percent of total Labor Day weekend bookings and over 40 percent of hotel bookings were made only during the week before Labor Day – translating into plenty of options, even up to the last minute.
And if the decision between summer and fall is too hard, why not do both? Two states, Nevada and Arizona, boast cities with both summer and fall September weather. In Nevada, Las Vegas, with an average September temperature of 81 degrees, and Elko, with an average September temperature of just 58 degrees, are separated by only about a 6 hour drive. And in Arizona, Phoenix and its summer-like 86 degree temperatures is a mere 3 hour drive from Flagstaff's cool 58 degree reading.
Travelocity's top fall and summer weather picks
After studying destinations with temperatures appealing to fans of fall or supporters of summer, Travelocity's experts have narrowed down the list to these cities based on local attractions, hotel prices and of course, weather:
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Travelocity's top picks for an "Endless Summer" |
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Destination |
Average Sept. |
Average Labor |
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Corpus Christi, TX |
80.8°F |
$153.58 |
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Las Vegas, NV |
81.3°F |
$133.81 |
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Miami, FL |
82.4°F |
$138.96 |
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Key West, FL |
83.4°F |
$255.81 |
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Phoenix, AZ |
86°F |
$106.99 |
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Travelocity's top picks for an "Early Autumn" |
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Destination |
Average Sept. |
Average Labor |
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56.1°F |
$105.03 |
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56.6°F |
$100.46 |
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57.8°F |
$153.31 |
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58.7°F |
$208.89 |
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59.8°F |
$140.31 |
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Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
