If the 100+ days didn't fully melt your mind, or if it did but your body is still ready to party, Labor Day is here to rescue you from a summer of hard & sweaty work! Bookend your three-day weekend with cooling dips into pools, refreshing days outdoors, and a plethora of parties to pick where you want to have the greatest Labor Day you never remember. Labor Day is Monday, September 1st. Do it big (or as big as you can) in Austin. Here's how. You can also check out events going on over Labor Day Weekend here.
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photo credit: Carpenter Hotel
Poolside for ( 3) Days
If anyone tries to gaslight you into thinking hotel pools in Austin are for guests only, cut them out of your life. Several of our favorite hotels offer day passes for locals and tourists alike to breeze past their gates and enjoy the good life without paying for a good night's stay. Gather your friends, check out the lineups, and question if this makes you the adult version of Eloise.
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Pop up your tent and go camping
There are still several campsites available near Austin for Labor Day weekend and on Labor Day itself. It may be dead hot during the day, but the nights are....bearable! Grab your hiking shoes, hammocks, and plenty of water as you head out to the wilderness for a bit.
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Hit the lake
Hot weather calls for a day (or three) on the water. Luckily, several rental spots are more than ready to get you out on the water with a kayak, canoe, or stand-up paddleboard. And while you can't technically jump into Lady Bird Lake to cool off, there aren't any rules against splashing some of that fresh, cool water onto yourself when you need a break from the scorching sun.
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Even when it might not feel like it from the scorching heat, Austin and our surrounding Hill Country are blessed with beautiful blue swimming holes to splash into when we need a refresh. Take a look and see which beloved spot is still on your list to cross off, pack a cooler, and get ready to feel cooler once you dive into any of these swimming holes.
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Get out of the city for a little bit and hangout at Jester King. Whether you choose to hang out by the Goat Pen with the adorable fuzzballs or opt for seating under a tree canopy, you can't go wrong sipping down some sour beers in this heat. As a bonus, the pizza out there is AMAZING.
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The benefit of living in a state this large? Endless places to take road trips out to without ever crossing state lines. You can travel out to see the Marfa lights at night, head to Sulphur Springs to use a public bathroom entirely made of one-way mirrors, or just make an appointment to tour the Cathedral of Junk right here in our own backyard. Either way, once you hit the open road, your weekend's chances of being like a movie skyrocket.
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Take a weekend getaway at a cool, local Airbnb
Sometimes all you need to recharge your batteries is to rest your head on a pillow in a place that's not your own home. You can do that within your own city limits with some of the unique Airbnb offerings around town, or for the more adventurous, there are some wondrous hidden gems lying just outside of Austin's official borders.
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Hang a hammock at a local park
Suppose you'd rather keep things mellow this holiday weekend. In that case, Austin has a lot of parks available to you to go lounge around in the grass (don't forget your bug spray), hang that hammock you bought from REI last year, or even climb a tree if you're feeling like splooting like a squirrel.
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Take a break from sad homemade sandwiches, really, and dig into some Loro. Whatever you choose, put the diet on pause if you have one and treat your tastebuds to one of the various delectable destinations around town. Celebrate by going all out and just do something different with your three-day weekend, culinary-wise.
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Happy Labor Day!
