Every State's Best Labor Day Weekend Getaway

Labor Day Weekend marks the unofficial end of summer. And while the calendar might say that autumn is still a few weeks away, we all know that September means the kids go back - or already are back - to school and it's time to buckle down at work.

But not before one more quick trip.

Here's the best Labor Day Weekend getaway in every state.

If you haven't heard of it, you're missing out on one of the great quintessential small towns of the Old South. Situated on Mobile Bay, this Gulf shore town has tranquil waters - including the great Battles Wharf - a great downtown, thriving antique shops and wonderful restaurants.

The town is famous for cruise ships sailing through the Inland Passage, but you don't need to book a cabin to enjoy Skagway. It's actually because of those ships that the town is fairly built up with some great stores and restaurants. Hop on the White Pass Scenic Railway for one heck of a scenic ride.

If you want healing, if you want peace, if you want serenity with the outdoors, there's only one place: Sedona. The hiking, especially around Cathedral Rock, is magnificent.

If you're looking for a completely different kind of experience, one that takes you back to childhood, boy do we have a place for you. Eureka Springs has not one, not two but three different resorts that have treehouses. That's right, you can enjoy the weekend from the treetops by booking at any one of them.

Hot summer nights in Sausalito, right? Just across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco is the town of Sausalito, where the annual Art Festival is held. Plenty of artisans and artists are obviously on hand selling their work, along with live music and food.

A paradise for those who enjoy the outdoors. After all, it's just an hour from Denver in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains and offers the opportunity to fish, hike, bike and more. Enjoy some great live music over the holiday weekend in nearby Dillon, Colo., at an annual concert.

Before you even ask, yes, you can still get lunch at Mystic Pizza. No Julia Roberts, though. This is a great town for kids, with the Mystic Seaport offering a glimpse back in time of a working shipyard. In fact, the world's last wooden whaling ship, the Charles W. Morgan, is now a museum. And be sure to hit the aquarium.

The great thing about this area is the diversity. The Quiet Beaches, as they are called, stretch from Lewes to Dewey to Rehoboth, Bethany and Fenwick Island, albeit with one notable exception as Dewey is a little more on the young adult side. But the rest are family-oriented with great waterparks, amusement parks and of course the boardwalks.

Located along the Gulf of Mexico along the barrier islands near Sanibel, Caya Costa is far quieter and more relaxing than elsewhere in Florida. Ditch the motels and rent a house or a condo on the beach where you can enjoy the soft waves of the gulf.

There's never a bad time to see one of the great cities of the Old South and the oldest city in the state, dating back to 1733. If there's one word to describe Savannah, it would be 'charming.' Between the giant oak trees, cobblestone streets ferry rides on the river and antebellum homes, it's a step back in time.

Located on the north shore of Oahu, where some of the best surfing in the world takes place, Haleiwa is a great beach town that happens to be loaded with great boutiques and art galleries mixed among its delicious restaurants. Don't worry, you can hit the beach - Labor Day means far more gentle waves.

McCall is one of those places where you'll tell stories about getting there, but even more stories about how spectacular it truly is. It's a resort town on Payette Lake near the Oregon border. Rent a bike to navigate the trails, rent a boat to get around the lake. And McCall is a great walking town as well.

Starved Rock State Park has it all - canyons, horseback riding, hiking trails, and history - the land dates back to the 1760s when it was settled by two Indian tribes. At night, after a full day, chill at one of two wineries in town and a brewery.

No, really, Santa Claus. This just might be the most festive town in America, but you don't need to wait until November and December to enjoy. There are several waterparks in the area that make closing out summer just as fun.

Yes, there is a Madrid more famous - in Iowa, anyway - than the one in Europe. This is a great little town hard by the Des Moines River Valley, and Madrid does a fabulous job of hosting an annual Labor Day celebration that is perfect for the entire family, including everything from a petting zoo to a classic car show. Be sure to also see the high-trestle bridge.

This one's for the kids. Baldwin is like fun central. It has some great train rides for the youngsters at the Midland Railway Historical Association, including theme rides like Peanuts characters and the Polar Express, as well as a fishing lake and the Old Castle Museum.

If Kansas was for the kids, this one is for the adults. Head to Louisville get yourself on the Bourbon Trail. They don't call it Kentucky Sippin' Whiskey for nothin', you know. Visit some of the distilleries that produce the best bourbon on the world.

You can look at this in one of two ways. For adults, this is a non-stop, 24/7 town. But it's also great for those with families - the Audobon Zoo, the Aquarium, the Insectarium, City Park …. NOLA has it all for every age.

There are many seaside towns we could have chosen in the great state of Maine. But nobody hosts the Labor Day Weekend Windjammer Festival like Camden. This is a slice of Americana with fun for all ages, including food-eating contests, boat races and more maritime activities.

Again, another state with a ton of options to choose from but this little gem in the Chesapeake Bay. Get your boat, or rent a charter, and get out to fish and catch some of the greatest crab in the world. And if you don't fancy catching it and cooking it yourself, head to the legendary Old Salty's restaurant. Go for the steamers.

Technically you can go to the Cape at any time, but Labor Day is the traditional end of the season and a good portion of the stores and businesses close up until the following spring. It's pricey at any time of the year but the chance to take one more boat ride around the bay and eat the freshest seafood can't be missed.

Ah, you thought we were going to go with Mackinac Island here, didn't you? Well, Lake Michigan beckons here in Traverse City, and there are just as many options on land as well. Don't forget to see Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore with its beaches, forests and historic lighthouse.

Three words - Minnesota State Fair. This is an epic annual event. The live music is always top-notch (Hootie & The Blowfish, Barenaked Ladies, country superstars Dierks Bentley, Trace Adkins and Clint Black, Hall & Oates just this year alone), the rides will satisfy kids of any and the food is ridiculously amazing. Especially when you can deep fry anything and put it on a stick.

If you're looking for quiet, this is it. But don't confuse quietness with sleepiness. Ocean Springs has a great downtown in addition to a great beach. One of the highlights of Labor Day Weekend is Ocean Springs' Artwalk festival.

Welcome to the land of Huck Finn. This is where Mark Twain grew up and penned his famous tomes and, in fact, you can visit the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum. Or the 52-degree Mark Twain Cave. Or take a ride on the Mark Twain Riverboat cruise. You see where we're going with this, right? Good. Say hello to Huck, Tom and Becky for us.

Now this is for the true outdoorsman. Hiking, biking, fishing, wildlife, mountains, valleys and more. Whitefish is considered the gateway to Glacier National Park, so expect nothing but the most pristine scenery.

This small town hosts a great small-town event - a Labor Day party all weekend that encompasses just about everything. There's a racewalk, there's a parade, there's bingo, a carnival, food and music. And if you can't get enough, shoot over to Omaha for SeptemberFest on Labor Day, a more expansive celebration of the holiday.

Really? Do you need a reason? OK, here it is - it's Vegas. Casinos galore! Remember what Labor Day is - a celebration of the workers. Go. And celebrate. Just remember to be responsible!

Could be Waterville Valley, could be North Conway, could be Littleton. No matter where it is, if you're in the White Mountains you're in the right spot. Labor Day is a little early for fall foliage - you could always come back, right? - but it's perfect to hike, bike, golf, pick apples and more.

You know the place. This is where a young Bruce Springsteen grew up and released his debut album, Greetings From Asbury Park. This is the epitome of the Jersey Shore, so be "shore" to stroll its legendary boardwalk and to maybe see a show as the club that Springsteen made famous, The Stone Pony.

Albuquerque is filled with all kinds of charm. Exploring Old Town will help step you back in time and the scenery is certainly breathtaking. For the adults in town through Labor Day Weekend, the Harvest Wine Festival is the place to be if you're an oenophile. With live music as a backdrop and plenty of good food, the festival features more than 200 wines from some of New Mexico's best wineries.

One of the most fruitful - literally - areas of the state. Start in Cold Spring, just an hour's train ride from New York City and featuring a great small-town atmosphere with great antiques. Continue up to Beacon, with the fabulous Dia: Beacon art museum. Go across the Hudson River and pick apples at any one of dozens of orchards. And speaking of orchards, grab a tour and a drink at the home of Angry Orchards in Warwick.

You think North Carolina and you think beaches and the Outer Banks. But in the western part of the state are the glorious mountains and the town of Cashiers. Hike on Friday, enjoy the Cashiers Rotary Arts & Crafts Fair on Saturday and Sunday, hike on Monday, and eat all weekend.

Minot is for families, for sure. The Roosevelt Park Zoo is more than 100 years old and a great place to start. Then you can impart some wisdom and education on the kids at Scandinavian Heritage Park, which offers up some information at how Scandinavians settled the area. And don't forget the Railroad Museum.

The towns of Walnut Creek, Charm, Millersburg and Berlin comprise Ohio's Amish country, and if you want to talk about a step back in time this is it. You'll see it all here from yesteryear - few amenities as people still wash their clothes by hand and dry it on the line, still use horse-and-buggy to get around, still tend their land with horses and not machinery.

The small city of Henryetta is the host of the largest Labor Day celebration in the state. You have your parade, your live music, your carnival and kids' events, but there's one thing you'll get in Henryetta that you won't find anywhere else - a rodeo.

Never heard of it? Too bad. Known as "the gem of the Oregon coast," and with good reason. The scenery is some of the most magnificent in the country. The coastline is rugged, to be sure - basalt beaches instead of sand - but you can still hit the water. The downtown is cool, and you should be sure to check out Yachats Brewing.

Soak in one of the most historical places in all of America, where the Battle of Gettysburg on the border of Pennsylvania and Maryland was the turning point of the Civil War. The Gettysburg National Military Park preserves the sacred battleground itself, and you can learn more inside the Gettysburg Museum of the Civil War. Be sure to eat at the Dobbin House, built in 1776 and still serving food from that era as well as modern fare.

Say hello to Martha's Vineyard Lite. Get your bike or Vespa and tool around one of the great New England coastal towns, including the Mohegan Bluffs and the South East Lighthouse. The choice of great restaurants with fresh seafood is endless.

Now, Myrtle can be a crowded place, especially for the last fling of the summer and the annual Coastal Uncorked Food, Wine and Spirits Festival. But you can make it as low-key as you want by staying in the northern or southern towns adjacent to Myrtle Beach proper, and by cramming in a bunch of golf at one of its 100+ area courses.

People come to Hot Springs for one reason and one reason only - Mammoth Site. Mammoth Site is part museum, part ongoing paleontological dig from the Ice Age where wooly mammoths have been found, as well as camels, llamas, wolves and more. New fossils are discovered all the time. Oh, and an hour away is Mount Rushmore.

Too much fun for one weekend. You can spend every night of the weekend on Beale Street soaking in some of the best live music venues in the country. By day, tour Mud Island. Go see Elvis' home at Graceland. And whether you stay there or not, go to The Peabody in the afternoon to see the daily walk of the ducks.

A well-kept secret. SummerBlast, the city-sponsored summer-long series of events, will close out with a bang on Labor Day Weekend. The downtown area is outstanding with its old-fashioned shops such as glassblowers and blacksmiths. And then there are the plethora of wineries. Grapevine, get it? Oh, and if you can't make it Labor Day Weekend, a week later is the ridiculously popular Grapefest.

Explore this terrific small city and all it has to offer, including Sand Hollow State Park and the iconic Zion National Park. Brigham Young's winter home is here as well for your weekend slice of history.

So many great, quaint places to go to in Vermont, but we settled on this small historic town. You can shop the downtown, golf, maybe do some fishing. The in spot, or 'inn' spot, as it were, is The Equinox, a terrific resort that will help you accomplish your weekend goals.

Skip the hustle and bustle of nearby Washington D.C. and head down the Potomac River to Old Town. Brick streets, 200-year-old (and more) homes, and don't forget some suds at Gadsby's Tavern, where several Founding Fathers used to, ahem, partake. Make sure to hit the great restaurants, the art gallery, and take a day trip over to George and Martha's place at Mount Vernon.

Kirkland is a short boat ride away from Seattle and considered one of the more quiet, and tony, suburbs of the big city. But this is a great place to spend a long weekend on the shores of Lake Washington. There are not only some great waterfront parks, but there's even a state park dedicated to equestrian trails.

We wouldn't exactly call this a sleepy town, but if it's peace and tranquility you desire this is your place. There's no rushing here. Between the coffee shops, the restaurants, and the spas - including the Old Roman Baths in Berkeley Springs State Park with its rejuvenating mineral water - this is where you slow down and catch up with life.

Head to the Dells! There are more water slides here than anywhere else in the country, and the best thing about them is they are located both outdoor and indoor at the many lodges and resorts here. But there's more than just water slides, as the outdoor activities and opportunities here are wonderful.

No, not the animal. The town. Moose is the gateway to Grand Teton National Park, and what a way to wrap up the summer than a long weekend here. Between the unbelievable mountain-scape, the hiking and riding trails, the waterfalls and Jenny Lake, the experience is unmatched.