Labor Day weekend is the exhale at the end of summer. The bags are mostly packed for school, the uniforms are hanging in closets, and there’s one long weekend left — three days to do summer properly one final time before Elul seriousness and the Yamim Noraim take over completely.
A Lakewood villa is the perfect base for it. You’re close to everything — the Shore, the lake, the restaurants, the town — with a whole house to spread out in and a backyard for the weekend’s centerpiece: the last barbecue of the season. Here’s how to do the weekend right.
Friday: arrive and settle
If you can swing it, arrive Thursday night or Friday morning. Labor Day weekend traffic on the roads into Lakewood builds fast on Friday afternoon, and the whole point of the weekend is to avoid stress.
Friday plan:
- Arrive by midday. Do your walkthrough, unpack, get the kitchen set up. If you’re staying through Shabbos, do the full Friday routine — beds, food, candles — with time to spare.
- Grocery run. One big shop covers the whole weekend: barbecue supplies, breakfast food, snacks, drinks. The stores are busy Friday afternoon, so go early.
- First swim. If the villa has a pool, the kids should be in it within an hour of arrival. It sets the tone: this is vacation, not a relocation.
- Shabbos in the villa. There’s something special about a Shabbos in a rental — no regular routine, everyone together, long meals on the porch. If you’re new to villa Shabbosim, check our guides on kashering the kitchen and Shabbos prep.
Shabbos: slow it all the way down
Don’t plan anything. That’s the plan. Long davening at a nearby shul, a slow walk in the afternoon, seudah shlishis that stretches until it’s nearly dark. The kids will play, the adults will talk, someone will fall asleep on the couch. This is the last Shabbos of the summer — let it be a summer Shabbos.
One suggestion: take the family walk on Shabbos afternoon to the lake or around the neighborhood. Shabbos walks in a new place have a particular sweetness — everything looks a little different, and you’re seeing it together.
Sunday: the big day
Sunday is the main event. Here’s the itinerary:
Morning: the Shore. Get an early start — on the road by 9, at the beach by 10. Labor Day weekend is the last big beach weekend of the season, so the beaches will be lively but not July-crazy. Swim, build the sandcastles, do the whole thing. Leave by 2 or 3, before the overtired meltdowns begin.
Afternoon: rest. Back at the villa, everyone showers, the little ones nap, the big ones decompress. This downtime is not wasted — it’s what makes the evening work.
Evening: the Last Barbecue. This is the centerpiece of the weekend, so do it properly:
- Burgers and hot dogs, plus chicken for the grill if you’re ambitious
- Corn on the cob, grilled vegetables, watermelon
- The full condiment spread — don’t skimp
- Paper goods so nobody’s doing dishes on the last night of summer
- String lights or candles on the patio table if the villa has them
Eat outside. Stay outside. Let the evening stretch. This is the meal the kids will remember when they’re asked about their summer.
Monday: the gentle landing
Labor Day itself should be low-key. Sleep in. One more swim. Pack slowly — there’s no checkout-day panic if you start early and keep it organized. A few notes:
- Strip the beds and gather the towels — check the villa’s checkout instructions, but this is standard courtesy everywhere.
- Trash out, fridge cleaned. Leave the place the way you’d want to find it.
- The final walkthrough. Quick pass through every room — check closets, under beds, the backyard — for anything left behind. Phone chargers are the number-one forgotten item in rental history.
- Drive home in daylight. Leave by mid-afternoon. Arriving home with a few hours of daylight left makes unpacking civilized and gives everyone time to decompress before the school week.
The transition: from summer to Elul
Here’s the thing about Labor Day weekend in Lakewood: it sits right on the seam. Summer on one side, Elul on the other. By Monday evening, the town will already feel different — the yeshiva guys are back, the selichos talk is starting, and the whole place is turning toward Rosh Hashanah.
Use the drive home for the pivot. Talk about the summer — the best parts, the funniest moments. Then talk about what’s next. Not heavily, just honestly: school’s starting, Elul’s here, the Yamim Noraim are around the corner. Kids handle transitions better when someone names them out loud.
Booking notes for the weekend
- Book early. Labor Day weekend is one of the most requested weekends of the year. The best villas — especially the ones with pools — go weeks in advance. If you’re reading this in late August, check availability now.
- Three nights minimum. Two nights feels rushed for this weekend; three (Thursday or Friday through Monday) is the sweet spot. Some owners require a three-night minimum on holiday weekends anyway.
- Confirm the grill. If the barbecue is your centerpiece, confirm the villa has a working grill and ask about propane or charcoal. Don’t assume.
- Ask about checkout time. Monday checkouts on a holiday weekend can be flexible — it never hurts to ask for an extra hour.
One long weekend. One last barbecue. One more swim. Then Elul, and the serious, beautiful work of the Yamim Noraim. Summer couldn’t ask for a better ending.
