Travel Dispatch: What to Know About Traveling During Labor Day Weekend

September 5, 2026

A group of people on a rocky, fenced overlook covered in mist. Several wear yellow rain ponchos, while a child in pink walks nearby.

Recovery is still underway in areas of the Grand Canyon, where a deadly flash flood prompted significant restrictions on water use and lodging. Ian Maule/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Dear Travel Fan,

Happy Labor Day weekend! Whether you’re traveling or spending the long weekend at home, I hope you have a joyful time. If you are traveling, we’ve put together a guide for what to expect on what is always a busy weekend.

We also have a list of beaches across the United States known for their cool, refreshing water, to visit this weekend or in the coming weeks (remember, summer isn’t over just yet). And if you haven’t had enough of the semiquincentennial, we have a roundup of places where you can still celebrate the American Revolution. Our 36 Hours column is also appropriately timed: Midcoast Maine makes a perfect late summer getaway.

Train travel has become increasingly popular, as people look to slow down a bit, limit their carbon footprint and escape the hassles of flying or driving. This week, the writer Michael Harmon took on a challenge: Visit popular summer spots in New England and New York using only public transportation. You can follow his odyssey by train, ferry and bus.

This summer, climate change’s impact on travel has been hard to escape. We looked at how melting glaciers are affecting the climbing and trekking industries in Nepal in the wake of the flash flood disaster there. We also have advice on how to stay safer if you are hiking in a flash flood prone area like the Grand Canyon, which was badly hit last weekend, resulting in the deaths of two people. We also let you know what is open and closed in Grand Canyon National Park, if you have plans to visit soon.

Around the world, we visit Salvador, Brazil, with the actor Wagner Moura, who shares his five favorite places in that charming city with us. And we spend a weekend at Gleneagles, the luxury Scottish resort that bills itself as “the Glorious Playground” — our writer agrees.

The low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines has been transforming itself lately, getting rid of its quirky boarding system and free bags and adding premium seating. Now, it’s also getting into the airport lounge game.

And finally, the Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been a Salt Lake City landmark since it was built more than 130 years ago. But church outsiders have not been allowed in for a century. Now, after a seven-year renovation project, the building is reopening and the church is inviting everyone to come in and see it. You can sign up online now for tours that start in April 2027.

Wishing you no delays on this holiday weekend,

Amy Virshup

OPEN UP YOUR WORLD

A wide sandy beach, with people by the blue ocean and on the sand. Steep, rocky cliffs rise on the right, under a cloudy sky.

No Car? No Problem: An East Coast Odyssey by Train, Ferry and Bus

A self-described transit romantic set out to visit prime summer destinations using only public transportation. Would getting there really be half the fun?

By Michael Harmon and Hiroko Masuike

A person, standing on a trail, wearing a green zippered vest over a buttoned-down and collared shirt wears a crossbody bag and holds a bird of prey on one gloved hand.

Owen Richards for The New York Times

In Scotland, a (Very Posh) Summer Camp for Grown-Ups

It’s the mix of lush adventures by day and elegant dinners by night that makes the luxury hotel Gleneagles, outside Edinburgh, so tempting.

By Veronica Chambers and Owen Richards

A small building — one half painted rust-red, the other, white — sits on a rocky outcropping in a large body of water. The water is deep-blue; it's daytime, and though the sky isn't visible, it appears to be a nice day. A small boat is visible in the distance, just behind the structure.

Erin Schaff/The New York Times

36 Hours

36 Hours in Midcoast Maine

Working harbors and painterly landscapes meet storied restaurants, a rich literary tradition and a thriving arts scene on this low-key stretch of Maine’s coastline.

By Lucia J. Graves and Erin Schaff

A light-gray stone building with several spires and ornate decorations, including a gilded statue atop the highest spire, glows in the early-morning or late-evening light.

Brent Asay/Getty Images

In Utah, a Long-Shrouded Temple Flings Open Its Doors

A public open house in 2027 will grant nonmembers of the Latter-day Saints rare access to the interior of the iconic Salt Lake Temple.

By Ryley Ober

Gabriela Portilho for The New York Times; Sela Shiloni for The New York Times

5 favorite places

Wagner Moura’s 5 Favorite Places in Salvador, Brazil

The Oscar-nominated star of “The Secret Agent,” “Narcos” and the new Netflix thriller “The Last House” shares the places he loves in his vibrant hometown.

By Danielle Pergament and Gabriela Portilho

Nicholas Kamm/Getty Images

6 Beaches With Refreshingly Cool Water

In this sweltering summer, a cool dip might be just what you need. Here are beaches where the water will help you beat the heat.

By Ryley Ober

A dim stone room with wooden ceiling beams. Sunlight from a tall window highlights a wooden pillar and several barrels on a textured stone floor.

Scott Suchman for The New York Times

Too Late to Celebrate America’s 250th? Nah, There’s Still Time.

The Labor Day weekend might be your last, best chance to celebrate the United States’ semiquincentennial. Here’s what’s on offer.

By Anna Diamond

THE CHANGING WORLD OF TRAVEL

Numerous people are in an active airport security area, with some wearing uniforms with "TSA" visible on them. Baggage conveyor belts and X-ray scanners are prominent, along with red "EMERGENCY EXIT ONLY" signs.

Patrick T. Fallon/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Traveling During Labor Day Weekend? Here’s What to Know.

The T.S.A. expects to screen 17 million passengers over the holiday week. Here’s a look at gas prices, possible weather snags and how to stay safe on the road.

By Ryley Ober

A vast canyon displays red and brown layered rock formations stretching into the distance. Dark rain clouds are visible overhead, with rain falling in the background.

J. Baird/National Park Service, via Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

After Floods, Grand Canyon Opens on a Limited Basis. What to Know.

As the search for missing visitors continues, the National Park has shut down hotels and much of its terrain, but people can still enter.

By Ceylan Yeğinsu

An adult and a child run through a landscape of thick mud and debris. A damaged multistory building is in the background.

Atul Loke for The New York Times

In the Age of Global Warming, Some Fear ‘the Entire Himalayas Are Melting’

A glacier unleashed a deadly flood earlier this week. For local trekking guides and climbers, the mountains were already changing.

By Finn-Olaf Jones

People walk and sit in a bustling airport terminal, which features high ceilings and large windows. Shops like BerryAustin and Juiceland are visible among the crowd.

Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Southwest, a Low-Cost Mainstay, Will Open Premium Airport Lounges

The airline said that lounges in Baltimore, Honolulu, Nashville and Austin, Texas, would debut starting late next year, and that seven more were in the works.

By Christine Chung and Niraj Chokshi

A person holds a phone to capture a view of a deep canyon with rugged, reddish-brown rock walls. A river and trees line the canyon floor below.

John Locher/Associated Press

What to Know About Hiking in Areas Prone to Flash Floods

Canyons, small streams and dry creek beds in the West can be deceptively dangerous, trapping hikers when rainfall upstream causes rapidly rising water.

By Ryley Ober

Feedback, thoughts, tips? Email the Travel desk at travel@nytimes.com.