One Last Taste of Summer: Soaking Up Labor Day Weekend On The Lower Cape

For a lot of people, Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial end of summer. It’s the wind-down. The last big weekend before the traffic starts to disappear, the beaches get a little quieter, and life on the Cape slowly settles into a different rhythm.

But before we let summer go, why not squeeze every last drop out of it? 

Labor Day weekend is the perfect excuse to get outside, meet up with friends, enjoy one last long lunch or dinner, and do all the things you’ve been meaning to do all summer. Think of it as one final celebration of the season before we trade beach days and late nights for crisp mornings and everything that comes with fall on Cape Cod.

Start the weekend with a trip to your local farmers market. The Orleans Farmers’ Market on Saturday is the perfect place to stock up on everything you want for one last summer meal. Pick up your fresh vegetables, flowers, baked goods, herbs and whatever else catches your eye. There’s something about walking through a farmers market at the end of the season that makes you appreciate just how much the Cape has to offer.

No Labor Day weekend would be complete without seafood. Gather a few friends and head to Elwood’s Raw Bar in Chatham for one last dozen oysters. Order a cold drink, sit outside if the weather cooperates, and take your time. There’s no reason to rush through it. Labor Day weekend is about savoring every last moment of summer with something delicious in front of you.

You could spend an afternoon wandering through your favorite shops. Head down to the Main Streets of Chatham, Orleans or Harwich Port, pop into the stores you’ve been meaning to visit, grab a coffee, or duck into a favorite little spot you’ve passed all summer. Maybe you finally find that sweater you’ll be wearing all fall, or maybe you simply spend an hour walking around with nowhere else to be.

If you want to be a little more active, get your bike out of the shed or rent one and take one last ride down the Cape Cod Rail Trail. There’s something special about riding the bike path at the end of summer. The days are still warm, but there’s often a little hint of fall in the air. Bring a friend, take your time, and stop somewhere along the way for a snack or a drink. 

It’s also a great time to carve out some time for yourself. Take a class at your favorite yoga studio, squeeze in a workout with an instructor you love, or simply spend an hour moving your body. There’s no rule that says Labor Day weekend has to be spent doing nothing. Sometimes the best way to wrap up summer is to feel good heading into what’s next. 

Then there is dinner. Make one last reservation at your favorite restaurant. Meet up with a friend you haven’t seen enough this summer. Order the cocktail you’ve been sipping on all summer season, split an appetizer, sit outside and stay awhile. These are the little moments that make summer on Cape so memorable. Good food, good company and nowhere you have to be for a few hours.

Before the weekend comes to an end, take a walk on the flats of Cape Cod Bay at low tide. Being out there with the water low, the sky stretching out in every direction and your feet in the sand feels like summer. If you time it just right, stay for sunset. Watching the colors reflect on the water, take a deep breath and let yourself slow down for a minute. It’s the kind of moment you’ll want to remember when looking back on your Cape Cod summer. 

So before you pack up the beach chairs, cross back over the bridge or settle into your fall routine, make the most of this last weekend. Go get the oysters. Visit the farmers market. Ride your bike. Take the yoga class. Wander through town. Say yes to one more dinner with friends, stay for dessert. Let Labor Day weekend be a celebration not a goodbye. A celebration of the summer you’ve had, the people you’ve spent it with and all the little moments that made it so memorable and when that last summer sunset fades, raise a glass to the season behind you and the one waiting ahead.