Labor Day, the unofficial end of summer, is nearing and with it comes travel and holiday plans for many who will get an extra day off.
The holiday offers a a late-summer three-day weekend for many people across the U.S. and traffic for those planning to visit the state or staying put. Californians should plan if they plan to travel or keep in mind that certain services might be closed if they plan to stay in.
When is Labor Day 2026?
Labor Day falls on Sept. 7 this year. The holiday always lands on a Monday.
Is Labor Day a federal holiday?
Labor Day is a federal holiday, meaning most government services and buildings will be closed.
The Department of Motor Vehicles, the U.S. Post Office, schools and other services also take a break for the holiday.
Labor Day travel forecast
Los Angeles and Anaheim are among the top destinations travelers across the U.S. will be visiting during Labor Day weekend, according to the auto club AAA.
10 domestic destinations:
No. 1- Seattle, Washington
No. 2- Orlando, Florida
No. 3- Boston, Massachusetts
No. 4- Denver, Colorado
No. 5- New York, New York
No. 6- Chicago, Illinois
No. 7- Anaheim/Los Angeles, California
No. 8- Las Vegas, Nevada
No. 9- Anchorage, Alaska
No. 10- Atlanta, Georgia
With more travel in and out of the state come more road congestion. The worst days to travel by car around the weekend include Thursday, Sept. 3 through Monday, Sept. 7.
The site says the best times to travel by car are: 1 to 2 p.m. on Sept. 3, before noon on Sept. 4, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 5, and before noon on Sept. 7.
The worst times are: 2 to 7 p.m. on Sept. 3, noon to 8 p.m. on Sept. 4, 1 to 5 p.m. on Sept. 5 and 2 to 5 p.m. on Sept. 7. The site saw minimal traffic impact on Sept. 6
Those hoping to avoid hitting the road themselves and opting for public transit should also consider congestion through Metro.
Los Angeles to San Diego via Interstate 5 will reach peak congestion on at 6 p.m. on Sept. 4. The site has forecasted a 75% increase over normal and estimates the travel time to be five hours and 19 minutes.
San Diego to Palm Springs via the 15 will see its peak congestion over 50% over normal at 5:45 p.m. on Sept. 3, with an estimated travel time of four hours and 12 minutes.
San Francisco to Sacramento via Interstate 80 east will have 81% more congestion than normal at 5:45 p.m. on Sept. 4, AAA said. The estimated travel time is four hours and 40 minutes.
Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com, 805-437-0224 or @ecentenoaraujo on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Labor Day 2026: When is best time to hit the road in California?
Reporting by Ernesto Centeno Araujo, USA TODAY NETWORK / Ventura County Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
