Last-Minute Labor Day Getaways

Summer is almost over, but procrastinators and the budget-conscious still have a chance to plan an inexpensive Labor Day weekend getaway.

See Last-Minute Labor Day Getaways Slideshow

Last year, 25 percent of hotel bookings for stays over Labor Day weekend were booked the day before or the same day as check-in, according to travel site Expedia.com. And it seems that procrastinating paid off, because customers who booked one day before paid, on average, 11 percent less than customers who booked a hotel one week prior to their intended check-in date.

Need inspiration for Labor Day getaway destinations? Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Charlotte, N.C., are recording higher demand according to Expedia, but for those who are looking for quieter options that won't break the bank, Expedia suggests Denver, which has, at $120 a night, some of the lowest rates in the country, and Myrtle Beach, S.C., which has lower-than-average occupancy rates.

Along with Atlanta and Orlando, Las Vegas, New York, Chicago, Anaheim, Calif., New Orleans, and Dallas are some of the most popular destinations for the holiday weekend, according to Orbitz. For those seeking an overseas trip, London and Dublin are in the top 10 destination picks, and average hotel rates have dropped this year from $208 to $171 a night in London and $141 to $139 in Dublin. Airfare to both destinations has also dropped from $958 to $944 to London and $941 to $932 to Dublin.

The Bahamas topped Travelocity's list of the Top 10 Up-and-Coming Labor Day Destinations, but you'll have to book by Aug. 20 to take advantage of the travel booking website's $350 instant savings promotion on air-inclusive packages of six nights or longer to the Bahamas.

Other top destinations include Vancouver, Madrid, the Dominica Republic, Dublin, and Toronto, which all topped the list ahead of domestic destinations like Raleigh-Durham, N.C., Madison, Wis., Savannah, Ga., and Burlington, Vt.

No matter where you choose to spend the three-day weekend, The Daily Meal has dozens of inspiring trips to ensure your last weekend of summer is memorable.

Lauren Mack is the Travel Editor at The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter @lmack.