Shut the computers down and put the smart phones away — Labor Day weekend is officially upon us, and it’s time to get out and relax.

This year, I’ll be spending the majority of my long weekend visiting family in Massachusetts. The rest of the time, you’ll likely find me on a boat in the middle of Saratoga Lake, or maybe even placing a few last-minute bets at the track.

So, in the spirit of the holiday, I thought I’d assemble a brief list of places that Capital District residents could escape to this weekend. Just as a heads up, if you don’t enjoy the outdoors, these ideas aren’t for you.

When it comes to relaxing, I enjoy stopping by several of the State Parks that I’m lucky enough to have easy access to. For the most part, they’re only a short drive away. And even better than the distance is the price — generally, there’s only a small fee (if any) to park your car, with additional fees for things like boat rentals and camping.

• Cherry Plain State Park
• 26 State Park Road, Cherry Plain, NY 12040
• $7 per car
• Grafton Lakes State Park
• 100 Grafton Lakes State Park Way, Grafton, NY 12082
• $6 per car
• Hudson River Islands State Park
• Schodack Island State Park, Schodack Landing, NY 12156
• Max V. Shaul State Park
• Route 30, Fultonham, NY 12071
• $6 per car
• Mine Kill State Park
• 161 Mine Kill State Park, North Blenheim, NY 12131
• $3 per car
• Moreau Lake State Park (Personal Favorite)
• 605 Old Saratoga Road, Gansevoort, NY 12831
• $6 per car
• Peebles Island State Park
• Waterford, NY 12188
• $6 per car
• Saratoga Spa State Park (Personal Favorite)
• 19 Roosevelt Drive, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
• $8 per car
• Schodack Island State Park
• 1 Schodack Way, Schodack Landing, NY 12156
• $6 per car
• Thatcher State Park (Personal Favorite)
• 1 Hailes Cave Road, Voorheesville, NY 12186
• $6 per car
• Thompson’s Lake State Park
• 68 Thompson’s Lake Road, East Berne, NY 12059
• $7 per car

However, if you’re idea of a day off includes a bit more action, then I’d suggest taking advantage of the numerous hiking opportunities that this area has to offer (several of the State Parks listed above offer hiking as well). Personally, I enjoy cruising up to Lake George and picking a mountain that I haven’t yet hiked. Given the proximity to Clifton Park, I can make these trips in a day (I love being outside, but I absolutely hate camping) and there are several options for each level of difficulty.

• East Side of Lake George
• Buck Mountain (Personal Favorite)
• 4.6-6.6 miles (all distances approximate round trips)
• Difficult
• Black Mountain
• 5.6 miles
• Difficult
• Sleeping Beauty Mountain Loop
• 7.8 miles
• Moderate
• Shelving Rock Falls
• 3.4 miles
• Easy
• Tongue Mountain Range
• Deer Leap
• 3.4 miles
• Easy
• Five Mile Mountain
• 7 miles
• Difficult
• French Point Mountain
• 8.8 miles
• Difficult
• Northwest Bay Trail
• 10.8 Miles
• Moderate

In the end, the goal of the weekend is just to relax and have fun. If you have any other ideas that you’d like to add to my list, feel free to list them below in our comments section!

Where will you be this Labor Day weekend? Share your favorite holiday activities and destinations with us!