On Monday, people across the United States will be sending the summer season a final salute as they celebrate Labor Day's extended weekend.

Grills will be fired up, opening games of the college football season will be rehashed and vacations will be squeezed into the calendar for one last hurrah until the winter holidays.

Just beware that in the middle of all the celebrating, gas prices will be higher and travelers will make traffic heavy. But don't worry - the gas prices, according to CNNMoney, are expected to drop back down.

As for our coverage,  Eatocracy is on hand with not only the best hot dogs for your backyard shindig, but an entire collection of the best tips and recipes for the ultimate summer send-off. CNN Money also has a gallery of Labor Day getaways on one tank or less to ease your spending woes.

Want to know the real, embattled history of this holiday that gives us an extra relaxing day off of work? Author and historian Kenneth C. Davis spells it out in his eloquent opinion piece - and just why we shouldn't take this September 3 for granted. Also, get to know Labor Day by the numbers.

Grab your Labor Day weekend forecast here and if you're still stumped on where to go, JD Rinne of Jetsetter.com share her picks with us for last-minute getaways.

We'd also like to know how you'll be spending your Labor Day - where you're going, what you're cooking, who you're spending it with. Do you have any traditions you observe every year? Did Davis' history of Labor Day surprise you? Let us know in the comments below.