I managed to finally reach the beach the last weekend in August. After my trip to Nashville, I was ready for some needed beach time. My friends and I managed to book an Airbnb in Wildwood, N.J., for a quick weekend trip. We booked a quaint condo above an ice cream shop and only a block from the beach, ideal by my Jersey shore vacation standards.

We spent the day at the crowded Wildwood beach enjoying the barely warm water, napping, reading and all the quintessential beach activities. We ended Saturday with dinner, live music and good company.

I needed another day at the beach and opted for a solo trip to the shore Sunday before heading back in time for a fantasy football draft. This will be my fourth year in a league.

The Friday of Labor Day Weekend I was in the middle of nowhere with Kacey Musgraves at Xfinity Mobile Arena for her Middle of Nowhere Tour. As avid Kacey Musgraves fans since her Same Trailer Different Park days, my mom and I bought tickets when we saw she was coming to Philly. We didn’t realize at the time of purchase, but we had great seats close to the round star stage where Musgraves performed most of the concert. She was great to see in person for the first time, and the concert was a light show full of color, good vibrations and sparkly disco ornaments.

I capped off the long weekend at a friend’s barbecue on Sunday. The weather turned out great despite the weather reporting a cloudy day. There was volleyball on dry land and in the pool. There was plenty of food to go around, from burgers to brownies.

Summer doesn’t officially end until the autumnal equinox on September 22, so I’ll be filling the rest of the days until then with summer activities.

— Caroline Craig, administrative & advertising coordinator