Photo credit: tempoworld.net
The days before and after Thanksgiving are some of the busiest travel days of the year. Chances are, you’re planning on driving or flying somewhere for the glutinous holiday. But you can make this Thanksgiving truly unforgettable by skipping your usual gathering at grandma’s house and heading someplace unique instead. Go solo or with your entire family in tow, because these are the best places in America to spend “Turkey Day” this year.
Asheville, North Carolina
Photo credit: L Silver
The fall colors shine a little later in North Carolina than they do in northern states, and that means you can enjoy the beauty of fall in the Blue Ridge Mountains on your Thanksgiving getaway. Asheville offers five entrances to the Blue Ridge Parkway, where you can cruise in the warmth and comfort of your vehicle while snapping photos of the red, yellow, orange and green tree-covered mountains.
But Asheville isn’t just for leaf peepers. The city is loaded with world-class restaurants willing to serve you a family-style meal (check out the gourmet Thanksgiving buffet at the Biltmore Estate) and plenty of places to explore with a full belly. And there’s no better place to shop on Black Friday than the quirky downtown stores of this hippie mountain town.
New York City, New York
Photo credit: Charley Lhasa
No city does Thanksgiving quite like New York. In fact, you probably know the city shuts several Manhattan streets down for the world’s biggest parade on TV, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. While experiencing the parade, which starts at 9 a.m., at 77th Street and Central Park West, is a must for your first Thanksgiving in the Big Apple, the city boasts an unending list of things to do throughout the remainder of your day. The Radio City Christmas Spectacular kicks off on Thanksgiving weekend, and the Central Park Zoo welcomes visitors all weekend long too.
As for your meal, you’ll have some of the top restaurants in the world just a short Subway ride from wherever you are in the city. Try the traditional Turkey Day prix fixe four-course meal at Freemans in Lower Manhattan or cruise over the bridge to Brooklyn to dine at French Louie, where 15-percent of your bill is donated to fight hunger and poverty in the city.
Waikiki, Hawaii
Photo credit: Bernard Spragg
Not all Thanksgiving getaways need to involve puffy jackets and wool socks. And this is one of the few times of year your entire family will have the same vacation days in a row, so why not make it spectacular? Even better, November is one of the slowest times of year in Hawaii, so lower resort prices mean you can spend more on the big meal (and drinks). Indulge at one of Waikiki’s top resorts, such as the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel, which offers an over-the-top Thanksgiving brunch, or the Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel’s Tiki’s Bar and Grill, serving a three-course prix fixe dinner with captivating ocean views. Catch some waves, lounge in the pool and don’t forget to think of your friends back home shoveling snow.
Plymouth, Massachusetts
Photo credit: Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism
It’s impossible to find a town with more Thanksgiving pride than Plymouth, Mass. Take the whole family to watch the “Pilgrims” act out events from the 1600s, when they and the Wampanoag Native Americans celebrated their first successful fall harvest -- the day from which our Thanksgiving holiday stems. The plantation offers a buffet as well as a seated dinner, rides on the Mayflower II, and the Wampanoag Homesite museum. It’s easy to fill multiple days of your getaway weekend at the Plantation alone.
The harborside town of Plymouth is home to far more than the Pilgrim story. Visitors will enjoy the assortment of waterfront bed and breakfasts, whale watching, theatres, spas, and plenty of adorable shops with Black Friday finds you won’t see at Walmart or Bestbuy.
Key West, Florida
Photo credit: Key West Wedding Photography
Anyone who has been to Key West will tell you there’s no bad time to visit this palm-tree-studded, turquoise-water-surrounded piece of paradise. However, one of the best times to be there is during the November off-season, when similar to Hawaii, crowds are few and prices are lower than usual. Every Thanksgiving, the Casa Marina resort wows guests with the Castles of Sand sand sculpture competition, which takes place all weekend long. But it’s not just this resort that goes over-the-top for the fall holiday.
Many of Key West’s favorite eateries, like Pepe’s Cafe and Fausto’s local grocery, offer home-cooked meals without all of the stress and clean-up. Fury Water Adventures even offers a buffet Thanksgiving feast with jet-skiing, snorkeling and parasailing worked into the per-person rate. There’s nothing boring about Thanksgiving in the Florida Keys.