A lot of people travel for Thanksgiving, I know that. I somehow assumed that most of that travel was to visit family, but apparently some people just travel to spend Thanksgiving away from their hometowns and have a lovely fall adventure. Why didn’t anyone tell me this was an option before? I’m kidding, but not really. Now that I know traveling just for the sake of traveling is an option, I’m seriously considering doing a family trip to somewhere wonderful, but where?
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Well, Allianz Partners came out with a list of the top 10 turkey day destinations in the US this year based on information they gathered from over more than 750,000 travel itineraries around this year’s Thanksgiving holiday. I want to share those locations with you in case you too would like to travel to any one of them. I’m also sharing surprise location that is just perfect to visit during the holiday weekend because the rest of the year it’s jam packed, but everyone takes off during Thanksgiving.
Let’s start with the top 11 travel destinations for Thanksgiving this year.
1. New York City tops the list of most popular destinations.
I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t surprise me one bit. It’s New York City after all. Things you could do while there include going to the incredibly famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. You can check out the changing foliage, visit holiday markets, and Christmas store window displays for free.
2. Seattle, Washington, also has a Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The second most popular destination for the holiday this year is Seattle. Aside from all the great things you can always do in Seattle like visiting Pike Place Market and the Space Needle, you can also attend their Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It’s been a tradition for over 60 years.
3. Dallas, Texas, has great weather in late November.
There are also plenty of things to do in Dallas while you enjoy the nice weather. The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden has a Family Fun Weekend with activities that include a petting zoo, holiday story time, daily tastings, and visits with Santa.
4. Phoenix, Arizona, is also a warm spot to spend Thanksgiving.
Temperatures are pleasant at around 71 degrees during the day and around 52 degrees at night. One fun thing you could do while there is check out the inaugural Tianyu Lights Festival where you can “Wander through breathtaking luminous art installations and immerse yourself in four captivating themes: Illuminated Forest, Fairy Tale Wonderland, Panda-land, and Ocean World.”
5. Orlando, Florida, is another warm-weather favorite.
During the holiday weekend, you can expect daily highs around 75 degrees, so not really what I would call sweater weather at all. When people think of Orlando, they tend to think of Walt Disney World and while that is definitely an option, there are so many other things to do in the area, like going to their local Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
6. Atlanta, Georgia, is drawing many travelers this year.
The weather over the holiday weekend promises to be pleasant. It tends to be cool, but not cold. Highs should be around 58 degrees. As for what to do while there, one option is Garden Lights, Holiday Nights. Back for its 14th year, the exhibition presented by Invesco QQQ shines brighter than ever boasting the world’s largest curtain of synchronized light and sound.
7. Los Angeles, California, has something for everyone.
There’s a Turkey Trot, an auto show, an event that lets you cuddle with turkeys, ice skating, the LA Zoo Lights, the Festival of Lights at the Mission Inn, and so much more. Plus, you might run into a celebrity grabbing a $20 smoothie at Erewhon.
8. Boston, Massachusetts, gets all lit up.
Boston’s holiday lights trail is ready to guide you through icon areas of the city. Start on Commonwealth Avenue Mall, where Victorian-era brownstones are decked out in white lights, then make your way to Boston’s Seaport, Downtown Crossing, Christopher Columbus Park, and Faneuil Hall Marketplace.
9. Chicago, Illinois, is a popular destination year-round.
A few things you can do while visiting Chicago over Thanksgiving weekend are check out the city’s Thanksgiving Parade, go ice skating, visit Lincoln Park Zoo’s famous Zoolights, and stroll through the Christkindlmarket.
10. Miami, Florida, has some really fun options.
You can roller disco at the iconic Miami Bandshell for one. You could also participate in the annual Turkey Trot. And you can head to Wynwood’s Paradox Museum and immerse yourself in over 70 paradoxes.
Bonus travel destination: Thanksgiving is a particularly great time to visit San Francisco, California.
San Francisco did not make the list of top 10 destinations and that’s part of why you should visit. The city, which is normally a tourist mecca, is generally pretty quiet over Thanksgiving. You can even find parking, which is nearly impossible to find the rest of the year. If you do visit, spend some time in Golden Gate Park visiting the SF Botanical Garden, the Japanese Tea Garden, the deYoung Museum, and the Academy of Sciences.
