Tips for Your Thanksgiving Travel
If you’ve got a little time off over Thanksgiving, why not enjoy a quick getaway along with turkey and all the trimmings? Here are some ideas.
Thanksgiving weekend is a great time to visit New York City. Bring the kids or fulfill your childhood dream and see the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in person on Nov. 22. A holiday tradition since 1924, the parade is 2½ miles of towering balloons, colorful floats and marching bands. Also, the holiday markets will be open and the Rockettes will be performing their “Christmas Spectacular” at Radio City Music Hall.
For a sun-filled getaway, think about Palm Springs, California, where the Desert Arts Festival takes place over Thanksgiving weekend, from Nov. 23-25, in a beautiful outdoor setting. You can browse a variety of fine art, from paintings to sculpture, photography and weavings, and meet the artists who created them. Palm Springs is also home to luxury resorts where you can indulge in a spa day, go swimming, play golf or tennis, or sit back and enjoy the desert view.
In Denver, the Christkindl Market will be open by Thanksgiving. You can sip spiced wine and listen to Christmas carols as you browse through wares from around the world, as well as from local artisans. The Blossoms of Light display at the Denver Botanic Gardens opens on Nov. 23, with more than a million colorful lights draped in elegant designs. At the Denver Art Museum, there are new exhibits on Rembrandt’s prints and Dior’s fashions.
If you’re thinking about a trip to Orlando, Disney World will be open on Thanksgiving. Many of the park’s restaurants add a Thanksgiving special to their menu. At Epcot, the International Festival of the Holidays will highlight food, music and traditions from 11 countries. Christmastime events will be in full swing at the Magic Kingdom, including a parade and “Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration.” And you can check out the newest attraction, Toy Story Land, at the adjacent Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Take a step back in time and spend a Smoky Mountains Thanksgiving in Tennessee. The Gatlinburg Arts and Crafts Community is the nation’s largest organization of independent artisans and its Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Show takes place from Nov. 20-25. You’ll find artists and craftspeople using techniques handed down through the generations to make everything from quilts to toys to household goods, to jewelry and musical instruments.
While the Massachusetts town of Plymouth gets all the glory as the site of the first Thanksgiving, Provincetown, on the tip of Cape Cod, also has a link to the Pilgrims. The 252-foot Pilgrim Monument commemorates the place where the Mayflower first landed in 1620. The festive annual lighting of the monument will take place on Nov. 21, the day before Thanksgiving. The Cape Cod Dinner Train offers a scenic way to enjoy a holiday meal. Other attractions in the area include the Sandwich Glass Museum, with its display of Christmas ornaments.
