Home for the Holidays. Not.
As a non-American who doesn’t quite get the whole Thanksgiving thing, I usually take advantage of the few days off and explore this fabulous country. This year I am doing just that in Hawaii. Thanksgiving dinner goes down just fine with a Mai Tai.
If you are sensibly looking for ways to minimize the work of Thanksgiving, or want to avoid another year at the in-laws, I advocate leaving town. No one can expect you to cook a turkey dinner in a hotel room!
Here are a few nice places to while away that iconic four-day weekend at the end of November this year:
San Diego, California
If you are looking for warm weather, you can’t beat San Diego. Walk on the beach. Explore the zoo. Bribe the kids with visits to SeaWorld and Legoland. The Island Palms Hotel & Marina is my favorite place to stay.
Lake Tahoe, California
If you like the authenticity of cold weather over the holidays, consider Lake Tahoe. Though there’s usually no snow this time of year, the 1-5 bedroom townhouses at Lakeland Village in South Lake Tahoe, California are a cozy option.
Banff, Canada
If you really want to push the sled out, look at the Douglas Fir Resort and Chalets in Banff. Make your reservation before November ,1 2008 and take advantage of their Early Bird Ski Package. If the beautiful scenery (with or without snow) becomes too much, take the kids to the indoor playground.
New York, New York
Who can’t resist the lure of this wonderful city over the holiday season? Your kids will love the shows, the shopping, the ice-skating. A great Manhattan stay can be found at Second Home on Second Avenue.
As you may have guessed, I am stuck out here on the West Coast (it’s a tough job but someone has to do it). I would love to hear about great Thanksgiving stays from readers around the country.
Where do you like to go for Thanksgiving when you’re not going (or staying) home?
Written by Jane Rytina
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This year we are headed down to San Diego for a family thanksgiving, but I know we’ll spend part of the time on the actual holiday, and part of the time enjoying the warm weather and attractions.
Flights to Europe are incredibly inexpensive during Thanksgiving week, and I have fond memories of a girls trip to Paris one year. Not only were the always tasteful shop windows already decorated for Christmas, but we even got to experience some light snowfall. I’d love to return with the kids one fall… if I can only convince the rest of my family to meet us there.
We have flown the coop for Thanksgiving ever since we figured out that the world would NOT end if we didn’t eat turkey wither either sets of parents. About four years ago, we went to Paris on an incredible deal. The next year, we happened to be traveling in SE Asia so we ate duck at the FCC in Siem Reap on Turkey Day. Then we went to Exuma, Bahamas and last year we made my son’s first trip across the pond (at 9 months) with a Thanksgiving trip to London and Dublin.
Believe or not, we’re doing a family Turkey Day this year since we’re going to try escaping the East Coast right after Christmas.
New York City for Thanksgiving. I’m angling for a Little Italy meal….
You guys are starting to read my mind. This is way too freaky. We get a “free holiday” at Thanksgiving every year – since we don’t have any family who celebrate the holiday or with whom we can celebrate the holiday. So, we usually save the Mon/Tue/Wed as vacation days and take a 10-day break somewhere. We’ve been to Ireland, Hawaii, Mexico and various ski places. I’m just starting to mull over ideas for this year. Looking forward to picking up some ideas here.
Debbie: flights to Europe do go up, but if you can get out of town the previous weekend, you can find much lower fares – the trick is to avoid the days when everyone who’s traveling for Turkey Day is on the move.
Duh! Just re-read Debbie’s comment. Naturally she got it right first time: flights to Europe are incredibly cheap in late November.
Anyone have any thoughts whether the same is true for South/Central America or Asia ?
What, you’d rather travel than sit around and eat dry turkey and sweet potato casserole with marshmallows on top? I simply can not imagine why…
Thanks for indulging me. Remember, if you find any family friendly places to stay on your Thanksgiving travels, let TravelSavvyMom know so we can feature it on the web site.
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Debbie Dubrow
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September 25th, 2008