Where to Travel for Thanksgiving
This year for Thanksgiving, perhaps you’re dreaming of exotic locales vs. doing the same old thing, with the same old people (God bless them)! One of my favorite Thanksgivings was spent in rainy Ireland, & it culminated with a stay at historic Ashford Castle. It’s still one of my favorite holidays to date! There’s something to be said for novelty: for breaking up tradition with a little international adventure. In this article, “Where to Travel for Thanksgiving,” I’ll give you lots of ideas ~ both domestic & international, for great places to travel during the holidays.
This list will give you cozy spots like Blackberry Farm in Tennessee ~ plus more exotic fare, like Hawaii & Cabo.
In a Rush? Here are My Top Thanksgiving Getaways:
- 🌴 Cabo San Lucas — Best Luxury Beach Escape
- 🌺 Kauai — Best Tropical Family Getaway
- ☀️ Palm Springs — Best Warm-Weather U.S. Escape
- 🎿 Park City — Best Ski Thanksgiving
- 🍂 Charleston — Best Southern Thanksgiving
- 🏜️ Sedona — Best Cozy + Hiking Southwest Getaway
- 🏰 Ireland — Best “Castle Stay” Thanksgiving Abroad
- 🍂 Florence — Best European Thanksgiving
Some of these places book out months ahead for Thanksgiving ~ so check prices early for your preferred destination!
Warm Weather Spots vs. Cool & Cozy
I’m breaking down potential Thanksgiving destinations into two categories: warm-weather spots where you can swim & bring your bikini, vs. cold-weather spots where you can bundle up by a fire, ski, & get cozy.
Where Should You Go for Thanksgiving?
Want to escape the cold? 🌴
→ Cabo, Cancun, Palm Springs or Hawaii
Want a cozy Thanksgiving? 🔥
→ Park City, Vail, Santa Fe or Tennessee
Want a romantic getaway? ❤️
→ Charleston, Florence or Ireland
Want a truly unique Thanksgiving? ✈️
→ Ireland or Florence
What could be more special than staying in an Irish CASTLE for Thanksgiving?!
Where to Travel for Thanksgiving: Palm Springs
Palm Springs has long been a popular West Coast Thanksgiving destination. While the rest of the U.S. is getting cold, Palm Springs stays a balmy 80 degrees in November. So for a relaxing retreat this Thanksgiving & a place to soak in the sun poolside, play an epic round of golf, go for a desert hike, or simply brunch-hop: Palm Springs is your place.
The Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort pool is a great place for a relaxing Thanksgiving retreat.
🌴 Compare Palm Spring Hotel Prices for Thanksgiving →
The American Southwest
The natural red rocks found in places like New Mexico & Arizona make for a perpetual fall-feeling. And both make for relaxing, yet more active Thanksgiving getaways (with plenty of hiking options) vs. your traditional beach retreat. Perennially-popular Santa Fe & Sedona are two of my favorite spots in the Southwest, & are great choices for an outdoorsy holiday.
If you’re traveling to Santa Fe or Taos, check out my guide to the famous Ojo Caliente Hot Springs.
I’ve spent three days at the Enchantment Resort in Sedona: it is MAGICAL!!!
🌴 Compare Sedona Hotel Prices for Thanksgiving →
Colorado & Utah Ski Resorts
Colorado ski resorts like Aspen & Vail have long-beckoned visiting Thanksgiving crowds ~ especially for celebrities. As have Park City & Deer Valley in Utah ~ which is the largest ski resort in America. If you want to travel this Thanksgiving & really feel like its fall, snuggle up by a roaring fire, or shush your way down some newly-opened ski slopes: you can’t go wrong in Colorado or Utah.
The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch in Beaver Creek.
Check out my favorite ski-in/ski-out hotels in Breckenridge & Beaver Creek ~ two of my all-time favorite Colorado ski resorts….that are a little more reasonable than Vail & Aspen.
The St. Regis Deer Valley, in Utah.
Where to Travel for Thanksgiving: Tennessee
If you’re looking for Southern hospitality this holiday season, consider spending Thanksgiving in uber-popular Tennessee. Make reservations at idyllic Blackberry Farm in Walland for a picnic-style Thanksgiving ~ complete with acres to stroll & a spa for some pampering.
Blackberry Farm in Tennessee sits by the Great Smoky Mountains, & gives instant, cozy fall vibes.
Mexico Beach Resorts
Where does Jennifer Aniston fly to for Thanksgiving? Her favorite beachside retreat: Cabo San Lucas. Cabo & Cancun are popular year-round, but for a warm-weather Thanksgiving: both are ideal. Jennifer Aniston’s favorite resort in Cabo is the gorgeous One & Only Palmilla Resort, which puts you right on the ocean in beautiful, stylish villas. The Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal offers a similar feel, with its beautiful position on the Pacific Ocean.
If you live on the east coast, Cancun is an easy flight with plenty of beachfront resort options.
Staying at the Waldorf Astoria in Los Cabos will give you this amazing bath tub view.
🌴 Cabo San Lucas: Best for a Luxury Beach Thanksgiving
Why Go: Warm weather, oceanfront resorts, incredible restaurants, & NONE of the Thanksgiving cooking/cleaning!
Best for: Couples, families & luxury travelers
Thanksgiving vibe: ☀️ Warm + 🌊 Beach + 🍹 Resort
Where I’d Stay in Cabo:
- 💎 Luxury:Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos
- ❤️ Couples:One&Only Palmilla
- 👨👩👧👦 Families:Pueblo Bonito Rose Resort & Spa
Hawaii
For those of us on the West Coast, Hawaii makes for a pretty quick flight ~ giving you instant access to temperatures in the 80’s, & an ocean that feels like bath water. Introverts can head to the Big Island or chill Kauai, while extroverts & those looking for more action can choose party-happier islands like Oahu or Maui.
The Grand Hyatt Kauai.
The pink Royal Hawaiian, with its legendary views of Diamond Head, is a great choice for a tropical Hawaiian getaway.
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Ireland
Feel like re-creating Cameron Diaz’s experience in “The Holiday?” Hop over to Ireland for a moody holiday, & stay at one of the country’s famous castles: such as Kinnity Castle, or beautiful Ashford Castle (one of my FAVORITE holiday experiences ever!!) ~ which lies just north of Galway. Take falconry lessons, sip Irish Coffees in a grand parlor, & enjoy the exotic feeling of having escaped your traditional Thanksgiving….
I took this photo at Ashford Castle many Thanksgivings ago….& it’s still one of my favorite holiday memories!
Opulence at Dromoland Castle Hotel, in Ireland.
🏨 Ready to Escape Thanksgiving?
Find the best castles & hotels in Ireland for Thanksgiving →
Florence, Italy
One final idea for a Thanksgiving abroad is the Renaissance city of Florence, Italy. Something about Florence gives fall vibes: from the orange-red top of the Duomo, to the abundance of ochre & orange-colored buildings. It’s a great place to soak in the rich history of Western civilization ~ a new twist on traditional Thanksgiving traditions.
Consider spending an adventurous Thanksgiving in beautiful Florence, Italy.
👉 Compare Florence hotels & check Thanksgiving availability
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