As travel continues to thrive, many will celebrate the holidays with a trip. More than half of Americans plan to travel for Thanksgiving, Christmas or both, according to Hopper.
If you want to mark Thanksgiving with a reunion, a festive meal or simply a long weekend getaway, we’ve found excellent hotels that will cater to all of those needs and more.
Rosewood Miramar Beach, Montecito, California
Choose your preferred Thanksgiving feast at this coastal-chic retreat: a buffet with family activities in the ballroom, a dinner spotlighting products from Central Coast farms in The Revere Room or an elegant four-course Southern Italian-influenced brunch at the oceanfront Caruso’s. Kids under four dine for free at all the venues.
If you’ve ever dreamed of experiencing the magic of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in person, Conrad New York Midtown’s unique offer can help make that a reality. Opt for one of the hotel’s premium suites Nov. 23 to 25 and receive VIP treatment, including a private escort to a Sixth Avenue viewing area along with morning treats — the perfect start to the holiday.
White Barn Inn, Auberge Resorts Collection, Kennebunkport, Maine
A week of celebrations begins with a champagne toast in the hotel living room, followed by a morning beach hike and the choice between executive chef Mathew Woolf’s three-course Thanksgiving Day feast or a more intimate dinner at either of the hotel’s highly regarded restaurants. The best part of the holiday — the leftovers — gets a delicious twist at the Thanksgiving Bounty Lunch the next day.
Montage Deer Valley, Park City, Utah
Escape to Utah’s snow-covered mountains for a weekend full of holiday festivities. After filling up on tempting Thanksgiving buffets and grab-and-go turkey meals for your suite or home, join a Turkey Shoot archery lesson, a cookie-decorating class or family tubing nights at the hotel’s Powder Park complete with hot chocolate.
Zadún, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Los Cabos
Savor a turkey feast at an upscale South American grill while live music plays in the background. Then unwind at the Los Cabos hotel’s 30,000-square-foot spa with delicious-sounding treatments like the Pumpkin Spice Body Wrap or join the Gratitude Weekend, an itinerary filled with wellness activities like yoga and meditation.
Celebrate with a luxurious five-course plated dinner in an oceanfront cabana with included champagne and butler service. Or, if you prefer a more communal-style Thanksgiving to the intimacy of a private dinner, the hotel offers a traditional buffet, Eau Does Thanksgiving, with pastry chef Keith Wallace tending to the pies.
A live jazz band and harpist score The Belvedere‘s four-course family-style dinner. The menu consists of elevated variations of traditional Thanksgiving staples, like lobster confit in pumpkin seed oil. If you prefer a lighter celebratory meal, reserve The Living Room’s Thanksgiving afternoon tea for fall-themed sandwiches and treats paired with holiday-flavored teas.
Ojai Valley Inn, Ojai, California
Nov. 23 kicks off Serenity Season at Ojai Valley Inn with a roster of festive events: a 5K turkey trot through the property’s 220 sprawling acres; an evening tree lighting ceremony accompanied with music from the local high school band and complimentary cider and cocoa; and three options for Thanksgiving dinner at the hotel’s restaurants, The Farmhouse, The Oak and Olivella.
Madeline Hotel and Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection, Telluride
With ski season beginning on Nov. 24 and the gratitude-centric yoga flow offered at the hotel’s workout studio, you will find many ways to work up an appetite for a festive feast by executive chef Bill Greenwood. Ingredients like the cider-brined turkey will be sourced from the resort’s Colorado farm partners.
Montage Palmetto Bluff, Bluffton, South Carolina
Make it a Lowcountry holiday at this 20,000-acre nature preserve along the May River. Thanksgiving week brings floral workshops, gratitude yoga, scavenger hunts and more activities. On the food front, indulge in the Moreland Oyster Roast and Southern Supper, featuring fresh oysters and a Lowcountry boil, and a Turkey Day feast.
Terranea Resort, Rancho Palos Verdes, California
On a peninsula 30 minutes outside of downtown L.A., Terranea pairs water views with your Thanksgiving meal in its restaurants. Or opt for a buffet with local seafood and holiday staples in the ballroom. Then try Thanksgiving kiddie crafts, a Turkey Shoot-Out golf competition (Nov. 20), a guided Turkey Day Hike or a warm cup from the cider-pressing station.
Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, San Diego
On Rancho Valencia’s gorgeous, verdant grounds, enjoy live music and a Thanksgiving buffet that includes typical dishes like slow-roasted turkey and sweet potato casserole, along with unexpected delights like the chef-attended sushi station. Families will find fun for all with festivities like pony rides, arts and crafts and other surprises.
The Chanler at Cliff Walk, Newport, Rhode Island
The former Gilded Age mansion turned Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star hotel offers a Thanksgiving experience with a wealth of rich tradition, in line with nearby Plymouth Rock. Enjoy a four-course menu at The Café, and then wind down the holiday with a hot beverage outside at the fire pits. Keep the cozy vibe going in your accommodations — a fireplace comes in each of the property’s 20 uniquely designed rooms.
The Stafford London, a hotel that feels like a home away from home, extends an across-the-pond invitation for a three-course Thanksgiving dinner at its restaurant, The Game Bird. Homesick American visitors can enjoy a British spin on holiday classics with dishes like sage and onion stuffing, green bean casserole and sour cream mash.
Sorrel River Ranch Resort & Spa, Moab, Utah
Book the Thanksgiving package at this desert ranch and choose from brown sugar ham, prime rib, turkey or salmon Wellington on the big day. Afterward, work off the meal with a guided tour of the adjacent Arches National Park, a red-rock spectacle with more than 2,000 natural stone arches.
Eden Roc Cap Cana, Dominican Republic
Although the Caribbean lacks the traditional fall foliage, you will have no problem getting into the holiday spirit thanks to Eden Roc Cap Cana’s extensive activities. Children will enjoy the Find the Turkey Treasure Hunt, adults will appreciate the skin and body renewal treatments at Eden Roc Spa, and the whole family will love the traditional and authentic Italian Thanksgiving dinner options.
Primland, Auberge Resorts Collection, Meadows of Dan, Virginia
Enjoy a Southern-style Thanksgiving buffet at the resort’s Elements restaurant; screenings of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and football — both the American kind and the USA vs. England World Cup soccer match — with the whole family; and the transformed Tobacco Barn’s patio, Pie Hut, for slices and cocktails to be savored fireside.
Nine of San Diego’s most acclaimed chefs have come together to lend their collective expertise to provide “Chefsgiving,” a family-style dinner hosted at the Pendry’s Provisional Kitchen. The community spirit continues beyond the dinner table: a portion of each ticket’s cost will be donated to the San Diego Food Bank.
A prix fixe menu at Che Ah Chi, exclusive to property guests, features classics with a lick of Western spice, such as mushroom and leek stuffing with desert sage. Intended for locals and guests alike, the resort also will host a Thanksgiving buffet of holiday favorites with some Arizona flavor in its Meeting Village. The day after, join in the tree-lighting ceremony, which will have s’mores and carols, or take a spin around Enchantment’s ice rink.
Rancho Bernando Inn, San Diego
Select how you would like to give thanks: a buffet accompanied by live music in the Aragon Ballroom, an all-day à la carte or three-course menu at Veranda Fireside Lounge & Restaurant, or a gourmet four-course menu at AVANT for refined plates like savory madeleines with duck confit and sweet potato pie with maple and Chantilly cream.
Four Seasons Resort Lanai, Hawaii
Look no further than this oceanfront oasis for a laid-back Thanksgiving. The Break serves a three-course tasting menu, including a fall salad with a pomegranate vinaigrette and maple-hazelnut crumble as well as turkey. Thank yourself later for booking a treatment like the indulgent Island Serenity Ritual (an abhyanga massage from your face to your soles) at Hawanawana Spa.
Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club
Immerse yourself in autumn with a stay in the newly renovated Fireside Terrace Room, complete with a patio and outdoor fireplace. Delight in the tastes of fall with a celebration of the season’s truffle harvest at Bourbon Steak Orange County and bakery Part + Parcel’s housemade pastries. The spa’s Fall into Wellness package covers your remaining senses — a citrus body polish follows a pumpkin enzyme facial and finishes with a pedicure.
Visit this new L.A. spot for dinner at chef José Andrés’ San Laurel. The Californian/Spanish restaurant’s prix fixe holiday menu includes persimmons with stracciatella, pomegranate, Marcona almonds, oro blanco and ladolemono; turkey with mushroom-kale stuffing, potatoes and gravy; and mushrooms in cream with fried egg, thyme and pan de cristal.
Auberge du Soleil, Auberge Resorts Collection, Napa
Overlooking Napa Valley, your Thanksgiving table at Auberge du Soleil’s comes with a view of the natural splendor from the dining room or the terrace. The prix fixe menu highlights include chilled St. Simon and Miyagi oysters with ginger mignonette, and croissant pudding with brown sugar apples. Be sure to peruse the stellar wine list, too.
Liven up Thanksgiving dinner at this getaway, where turkey and the trimmings get some Mexican flavor. But save room for Gabriel Kreuther’s culinary pop-up Nov. 25 and 26. The respected chef behind the eponymous Gabriel Kreuther Restaurant in NYC will dish out a decadent family-style dinner paired with Alsatian wines.
Enjoy a traditional holiday spread at The Mark Restaurant by Jean-Georges. Favorites like butternut squash soup, roasted organic turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes topped with cranberry compote fill the three-course lunch and dinner menu. For a sweet finish, try spiced pumpkin pie or apple pie topped with cinnamon ice cream.
