Where can you go if you’re looking for a luxury vacation destination for Thanksgiving this year? We have rounded a list of 19 of the best places for a relaxing luxury Thanksgiving getaway weekend vacation, including perfect family, couples and foodie destinations.
what are you doing about Thanksgiving this year?
Thanksgiving is high on many people’s list of favorite holidays. And while most people host the happy feast at someone’s home, some years your gang may decide that it’s time for something different. Maybe a fancy restaurant for Thanksgiving dinner. Or perhaps even a Thanksgiving getaway to a luxury destination.
A place where someone else can do all the work, and everyone can enjoy the fun of the holiday. So where are the best places for a relaxing Thanksgiving getaway weekend vacationthis year?
so much to love about Thanksgiving
We don’t know about you, but we love Thanksgiving – like, really love. It’s our family’s favorite holiday, where everyone comes together for delicious food and laughter. Not to mention the roasted turkey with all the trimmings, Dad’s cornbread, the annual turkey trot, football games galore. And of course, the endless array of amazing homemade desserts.
on the other hand, Thanksgiving does come with a few challenges
The best places for a relaxing Thanksgiving getaway weekend vacation this year, including perfect family, couples and foodie destinations.
Actually, now that we think about it . . . there are the dishes and the cleanup, the days of prep work leading up to the holiday, the actual cooking itself. And the occasional undesired side dish of family drama.
Having hosted our own share of Thanksgiving dinners, we’ve felt the exhaustion and the frustrations that sometimes come with this holiday. And we confess, every now and then we’ve thought to ourselves: wouldn’t it be nice to get away and let someone else do the cooking and the clean up for a change?Just this once?
The best places for a relaxing Thanksgiving getaway weekend vacation this year, including perfect family, couples and foodie destinations.
is it possible to take a luxurious Thanksgiving getaway weekend vacation this year?
Why not let someone else take care of all the holiday kitchen drama? From a posh turkey dinner to an Irish-inspired feast in a castle, these 19 luxury hotels and resorts around the world host Thanksgiving extravaganzas. It may very well even outshine your traditional family affairs.
The best places for a relaxing luxury Thanksgiving getaway weekend vacation, including perfect family, couples and foodie destinations.
And the best part? You can bring the whole family. Not to mention that at the end of the meal, you can take your post turkey nap on the beach or with a view overlooking one of Europe’s greatest cities if you so choose. Trust us, these places will make you grateful you don’t have to cook the turkey this year.
where to go for a relaxing Thanksgiving getaway weekend vacation this year
1. The Charles Hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
It only seems right to begin this list in the state that was the birthplace of Thanksgiving: Massachusetts. While there are numerous lovely hotels in Boston proper, for a warmer and more intimate vibe, our top pick is the Charles Hotel in Cambridge.
The best places for a relaxing luxury Thanksgiving getaway weekend vacation, including perfect family, couples and foodie destinations. Cambridge,Massachusetts.
It’s just a short stroll away from Harvard Yard, and a few steps from the banks of the Charles River. The vibe is smart-rustic-chic and Henrietta’s Table is a wonderful place for a farm-to-table holiday meal that will be just the right mix of relaxed and refined. Afterward, you’ve got plenty of options for places to walk, run, or otherwise burn off dinner. And all of Boston awaits with a short ride on the T, should you be in the mood to shop on Black Friday.
2. Wildflower Farms in Gardiner, New York.
Having just begun welcoming guests to its secluded corner of the Hudson Valley, Wildflower Farms is set to become a must-visit destination no matter the time of year, but when better to visit this bucolic setting than in the fall?
For its first Thanksgiving, the resort will be hosting a Gratitude Hike, inviting guests to explore the 140-acre property followed by a specially-curated Thanksgiving meal at Clay from Executive Chef Rob Lawson celebrating the season’s bounty. But if the outdoor’s isn’t your thing, fear not. You can opt to reconnect through a nature-inspired spa treatment at Thistle, the Auberge’s Spa.
3. The Point Resort, Saranac Lake, New York.
The Point Resort is a boutique property in Upstate New York’s Saranac Lake, built by the Rockefellers as a retreat during the Adirondack Great Camps.
It’s now home to some of New York City’s most acclaimed chefs, with alumni from restaurants like Le Bernardin, The Modern and Marta working in residence.
Chef Loic Leperlier creates a seasonal menu with ingredients that are often located nearby or on the property. A four-course meal is prepared five nights a week with wine pairings in the Great Hall. However, on Wednesday and Saturday evenings, the Great Hall serves a seven-course tasing menu with wine pairings. It is a black-tie affair.
Guest rooms are nestled in log cabins on the serene short of Upper Saranac Lake where the simplicity of the wilderness merges with luxury art and antiques. After dinner, guests can enjoy lake-front campfires and, when the weather gets colder, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
4. Conrad New York Midtown in New York City.
Thanksgiving in New York City can be almost anything you want it to be: low-key, over-the-top, and anything in-between. As this is our home town, of course we have some ideas about how to make the most of it if you make the city your destination for a Thanksgiving getaway.
If you and your kiddos have ever dreamed of experiencing the magic of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in person, Conrad New York Midtown can make that happen. Opt for one of the hotel’s premium suites Nov 23 – 25 and receive a private escort to a Sixth Avenue viewing area along with hot cocoa and morning treats. How cool is that?
Afterwards, head to the Upper West Side to Boulud Sud for an unforgettable Thanksgiving feast. Past years have included multiple three course menu options and, of course, lots of truffles!
5. The Sanctuary in Kiawah Island, South Carolina.
There is no bigger holiday on Kiawah Island than Thanksgiving. In fact, over 40,000 visitors will descend onto the small island over the weekend. One highlight in particular is the island’s 5 star oceanfront hotel, The Sanctuary which hosts a Thanksgiving Feast buffet, Pumpkin Hockey, an early morning 5K Turkey Trot fun run and family sand sculpting.
The morning after Thanksgiving, Santa arrives for a tree lighting ceremony complete with cookie and ornament decorating. Outside of the hotel you will find the island’s annual Party in the Park. It features low country food including a traditional oyster roast and drinks, face painting, games and music.
6. The Montage in Palmetto Bluff, South Carolina
The Montage Palmetto Bluff is one of our favorite luxury hotels in the world. The property is set on almost 20,000 acres in the South Carolina Lowncountry. Here you’ll find 100-year-old oak trees, bike paths, and 35 miles of waterfront to explore. There’s an island filled with egrets, and graceful waterfowl abound all over the property. The hotel provides a truly unforgettable level of beauty, serenity, and unstructured time together. That’s surprisingly hard to find, even at a 5-star hotel.
Depending on the size of your group, you can book a room in the main building. Or one of the many charming stand-alone cottages on the property. The cottages all have private screened-in porches so you can sit and watch the world go by. There’s also a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course, spa and shooting club.
Thanksgiving weekend activities include hayrides, an oyster roast, a walk on the bluffs and a festive dinner under the stars on Thanksgiving Eve. On the day itself, there’s “gratitude yoga,” a football lounge and a Thanksgiving Brunch with all the trimmings.
7. Montage Deer Valley in Park City, Utah
Kick off the start of the ski season and escape to Utah’s snow-covered mountains for a weekend full of holiday festivities. Montage Deer Valley is the perfect place for a luxurious family holiday getaway with a lineup full of activities.
After filling up on Thanksgiving buffets and grab-and-go turkey meals for your suite or home, join a Turkey Shoot archery lesson, bowling for turkeys, a cookie-decorating class or family tubing nights at the hotel’s Powder Park complete with hot chocolate. An added plus? There’s no need to feel guilty, because you can burn some serious calories on the slopes for the rest of Thanksgiving Weekend.
8. Eden Roc Cap Cana in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Looking for sand and sun this Thanksgiving? Eden Roc Cap Cana is inviting guests to indulge in a long weekend of celebratory experiences and events, catering to the whole family.
Little ones can enjoy a turkey-themed treasure hunt, kayaking sessions and art and crafts workshops. Grownups can indulge in the guided wine tasting, thankful sunset yoga, a turkey trot and the special spa programming. And of course, no proper Thanksgiving is complete without a gourmet feast – or two.
The best places for a relaxing Thanksgiving getaway weekend vacation this year, including perfect family, couples and foodie destinations.
9. Dromoland Castle in Clare, Ireland
Give your Thanksgiving celebrations a little Irish twist at the sprawling and majestic Dromoland Castle in breathtakingly scenic County Clare. With incredible fall foliage, proximity to the famous Cliffs of Moher and 450 acres of property grounds to explore, there’s much to do.
Onsite enjoy falconry, archery, clay shooting, woodland walks and golf, before feasting on a Thanksgiving meal that highlights the best of fresh local produce, as well as Irish Whiskey. Before you come home shop for locally made wool sweaters and blankets. It will tide you through the winter ahead and treasure for years to come.
10. The Goring, London, UK
Regular readers of Dandelion Chandelier will know that London is one of our favorite places to visit – anytime, any season. If you find yourself there for Thanksgiving, fear not. You’ll be able to have a jolly time, even though it’s not “their” holiday.
You could pop over early for the annual London Jazz Festival. Then celebrate dinner at the Michelin-starred Dining Room at The Goring. This charming small independent hotel is perfectly located near Buckingham Palace and St. James Park (it’s where Kate Middleton spent the night before her Royal Wedding to Prince William).
11. The St. Regis Singapore
Thanksgiving dinner at a French restaurant in Singapore? Yep, anything is possible and at The St. Regis you will find an exquisite Thanksgiving dinner buffet that includes a seafood medley with Fine de Claire oysters and Alaskan king crab, French cheeses, lobster macaroni and cheese and a carving station with roasted turkey and leg of lamb.
The following day head to the nearby Orchard Road to get the jump on your holiday shopping. It is one of Asia’s most famous shopping streets.
12. Motu Teta, Tahiti
Want to get as far away from home as possible? We suggest booking Tahiti’s Motu Teta, a private island located in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean on the Rangiroa atoll. There you can enjoy some serious R&R before heading off on a midnight lobster hunt. Proof that you truly can celebrate the holiday in every corner of the world in any way possible. Your private staff will prepare and serve any lobsters you catch as your Thanksgiving meal beachside the following day.
13. The Inn at Willow Grove, Orange, Virginia
The backdrop of the charming colonial Inn at Willow Grove, with its Manor House dating back to 1778, is the stunning Blue Ridge Mountain range in Virginia’s wine country.
Guests are served fresh-made beignets in the morning in cottages that feature a private porch and fireplace. The on-property restaurant, Vintage Restaurant & Pub, features fall-forward dishes like roasted butternut soup with apple vinegar and brown butter; spice-rubbed bone-in pork with grits and grilled apples served in a honey mustard sage sauce and mains like filet mignon with bacon-chili jam.
Wine lovers may be inclined to check out the Barboursville Vineyards for a sip of Barbera Reserve with a history lesson on the side. The historic Landmark Ruins, on the property of the mansion Thomas Jefferson built for Virginia Governor James Barbour, are just a stroll away.
14. White Barn Inn, Kennebunk, Maine
Seafood is the main event at the quaint White Barn Inn, located in the coastal Maine town of Kennebunk.
Chefs cook up dishes with ingredients from local Maine fisheries and nearby farms. The White Barn Inn Restaurant has an entire menu devoted to lobster: chilled sweet corn lobster soup; lobster tagliatelle pasta with Calabrian chili, mushrooms and crunchy chicken skin; and rack of lamb served with a lobster-based French bordelaise sauce.
Travelers looking to stay the night can choose from the Inn’s selection of private rooms, cottages or suites with views of the Kennebunk River.
15. Coeur d’Alene Resort, Idaho
Of course, you can always go West for autumn and Thanksgiving joys this year. The lakeside resort in Northwest Idaho gets its name from the Coeur d’Alene lake, featuring attractions like camping and golf for warmer months and ten restaurants in the town.
Dine on the water at The Cedars, the resort’s floating restaurant at the junction of Lake Coeur d’Alene and the Spokane River. The eatery is buoyed by 600,000 pounds of concrete-encased styrofoam.
Eaters can take in breathtaking views of Lake Coeur d’Alene while savoring specialties like Biergarten Filet and Cedar Plank salmon. Try not to gawk too hard at the boats pulling straight up to the dock.
16. Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa, Paradise Valley, Arizona
Savor desert views with your Turkey Day feast at this Paradise Valley oasis. Thanksgiving Day dinner will be served at Elements, the resort’s new American restaurant with an Asian flare by Food Network star chef Beau MacMillian.
Diners will choose from a four-course, prix-fixe menu comprised of a traditional turkey spread with festive fixings like chestnut stuffing and cranberry apple relish. And entrees like a roasted vegetable wellington with gruyere cheese and sage chimichurri. Or a pecan-crusted swordfish with pickled jalapeno, chipotle sweet potato puree and maple cream.
Save room for pumpkin spice crème brulée for dessert. And fittingly for a time of reflection and gratitude, overnight guests are in for a zen awakening in this arid ambiance: the resort features a spa, meditation garden and reflection pond.
17. Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Westchester County, New York
Chef Dan Barber’s farm-to-table dining destination Blue Hill at Stone Barns is just 30 miles north of New York City, near Tarrytown in Westchester County. It’s one of the best kitchens on the East Coast, and known for its innovative approach to plant-forward cuisine and farm-to-table dining.
According to its website, the eatery and farm complex is offering outdoor private events on-site for between 20 and 50 guests at Stone Barns. Off-site catering is available through its program Blue Hill on the Road.
Those who want to experience the farm have something to look forward to. The restaurant is opening up its kitchen to four chefs as part of a seasonal residency program next year. The aim is to allow for more cultural diversity in the kitchen while providing employment opportunities for chefs who may be out of work as a result of the pandemic.
the Best Places for a luxury Thanksgiving getaway vacation for families, foodies and more
Those are our suggestions for the best places for a relaxing luxury Thanksgiving getaway weekend vacation, including perfect family, couples and foodie destinations. What’s at the top of your list, dear reader?
