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Thanksgiving Getaway: Going Someplace Other Than Grandmother’s House Thanksgiving Getaway: Going Someplace Other Than Grandmother’s House
(3 days later)
For millions of Americans, Thanksgiving means Dad’s famous gravy, tryptophan-fueled naps and chance encounters with former high school classmates. For others, Thanksgiving means tropical cocktails and butter-soft sand.For millions of Americans, Thanksgiving means Dad’s famous gravy, tryptophan-fueled naps and chance encounters with former high school classmates. For others, Thanksgiving means tropical cocktails and butter-soft sand.
Although there’s no place like home for the holidays, as the song goes, there’s also no place like a half-empty beach resort in shoulder season or a European city right before Christmas. Just be mindful about when you fly: According to Google, flight searches over the last two years indicate that Friday, November 22; Wednesday, November 27; and Sunday, December 1 will be the busiest airport days.Although there’s no place like home for the holidays, as the song goes, there’s also no place like a half-empty beach resort in shoulder season or a European city right before Christmas. Just be mindful about when you fly: According to Google, flight searches over the last two years indicate that Friday, November 22; Wednesday, November 27; and Sunday, December 1 will be the busiest airport days.
Here are five ideas for bucking tradition, ponying up for plane tickets and taking advantage of a short workweek to plan an unforgettable destination Thanksgiving— in many cases, without sacrificing the turkey, stuffing or gravy.Here are five ideas for bucking tradition, ponying up for plane tickets and taking advantage of a short workweek to plan an unforgettable destination Thanksgiving— in many cases, without sacrificing the turkey, stuffing or gravy.
WHO SHOULD GO Multigenerational families will find something to keep members of every age bracket happy in London. Parks and playgrounds abound, museums offer shelter on drizzly days and the restaurant scene is diverse and exciting.WHO SHOULD GO Multigenerational families will find something to keep members of every age bracket happy in London. Parks and playgrounds abound, museums offer shelter on drizzly days and the restaurant scene is diverse and exciting.
WHY NOW Late November means festive Christmas lights, seasonal pop-up markets and smaller crowds.WHY NOW Late November means festive Christmas lights, seasonal pop-up markets and smaller crowds.
HOW TO GET THERE You can fly direct to Heathrow Airport from most major cities in the United States, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, New York, Dallas, San Francisco and Los Angeles. In April, British Airways became the first carrier to connect Heathrow directly to Pittsburgh. Some major airports also offer direct flights to London Gatwick Airport with the low-cost airline Norwegian Air.HOW TO GET THERE You can fly direct to Heathrow Airport from most major cities in the United States, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, New York, Dallas, San Francisco and Los Angeles. In April, British Airways became the first carrier to connect Heathrow directly to Pittsburgh. Some major airports also offer direct flights to London Gatwick Airport with the low-cost airline Norwegian Air.
WHERE TO STAY AND PLAY Belmond Cadogan Hotel reopened in February after a three-year, $48 million restoration. In addition to townhouse-like interiors and a swank Chelsea address, the property (from around $538 a night) offers access to Cadogan Place Gardens, a 93-acre private park. On Friday, November 29, take the Belmond British Pullman train to the Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market, feasting on brunch on the way there and dinner while heading back.WHERE TO STAY AND PLAY Belmond Cadogan Hotel reopened in February after a three-year, $48 million restoration. In addition to townhouse-like interiors and a swank Chelsea address, the property (from around $538 a night) offers access to Cadogan Place Gardens, a 93-acre private park. On Friday, November 29, take the Belmond British Pullman train to the Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market, feasting on brunch on the way there and dinner while heading back.
The Hoxton, Southwark (around $255 a night), which opened in early September, features hip décor, robust arts programming and a rooftop restaurant with views of the Thames. Walk to the nearby Tate Modern, where a blockbuster Olafur Eliasson retrospective is on view until early January 2020.The Hoxton, Southwark (around $255 a night), which opened in early September, features hip décor, robust arts programming and a rooftop restaurant with views of the Thames. Walk to the nearby Tate Modern, where a blockbuster Olafur Eliasson retrospective is on view until early January 2020.
Multigenerational families have myriad options, from Grosvenor House Suites, a luxurious hotel-residence on Hyde Park (from $605 a night), to Sonder, a relatively new hospitality company whose modern, stylish London rentals range start around $220 a night for a one-bedroom apartment.Multigenerational families have myriad options, from Grosvenor House Suites, a luxurious hotel-residence on Hyde Park (from $605 a night), to Sonder, a relatively new hospitality company whose modern, stylish London rentals range start around $220 a night for a one-bedroom apartment.
Americans can get their fill of holiday cheer in various ways, from a traditional feast (about $60 a person) at The Game Bird, the restaurant at The Stafford London, to a $67-a-person prix fixe dinner — complete with chicken ‘n’ waffles and pumpkin doughnuts — at Red Rooster Shoreditch, Marcus Samuelsson’s restaurant at The Curtain hotel.Americans can get their fill of holiday cheer in various ways, from a traditional feast (about $60 a person) at The Game Bird, the restaurant at The Stafford London, to a $67-a-person prix fixe dinner — complete with chicken ‘n’ waffles and pumpkin doughnuts — at Red Rooster Shoreditch, Marcus Samuelsson’s restaurant at The Curtain hotel.
WHO SHOULD GO Real and aspiring snowbirds can get a head start on the beach scene and explore buzzy neighborhoods like Wynwood in relative quietude. Miami has evolved well past its Jello-shots rap, but if you’re yearning to break out that bedazzled crop-top, fret not: Ariana Grande will perform at AmericanAirlines Arena the night before Thanksgiving.WHO SHOULD GO Real and aspiring snowbirds can get a head start on the beach scene and explore buzzy neighborhoods like Wynwood in relative quietude. Miami has evolved well past its Jello-shots rap, but if you’re yearning to break out that bedazzled crop-top, fret not: Ariana Grande will perform at AmericanAirlines Arena the night before Thanksgiving.
WHY NOW Miami hotels are about 14 percent less expensive over Thanksgiving than they are at Christmastime, according to Google. Thanksgiving falls right before Art Basel Miami Beach, the world-renowned art fair that brings a crush of events (and crowds) to the city; come early and you’re likely to catch a glimpse of the work as it’s hauled in and displayed in hotels, boutiques, galleries and outdoor spaces.WHY NOW Miami hotels are about 14 percent less expensive over Thanksgiving than they are at Christmastime, according to Google. Thanksgiving falls right before Art Basel Miami Beach, the world-renowned art fair that brings a crush of events (and crowds) to the city; come early and you’re likely to catch a glimpse of the work as it’s hauled in and displayed in hotels, boutiques, galleries and outdoor spaces.
HOW TO GET THERE Miami is the rare warm destination that’s served by reasonably priced nonstop flights from major cities on both coasts, plus smaller markets like Hartford, Conn. and Savannah, Ga.HOW TO GET THERE Miami is the rare warm destination that’s served by reasonably priced nonstop flights from major cities on both coasts, plus smaller markets like Hartford, Conn. and Savannah, Ga.
WHERE TO STAY AND PLAY Miami Beach has a string of stylish hotels, including EDITION, 1 Hotel, The Confidante and The Betsy Hotel. Millennial and Gen-Z travelers will be pleased that Arlo — whose New York City “micro-hotels” double as co-working spaces — just took over the Nautilus hotel in South Beach (around $259 a night). Their deeper-pocketed parents might prefer The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour, Miami ($617 a night), which has only two suites per floor, or The Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club, a luxurious oceanfront hotel (from $1,160 a night) that melds an original 1930s building with a glassy Richard Meier addition. On the other end of the price spectrum, most of Sonder’s sleek Miami apartment rentals cost less than $150 a night at this time of year.WHERE TO STAY AND PLAY Miami Beach has a string of stylish hotels, including EDITION, 1 Hotel, The Confidante and The Betsy Hotel. Millennial and Gen-Z travelers will be pleased that Arlo — whose New York City “micro-hotels” double as co-working spaces — just took over the Nautilus hotel in South Beach (around $259 a night). Their deeper-pocketed parents might prefer The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour, Miami ($617 a night), which has only two suites per floor, or The Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club, a luxurious oceanfront hotel (from $1,160 a night) that melds an original 1930s building with a glassy Richard Meier addition. On the other end of the price spectrum, most of Sonder’s sleek Miami apartment rentals cost less than $150 a night at this time of year.
Area 31, the 16th-floor rooftop restaurant at Kimpton EPIC Hotel in downtown Miami, will serve a Thanksgiving dinner inspired by chef Alex Olivier’s South African heritage, including a bobotie casserole made with ground turkey and, for dessert, a classic South African milk tart ($75 for adults and $35 for children).Area 31, the 16th-floor rooftop restaurant at Kimpton EPIC Hotel in downtown Miami, will serve a Thanksgiving dinner inspired by chef Alex Olivier’s South African heritage, including a bobotie casserole made with ground turkey and, for dessert, a classic South African milk tart ($75 for adults and $35 for children).
WHO SHOULD GO Beach bums and adventure-junkies will find Belize an easy getaway: no visas, language classes or serious jet-lag remedies required. Travel insiders have been talking up the country as the next hot Central American destination for a few years, extolling the virtues of its lush jungles, Mayan temples and pyramids, snorkeling-friendly reefs and overwater bungalows.WHO SHOULD GO Beach bums and adventure-junkies will find Belize an easy getaway: no visas, language classes or serious jet-lag remedies required. Travel insiders have been talking up the country as the next hot Central American destination for a few years, extolling the virtues of its lush jungles, Mayan temples and pyramids, snorkeling-friendly reefs and overwater bungalows.
WHY NOW Belize’s wet season usually ends by mid-November and, like other Caribbean destinations, hotel rates rise sharply starting around Christmas.WHY NOW Belize’s wet season usually ends by mid-November and, like other Caribbean destinations, hotel rates rise sharply starting around Christmas.
HOW TO GET THERE Although some airlines begin their direct flights to Belize City in December, various Southern cities offer quick nonstop service year-round, including Miami, Houston, Dallas and Atlanta. In 2017, Southwest Airlines launched a nonstop flight from Denver.HOW TO GET THERE Although some airlines begin their direct flights to Belize City in December, various Southern cities offer quick nonstop service year-round, including Miami, Houston, Dallas and Atlanta. In 2017, Southwest Airlines launched a nonstop flight from Denver.
WHERE TO STAY AND PLAY Four Seasons isn’t expected to debut in Belize until 2021 (in the form of a private island), and Blackadore Caye, an eco-resort owned by the actor Leonardo DiCaprio, hasn’t opened yet either. But even before those projects raise the high end of the Belizean hotel market, there are plenty of family-friendly options that meld luxury, sustainability and adventure.WHERE TO STAY AND PLAY Four Seasons isn’t expected to debut in Belize until 2021 (in the form of a private island), and Blackadore Caye, an eco-resort owned by the actor Leonardo DiCaprio, hasn’t opened yet either. But even before those projects raise the high end of the Belizean hotel market, there are plenty of family-friendly options that meld luxury, sustainability and adventure.
On Ambergris Caye, Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club, Curio Collection by Hilton (from around $144 a night), Hilton Worldwide’s first hotel in Belize, offers a mini-town of sorts, complete with 205 British Colonial cottages and villas, a beach club with overwater cabanas, a full slate of restaurants and operators for just about every adventure imaginable, from scuba diving to cave tubing. Mahogany Bay will offer a classic Thanksgiving buffet featuring live music.On Ambergris Caye, Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club, Curio Collection by Hilton (from around $144 a night), Hilton Worldwide’s first hotel in Belize, offers a mini-town of sorts, complete with 205 British Colonial cottages and villas, a beach club with overwater cabanas, a full slate of restaurants and operators for just about every adventure imaginable, from scuba diving to cave tubing. Mahogany Bay will offer a classic Thanksgiving buffet featuring live music.
In Punta Gorda in the south, the eco-focused Copal Tree Lodge (from $261 a night) has the Copalli Rum distillery right on-site and a culinary team that sources most of its ingredients from the property. The hotel, which sits in the heart of the rainforest, also offers cooking classes (for children and adults), kayaking, mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing expeditions and more.In Punta Gorda in the south, the eco-focused Copal Tree Lodge (from $261 a night) has the Copalli Rum distillery right on-site and a culinary team that sources most of its ingredients from the property. The hotel, which sits in the heart of the rainforest, also offers cooking classes (for children and adults), kayaking, mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing expeditions and more.
Most Airbnb rentals in Placencia, also in the south — one of The Times’s 52 Places To Go in 2017 — cost between $150 and $300 a night. And many have beach access.Most Airbnb rentals in Placencia, also in the south — one of The Times’s 52 Places To Go in 2017 — cost between $150 and $300 a night. And many have beach access.
WHO SHOULD GO Couples and solo travelers with generous time-off will find the adage about ends and means to be true: Once you’ve made the schlep, Thailand is an amply rewarding destination.WHO SHOULD GO Couples and solo travelers with generous time-off will find the adage about ends and means to be true: Once you’ve made the schlep, Thailand is an amply rewarding destination.
WHY NOW By November, most of Thailand’s rains and monsoons have passed. The holidaymakers haven’t yet descended upon the southern beaches, and the weather, though warm, dry and sunny, hasn’t yet reached its blistering apex. Those with some flexibility should start their trip in Chiang Mai in mid-November, when Loy Krathong (the festival of water lanterns) and Yee Peng (the festival of sky lanterns) take over this temple-rich city. With the fate of Bangkok’s street food vendors still uncertain after the government’s proposed ban, there’s no better time to sidle up and dig in.WHY NOW By November, most of Thailand’s rains and monsoons have passed. The holidaymakers haven’t yet descended upon the southern beaches, and the weather, though warm, dry and sunny, hasn’t yet reached its blistering apex. Those with some flexibility should start their trip in Chiang Mai in mid-November, when Loy Krathong (the festival of water lanterns) and Yee Peng (the festival of sky lanterns) take over this temple-rich city. With the fate of Bangkok’s street food vendors still uncertain after the government’s proposed ban, there’s no better time to sidle up and dig in.
HOW TO GET THERE You cannot fly directly from the United States to Thailand; instead connect through cities like Dubai, Tokyo or Hong Kong. From there, various direct flights (say, to Bangkok, Chiang Mai or Phuket) allow for a range of itineraries; most visitors pick a direction — north to south or south to north — before returning to the United States.HOW TO GET THERE You cannot fly directly from the United States to Thailand; instead connect through cities like Dubai, Tokyo or Hong Kong. From there, various direct flights (say, to Bangkok, Chiang Mai or Phuket) allow for a range of itineraries; most visitors pick a direction — north to south or south to north — before returning to the United States.
WHERE TO STAY AND PLAY Up north in Chiang Rai, guests can watch rescued pachyderms at play and walk with them through the jungle at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort (from $1,350 a night for two people, all inclusive), an industry leader in ethical wildlife tourism and elephant conservation. In a nod to William E. Heinecke — the American-born founder of Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas — the resort will also offer a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.WHERE TO STAY AND PLAY Up north in Chiang Rai, guests can watch rescued pachyderms at play and walk with them through the jungle at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort (from $1,350 a night for two people, all inclusive), an industry leader in ethical wildlife tourism and elephant conservation. In a nod to William E. Heinecke — the American-born founder of Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas — the resort will also offer a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.
In Chiang Mai, Le Méridien is a comfortable, well-situated jumping-off point for citywide exploration; Marriott Bonvoy members can get rooms for 20 percent off (bringing the starting rate to around $172 a night).In Chiang Mai, Le Méridien is a comfortable, well-situated jumping-off point for citywide exploration; Marriott Bonvoy members can get rooms for 20 percent off (bringing the starting rate to around $172 a night).
Lovers of contemporary design will appreciate the clean, calm vibe at COMO Metropolitan Bangkok (from around $166 a night), home to Nahm, a Michelin-starred Thai restaurant that just revamped its menu and décor. Most Airbnb listings in Bangkok clock in at less than $100 — if not less than $50 — a night around Thanksgiving.Lovers of contemporary design will appreciate the clean, calm vibe at COMO Metropolitan Bangkok (from around $166 a night), home to Nahm, a Michelin-starred Thai restaurant that just revamped its menu and décor. Most Airbnb listings in Bangkok clock in at less than $100 — if not less than $50 — a night around Thanksgiving.
Down south, in the Andaman Sea, The Naka Phuket, a modernist retreat designed by the Thai architect Duangrit Bunnag, consists of 94 cantilevered glass villas (around $450 a night). Because the islands in the Gulf of Thailand, east of the Malay Peninsula, tend to get some rain this time of year, visitors can stay at Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, a cluster of 60 villas and 11 residences, each with a private infinity pool, for about $817 a night (versus more than $1,500 a night around Christmas).Down south, in the Andaman Sea, The Naka Phuket, a modernist retreat designed by the Thai architect Duangrit Bunnag, consists of 94 cantilevered glass villas (around $450 a night). Because the islands in the Gulf of Thailand, east of the Malay Peninsula, tend to get some rain this time of year, visitors can stay at Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, a cluster of 60 villas and 11 residences, each with a private infinity pool, for about $817 a night (versus more than $1,500 a night around Christmas).
WHO SHOULD GO Anyone in search of the unfamiliar in a well-trodden destination will find magic in off-season Italy.WHO SHOULD GO Anyone in search of the unfamiliar in a well-trodden destination will find magic in off-season Italy.
WHY NOW By November, regions up and down Italy have settled into one of their most tranquil period of the year. Hotel rates in Rome tend to drop starting November 3, two days after All Saints’ Day; booking a hotel around Thanksgiving instead of four weeks prior can yield savings up to 32 percent, according to Google.WHY NOW By November, regions up and down Italy have settled into one of their most tranquil period of the year. Hotel rates in Rome tend to drop starting November 3, two days after All Saints’ Day; booking a hotel around Thanksgiving instead of four weeks prior can yield savings up to 32 percent, according to Google.
HOW TO GET THERE Alitalia and its SkyTeam alliance partners (Delta, Air France) operate multiple daily flights from major East Coast cities (New York, Boston, Atlanta, Washington, D.C. and Miami) to Rome, Venice and Milan. Once you arrive, Trenitalia makes rail travel a breeze, and sites like Omio (formerly GoEuro) can cobble together domestic itineraries from trains, busses and flights. HOW TO GET THERE Alitalia and its SkyTeam alliance partners (Delta, Air France) operate multiple daily flights from major East Coast cities (New York, Boston, Atlanta, Washington, D.C. and Miami) to Rome, Venice and Milan. Once you arrive, Trenitalia makes rail travel a breeze, and sites like Omio (formerly GoEuro) can cobble together domestic itineraries from trains, buses and flights.
WHERE TO STAY AND PLAY Ski families can get a head start on the season in the Aosta Valley, in Northwestern Italy. A high altitude gives the Alpine resort Breuil-Cervinia good snow as early as October, all against the backdrop of Monte Cervino, what Italians call The Matterhorn. The range of accommodations there include Aux Pieds Du Roi, a self-described “eco maison” with funky interior design and easy access to the lifts (rooms start around $461/night).WHERE TO STAY AND PLAY Ski families can get a head start on the season in the Aosta Valley, in Northwestern Italy. A high altitude gives the Alpine resort Breuil-Cervinia good snow as early as October, all against the backdrop of Monte Cervino, what Italians call The Matterhorn. The range of accommodations there include Aux Pieds Du Roi, a self-described “eco maison” with funky interior design and easy access to the lifts (rooms start around $461/night).
Farther south, in Rome, the Roma Jazz Festival runs from November 1 to December 1. Book one of the 18 art-filled rooms and suites at Hotel Vilòn, a renovated 16th-century palazzo; the hotel (from around $646 a night) will offer a Thanksgiving alla Romana dinner at Adelaide, its restaurant. Also in Rome, large families can rent dreamlike private accommodations — say, a palace with Italian Renaissance frescoes or a penthouse overlooking Piazza Venezia — from The Grand House and hire the Michelin-starred chef Cristina Bowerman to cook Thanksgiving dinner.Farther south, in Rome, the Roma Jazz Festival runs from November 1 to December 1. Book one of the 18 art-filled rooms and suites at Hotel Vilòn, a renovated 16th-century palazzo; the hotel (from around $646 a night) will offer a Thanksgiving alla Romana dinner at Adelaide, its restaurant. Also in Rome, large families can rent dreamlike private accommodations — say, a palace with Italian Renaissance frescoes or a penthouse overlooking Piazza Venezia — from The Grand House and hire the Michelin-starred chef Cristina Bowerman to cook Thanksgiving dinner.
Finally, in the town of Fasano, in Puglia (one of The Times’s 52 Places to Go in 2019), three- and seven-day wellness retreats at Borgo Egnazia (from around $296 a night) include therapeutic sessions with a “Master of Laughter,” spa treatments and more. Around Thanksgiving, a twinkly holiday market opens in the resort’s on-site piazza. In Gagliano del Capo, visitors can immerse themselves in Apulian culinary traditions through orecchiette-making classes and vineyard and olive-grove tours at Palazzo Daniele. In November, rates at the new nine-suite boutique hotel, which is housed in a 150-year-old palazzo, start around $260 a night — less than half the summertime price tag.Finally, in the town of Fasano, in Puglia (one of The Times’s 52 Places to Go in 2019), three- and seven-day wellness retreats at Borgo Egnazia (from around $296 a night) include therapeutic sessions with a “Master of Laughter,” spa treatments and more. Around Thanksgiving, a twinkly holiday market opens in the resort’s on-site piazza. In Gagliano del Capo, visitors can immerse themselves in Apulian culinary traditions through orecchiette-making classes and vineyard and olive-grove tours at Palazzo Daniele. In November, rates at the new nine-suite boutique hotel, which is housed in a 150-year-old palazzo, start around $260 a night — less than half the summertime price tag.
52 PLACES AND MUCH, MUCH MORE Follow our 52 Places traveler, Sebastian Modak, on Instagram as he travels the world, and discover more Travel coverage by following us on Twitter and Facebook. And sign up for our Travel Dispatch newsletter: Each week you’ll receive tips on traveling smarter, stories on hot destinations and access to photos from all over the world.52 PLACES AND MUCH, MUCH MORE Follow our 52 Places traveler, Sebastian Modak, on Instagram as he travels the world, and discover more Travel coverage by following us on Twitter and Facebook. And sign up for our Travel Dispatch newsletter: Each week you’ll receive tips on traveling smarter, stories on hot destinations and access to photos from all over the world.