Thanksgiving Events Around the Country

By The Manual Published June 3, 2020

Thanksgiving is a time of reflection, a day spent with friends and family, eating savory food and watching football—hey the Detroit Lions are actually good this year! The festivities usually extend into the weekend, with more indulging and family talk. Instead of eating leftovers, staring blankly at the television or bickering with siblings, why not join one of these four events around the country?

America’s Hometown Thanksgiving

Recommended Videos

Thanksgiving gets top billing in “America’s Hometown.” Plymouth, Massachusetts, site of the Mayflower landing, hosts myriad activities all weekend long. Visitors are treated to waterfront tours of the harbor, complete with reenactments, a concert for war veterans on Friday night, a Thanksgiving parade and a food festival and crafter’s village during the weekend.

Thanksgiving Point 5K

Why not celebrate Thanksgiving in a place named after the holiday? Like many towns big and small around the country, Lehi, Utah, hosts a 5K run on Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving Point Institute, a nonprofit organization in town, sponsors plentiful events throughout the year but its annual pilgrim run is one of its most popular. Runners from around Utah dress up as turkeys or pilgrims to score cash prizes. The institute also boasts one of the more authentic Thanksgiving reenactments in the country.

Laugh Factory Thanksgiving Day Feast

Laughter can make even the most dreary day feel brighter. The Laugh Factory in Los Angeles hosts its 35th annual Free Thanksgiving Day Feast on November 27. Top comedians will be on hand to serve food to the city’s homeless and downtrodden. This year features Dane Cook, Kevin Nealon, Tim allen and Shawn Wayans. The club hosts four free seatings throughout the day followed by four comic performances. Reservations are recommended.

Antica Terra Wine Tasting

Maggie Harrison’s cult winery in Dundee, Oregon—you’d be hard pressed to find her wines at most shops—boasts three tastings daily Friday, November 28, through Sunday, November 30. Tastings include five wines from the 2013 vintage as well as the Lillian Syrah, Harrison’s pet project. Many wineries in the region host open tastings throughout the holiday weekend as a way to celebrate the harvest.

The Manual is simple — we show men how to live a life that is more engaged. Whether it be fashion, food, drink, travel…

Topics

Travel

I didn’t expect fine dining and virtual dodgeball — but this Orlando resort delivered

Caribe Royale Orlando offers sports, fine dining, and family fun in one spot

Caribe Royale Orlando

Though I've visited Orlando dozens of times in the past couple of years, I always seem to find a new resort to explore every time I visit. The Orlando area is home to over 450 different hotels and resorts, which leaves me with lots of options to choose for an Orlando getaway. During my most recent visit to the area, I stayed at Caribe Royale Orlando, an expansive, all-suite resort located just a few miles outside of Walt Disney World.

Unlike many hotels in the area that are heavily Disney-focused, this unique resort offers a little something for every age group. From sports simulators to fine dining options for adults to a kid-focused pool with a 75-foot waterslide, here's a look at Caribe Royale Resort Orlando's elevated take on a classic family getaway and what made it feel different than other Orlando resorts I've stayed at.

Travel

This European country is the No. 1 fall travel spot, says Pinterest

Switzerland took the number one spot

Switzerland

Fall travelers are craving cozy escapes, and Pinterest’s 2025 Fall Trend Report reveals exactly where they’re headed. The platform analyzed search data to uncover this year’s top seasonal travel trends, and the results show a clear preference for European countryside getaways filled with charm, culture, and calming scenery.

Leading the pack is Switzerland, which saw a 367% surge in searches for countryside escapes. It’s easy to understand why. The country is dotted with storybook towns like Gimmelwald, where visitors can enjoy a peaceful Swiss Alps retreat near hiking trails. In Lavaux, the autumn wine harvest draws travelers to terraced vineyards overlooking Lake Geneva, while culture seekers can head to Zurich for the city’s annual film festival. Meanwhile, Basel’s centuries-old Autumn Fair transforms the entire city into a lively celebration of tradition, rides, and food.

Travel

This luxury all-inclusive resort in Florida feels like the Caribbean—no passport needed

A little taste of paradise nestled in the Florida Keys

Bungalows Key Largo

Over the past few years, I've stayed at various all-inclusive resorts in popular tropical destinations, such as Punta Cana and St. Lucia. No matter which resort you go to and which destination you pick, relaxation is a universal theme across all-inclusive resorts. All-inclusive resorts are a popular choice for travelers who don't want to be bothered to take out their credit card all day long and who want to lie poolside or beachside for the majority of the day.

There's something to be said about the luxury and convenience of an all-inclusive resort, but they're tough to find domestically. I set out on a trip to the Bungalows Key Largo to try my first-ever U.S. all-inclusive resort experience, delivering a similar atmosphere to Caribbean and Mexico all-inclusive resorts -- yet no passport required. Here's what my stay was like and why I'd do it again.