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Thanksgiving Events Around the Country

By The Manual Staff Jun 3, 2020 2:12 PM

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

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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.

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These 2026 island getaways are surging in popularity right now

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Expedia just released its latest set of data: The 2026 Island Hot List, a trending list that compiles the emerging islands travelers are searching for before they become the next big thing. According to the newExpedia data, interest in these rising island destinations is up 55% on average year-over-year, while social media mentions have climbed 20% as travelers look for new experiences, better value, and fewer crowds. If you ask me, this is pretty surprising to hear it’s up 55%, especially when I thought islands were already one of the most popular year-round travel destinations.

Ranked #1 on Expedia’s 2026 Island Hot List is St. Lucia, an island I first fell in love with back in 2023 when I went on my honeymoon there. Once you visit here, it’s pretty easy to see why it’s ranked the best for romantic escapes. This destination has been a popular spot for anniversary and honeymoon trips for a long time now — and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down. As travelers move beyond crowded Caribbean hotspots, many are willing to take the extra trek to destinations like St. Lucia for it’s dramatic scenery, romantic resort options like Sugar Beach, and soft adventure focus.

Six Senses Rome is a peaceful retreat in a beautifully chaotic city

the lobby at Six Senses Rome

Rome is one of the most visited cities in Europe, and by all accounts, it gets crowded. But considering that it’s one of the world’s most important epicenters for history, culture, food and architecture, we can forgive the crowds. After all, complaining about tourism when you’re a tourist is not the way. But booking yourself a peaceful respite to start and end each day most certainly is.

I chose Six Senses Rome as my home base during a recent four-day trip to the city. The property opened in 2023 in the restored 15th-century Palazzo Salviati Cesi Mellini. The historic building sets the tone before you even check in, with restored 600-year-old columns in the main entrance, pale travertine floors, a light-dappled lobby overflowing with greenery, and a massive marble staircase that’s almost comically regal. And its neighbor is the gorgeous San Marcello al Corso Church—so you can start your sightseeing by literally going next door.

5 Tips If You’re Traveling With Cigars: I Learned No. 2 the Hard Way

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Traveling with cigars can be challenging if you’re not prepared. The lack of preparation can lead to your favorite cigars getting smashed from inadequate storage, or they can peel because they weren’t kept at the proper temperature, among other issues. Sometimes you do all the right things, and still come away shaking your head.

I’ve been smoking cigars for two decades now, and it’s not beneath me to admit that I’ve made plenty of cigar travel mistakes in that span, and as recently as two weeks ago. You live, you learn, and hope you don’t waste a stogie on the next trip. My most recent cigar travel mistake is what inspired me to share these tips. Sure, there are plenty of articles out there offering similar advice. But this list comes from a cigar smoker and writer who has visited six countries and about a dozen states in the last year alone. And in that time, mistakes were made, and lessons were learned.