7 idyllic destinations for a family-friendly Thanksgiving vacation this November

IF YOU’VE EVER HOSTED a Thanksgiving get together, then you know it can be stressful. There’s the kitchen prep and planning, of course, but also the cleaning (of your home and your kitchen), entertainment, and attempted sidestepping of controversial issues that’ll put the dinner conversation in a tailspin.

Thankfully, there’s an easy way to avoid this formulaic nightmare while still celebrating with the people you love: take a vacation. Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving on the day or decide to stretch it out to avoid the madness of airports during the holidays, travel is one way to have a Thanksgiving everyone actually enjoys. If it’s spacious accommodations you’re looking for, we narrowed down the best Airbnbs for families in the Pacific Northwest, as well as family sized Airbnbs in the Northeast and family friendly Airbnbs in the Southwest.

The key to a successful Thanksgiving family vacation is picking the right home base. From places with stunning natural beauty to destinations known for their kid-friendly atmosphere, these are the best family vacation spots to check out this November.

5. San Antonio, Texas

For some, temperatures in the 70s are enough of a reason to visit Texas in November. Aside from the appealing weather, San Antonio is packed with family-friendly attractions that blend history with natural beauty.

Kids will likely want to start off at Seaworld San Antonio to see the dolphins, stingrays, sharks, giant sea turtles, whales, sea lions, and penguins. There are also adrenaline-pumping rides like the Steel Eel and Great White roller coasters. Back on land, you can’t visit San Antonio without a trip to the San Antonio Zoo. The third-largest zoo in the country, the zoo is just 10 minutes from downtown and home to thousands of animals, including rhinos, hippos, tortoises, giraffes, and flamingos.

The city is also home to the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas, which encompasses San Antonio’s five Spanish colonial missions:

Concepción, San José, San Juan, Espada, and the Alamo. The largest concentration of Spanish Colonial missions in North America, these 18th century buildings will give you a glimpse of one side of San Antonio’s past.

To get out of the city, drive just over a half-hour north to the Natural Bridge Caverns. These 140-year-old rock formations run deep underground, and are best explored on adventure tours of varying degrees of difficulty.