7 of the Best Small-Town Getaways for Thanksgiving

If you’re craving something outside your typical Thanksgiving routine this year, the four-day weekend offers a great opportunity for a getaway. Our recipe for an ideal Thanksgiving vacation? Mix a postcard-perfect main street with holiday festivities, charming shops, scenic views and a dash of unique local flavor. With these ingredients in mind, here are our picks for the most inviting small towns to kick off the holiday season.

Greenville, South Carolina

Falls Park on the Reedy is a stunning stop in downtown Greenville.

Drive about an hour and a half into the Appalachian foothills southwest of Charlotte, North Carolina, and cross the state line to get to one of South Carolina’s most walkable, scenic towns. Thanksgiving in Greenville is a treat if you’re looking for holiday spirit without the icy temperatures. The festive, bustling downtown’s central attraction is Falls Park on the Reedy, which features stunning, 40-foot-tall waterfalls surrounded by walking trails, quaint boutique shops and downtown dining. You’ll find the most photo-worthy views of the falls from the 350-foot-long, pedestrian-only Liberty Bridge. (If you’re looking for a spot to shoot this year’s Christmas card photo, this is a worthy contender.) Just adjacent to Falls Park is The Peace Center. This arts center is the city’s cultural hub, and the perfect place to catch a holiday performance.

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe's art, architecture and vibrant markets add Southwestern flavor to the holiday season.

Fall colors take on a whole new meaning in arts-centered Santa Fe—think terracotta-colored pueblos with turquoise doorways and open-air markets with rainbows of vibrant pottery pieces, weavings, jewelry and paintings. The city’s historic adobe architecture and Spanish-style missions are captivating year-round, but they glow with farolitos and holiday lights beginning Thanksgiving weekend. The day after Thanksgiving, enjoy hot chocolate during the annual Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony in the glittering historic Santa Fe Plaza. And don’t miss Black Friday shopping on Canyon Road, a picturesque half-mile of boutiques, art galleries and award-winning restaurants in the Historic District.

Lake Placid, New York

Lake Placid combines serene scenery with winter adventure.

The forested landscape of New York State’s Adirondack Mountains offers a peaceful, wilderness-centered escape from the everyday. For outdoor enthusiasts, Thanksgiving in Lake Placid means fresh powder for the start of ski season. Navigate the magical, snow-dusted landscape on snowshoes or cross-country skis, or speed down world-class slopes on Whiteface Mountain. Just a short drive from Lake Placid hotels, the mountain boasts the longest vertical drop of any ski destination on the East Coast. Olympic activities are still alive and well here for visitors to this former winter Olympic host city—explore the Olympic Center and Museum, ice skate on the Olympic Skating Oval or even ride with a pro bobsledder down the Olympic track. When it’s time to warm up, explore Main Street’s unique shops or cozy up with a glass of wine in one of the village’s many restaurants.

Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Warm Southern hospitality is part of what makes this mountain town a cozy destination.

Thanksgiving in Gatlinburg means Smoky Mountain views, glittering light displays and Southern charm. Gatlinburg’s charming trolleys contribute to the holiday cheer with the seasonal Trolley Ride of Lights, a tour of the 3 million lights—many designed to depict the area’s wildlife—adorning the city. Or, enjoy the glittering lights of downtown Gatlinburg and Great Smoky Mountain views from above on the Skylift Gatlinburg, an exhilarating chairlift ride up Crockett Mountain. The Great Smoky Thanksgiving Arts & Crafts Show, which begins on Black Friday, is the perfect stop for holiday shoppers looking for a handcrafted gift. Storytellers and carolers stroll the streets of downtown Gatlinburg on Thanksgiving weekend, performing Appalachia, bluegrass and country renditions of holiday favorites.

Estes Park, Colorado

Nestled in the soaring Rocky Mountains, Estes Park is one of the country's most magnificent retreats.

Estes Park earned its status as a must-see retreat in the early 1900s—and its reputation has endured thanks to unparalleled views. During Thanksgiving in Estes Park, holiday festivities magnify the stunning mountain town’s cozy, rustic character. Enjoy a post-feast hike in Rocky Mountain National Park—Sprague Lake Nature Trail, Copeland Falls or Lily Lake Trail are easy strolls with spectacular views. Stunning panoramas and natural wonders define this town—you might even share the sidewalks with deer as you browse the boutiques and galleries downtown. At dusk on the Friday after Thanksgiving, the Catch the Glow Parade & Celebration festivities begin, and twinkling floats and carolers wind their way through downtown.

Plymouth, Massachusetts

Experience the history of Thanksgiving in the holiday's birthplace.

Make a pilgrimage to the place where the holiday was born in the 1620s. Spending Thanksgiving in Plymouth is one of the best ways to dive into the fascinating history of the holiday and the town. Each year, Plymouth puts on the America’s Hometown Thanksgiving Celebration, complete with a parade, concerts, food festivals and activities on the waterfront. Here, you can visit Plymouth Rock and climb aboard the Mayflower II, a replica of the ship that brought the pilgrims to the New World. Watch actors bring history to life at a living history museum that includes Plimoth Plantation, which portrays life in a colonial village, and Wampanoag Homesite, an exhibit illustrating life on a 17th century Native American settlement. On Thanksgiving weekend, choose from a variety of dining events serving up traditional turkey feasts with a side of history, including The “Story of Thanksgiving” Dinner, or the New England Harvest Feast.

Fredericksburg, Texas

Celebrate the season European-style in the heart of Texas.

Known for its wineries and German heritage, Fredericksburg is only 90 minutes from Austin. Thanksgiving weekend is a special time to experience this Texas Hill Country town’s Old-World charm. On the day after turkey day, the town kicks off the holiday season with the official lighting ceremony for the German pyramid and community Christmas tree in the town’s Main Street Marktplatz. Attend the Thanksgiving dance at Luckenbach Dance Hall, take a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride through the historic district and prepare your holiday shopping list for the more than 150 local boutiques, art galleries and shops featuring everything from antiques to wine from local wineries.