Six places to go to spice up your traditional Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day is the perfect time to be with family and friends, sharing a great meal, watching parades and football on TV and kicking off the winter holiday season, and of course to reflect on all we have to be thankful for. But, if you’re thinking about adding a bit of spice to your traditional Thanksgiving activities, consider traveling to a place known for its Thanksgiving traditions.

Plymouth, MA

To celebrate the history of Thanksgiving in America, visit Plymouth, MA, where the first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621 by English Pilgrims and the Native Americans who helped them through a brutal first winter in the New World. You can visit Plymouth Rock, said to be the site where the Pilgrims landed their ship, the Mayflower, in 1620. Another attraction is Plimoth Plantation, a living history museum that includes a replica of Plymouth Colony as it was in 1627 and a working replica of the Mayflower.

Boston

The city of Boston is just 40 miles north of Plymouth. There, you can walk the two-and-a-half-mile Freedom Trail to see some of the city’s most famous remnants of colonial days, such as the Paul Revere House, Faneuil Hall and the Old North Church. If you would rather ride than walk, hop on a colorful trolley for a tour of the entire city.

New York City

New York City, home to Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, is another terrific Thanksgiving destination. Imagine the thrill of seeing the floats, marching bands, performing groups and massive character balloons in person rather than on your TV screen. For a preview, watch the balloons being inflated on Thanksgiving Eve near the American Museum of Natural History.

Thanksgiving Day football: Detroit, Dallas, Baltimore

A Thanksgiving football game is another holiday ritual that’s even more thrilling in person than on TV. Two National Football League teams – the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys – traditionally host Thanksgiving Day games.

Visit Detroit to watch the Lions take on the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Green Bay Packers, with kickoff at 11:30 a.m. Before the game, join the crowd to watch the 85th America’s Thanksgiving Parade march down Woodward Avenue.

In Dallas, watch the Cowboys take on the Miami Dolphins in the afternoon – then, get a good night’s sleep to be ready for the next day’s “Black Friday” bargains at malls and boutiques all around the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex.

A third option is to visit Baltimore to catch the San Francisco 49’ers at the Ravens. With game time at 8:20 p.m., you can have a leisurely Thanksgiving dinner in Baltimore, perhaps in one of the restaurants around the famed Inner Harbor. Just remember that restaurant reservations are usually a must on Thanksgiving Day.

To plan your Thanksgiving travel adventure, talk with your travel professional.

This travel column was written by BlueRibbonNews.com special contributor Robbert van Bloemendaal, an experienced world traveler, native of Australia, an Ambassador with the Rowlett Chamber of Commerce, and president of  Travel Leaders of Rowlett.

To submit your news, events or a guest column on your area of expertise, email editor@BlueRibbonNews.com.