Living in the DMV area offers a lot of great options for things to do over Thanksgiving Weekend. The Holiday season is kicking off this weekend and many wonderful seasonal activities and events begin in Washington DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia. Here are some ideas of fun things to do in the DMV during the holiday weekend. Be sure to check websites or call first before attending an event to ensure there haven’t been changes.
HOLIDAY MEAL
Here are some options for those who aren’t able to cook a Thanksgiving meal or be with family for what ever the reason and would to enjoy a warm meal in good company.
Galazio Restaurant– 6223 Crain Hwy, LaPlata, MD- Galazio Restaurant opens its doors for the third annual Thanksgiving dinner, celebrating family and the community of Southern Maryland. Donations are welcome to continue to grow this annual event, however, doors are open to all, free of charge. The annual event is named in honor of the first Galazio Thanksgiving volunteer, the late Carol Bisagni, a tireless champion of community service and helping those in need in the Washington metropolitan area for over 50 years.
Church of the Ascension– 21641 Great Mills Road, Lexington Park MD- 12-3 pm on Thanksgiving the Church of Ascention will cooking a warm meal for all who would like to come.
HOLIDAY TO GO
Honey Baked Hams– Whether it’s a ham, turkey, sides or desserts, you know you’ll be serving the best, without all the stress! (301) 638-0086
Mission BBQ– Fresh-smoked, juicy Turkey Breasts. Homemade, handcrafted sides. Decadent, you-deserve-it desserts. And the best part? They’ll do the cooking! Call their Catering Pros now and ENJOY the holiday with family and friends. (301) 880-0857
Texas Road House– LaPlata, MD- Order rolls for your meal. They come ready to heat up in the oven with their famous whipped cinnamon butter. Put in your order, pick-up Wednesday Thanksgiving Eve. (301) 392-9471
Urban BBQ– LaPlata, MD- Have Urban BBQ smoke a fresh farm to table turkey for you this Thanksgiving. They have a whole menu to help make your meal planning easy and stress free. (301) 934-1000
HOLIDAY DINING
Let someone else do the cooking this year! Enjoy a festive holiday meal with all the trimmings.
HOLIDAY SHOPPING
Small Business Saturday – Come out on Saturday November 25th and support La Plata’s amazing locally owned businesses. Shop Small is about more than just shopping at small businesses. … It’s an annual shopping tradition dedicated to supporting small businesses. Our storefronts are here all year long giving back to our community, this particular Saturday is our favorite shopping day of the year! Many businesses will have sales, giveaways and treats. Plus, pick up your passport from a participating business, and enter to win a $1,000 shopping spree!
Holiday Shopping Guide for Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia – I’m not big on shopping during the holiday weekend so check out Trip Savys guide for Thanksgiving holiday shopping. Here are some unique ideas of places to shop in the Washington, DC area.
TV GUIDE
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (9 a.m.-12 p.m., NBC)
The National Dog Show (12 p.m.-2 p.m., NBC)
Miracle on 34th Street (2 p.m.-4 p.m., NBC)
Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas (8 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Fox)
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (8 p.m.-9 p.m., ABC)
The Real Story of Thanksgiving (8 p.m.-9 p.m., History)
Punkin Chunkin 2011 (8 p.m.-10 p.m., Science & Discovery)
Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! (8 p.m.-10 p.m., NBC)
Happiness Is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown (8:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., Fox)
Swampsgiving (9 p.m.-10 p.m., History)
A Very Gaga Thanksgiving (9:30 p.m.-11 p.m., ABC)
The 85th Anniversary of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (10 p.m.-11 p.m., NBC)
This Is It (10 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Friday, VH1)
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions (12:30 p.m., FOX)
Los Angeles Chargers at Dallas Cowboys (4:30 p.m., CBS)
New York Giants at Washington Redskins (8:30 p.m., NBC)
Holiday Entertainment
- Botanic Garden – 100 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC at the foot of the U.S. Capitol. During the holiday season, the U.S. Botanic Garden presents a unique exhibit featuring model trains and incredible replicas of Washington, DC’s most famous buildings and monuments.
- Cut Your Own Christmas Tree in the Washington, DC Area – A great way to start the season is to take the whole family out to a Christmas tree farm and cut your own Christmas tree.
- Christmas Light Displays – Celebrate the holiday season with a drive or a stroll through spectacle of lights at a local park in Maryland. These Christmas light displays are beautiful and a great way to share the magic and joy of a winter wonderland. Thanksgiving weekend openings: Brookside, Watkins and Zoolights.
- ICE! – Christmas at the Gaylord National Resort – The award-winning holiday attraction is a winter wonderland created entirely of 5,000 BLOCKS of ice weighing 2 MILLION POUNDS! hand-sculpted by 40 international artisans and kept at a chilling nine degrees Fahrenheit.
- Mount Vernon Candlelight Tours – Martha Washington hosts an 18th-century Christmas with candlelit walks, fireside caroling, and festive décor during Mount Vernon by Candlelight.
- Maryland Christmas Show at the Frederick Fairgrounds – Franklin St., Frederick, Maryland (301) 898-5466. November 24-26, 2017. Enjoy the works of 500 artists and craftsmen offering fine art, pottery, furniture, quilts, jewelry, clothing, wreaths and garlands, toys and Christmas ornaments.
- Reston Town Center Holiday Parade – Friday, November 24, 2017. The Reston community kicks off the holiday season with a full day celebration including a holiday parade, visits with Santa, a Christmas tree lighting ceremony and more.
- Six Flags America – Holiday in the Park – The amusement park offers a holiday celebration featuring millions of glittering lights, holiday entertainment, seasonal treats, Santa’s Village, and many popular rides.