How about a side of recreation to go with your Thanksgiving meal? If you’re going to be in town for the holiday and are looking for pre- or post-feast activities, find some some fun ways to complement the main event of the day. Happy Thanksgiving!
Colorful totems in the National Gallery of Art’s newest exhibit
1) Visit a Smithsonian museum, the National Zoo, or the National Gallery of Art. They are all open on Thanksgiving, the Smithsonians from 10am – 5:30pm, except for the American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery which are open 11:30am – 7pm; the National Zoo 8am – 4pm, and the National Gallery 10am – 5pm. Admission is free at all of them, so they’re all easy pop-ins! [KFDC Tip: The new The Stars We Do Not See exhibit at the National Gallery is so vibrant and interesting!]
Ice skating on the National Mall…so quintessentially DC
2) Go ice skating! Many of the outdoor rinks in the area are open on the holiday, including our favorites in DC. Glide on the National Mall at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden Ice Rink, with beautiful Potomac views at Washington Harbour, and right over the river at The Wharf. Find info on those and more in Virginia and Maryland. And be sure to check ice rink websites for Thanksgiving Day hours.
The Conservatory is decked out for the season
3) Experience Season’s Greenings at the U.S. Botanic Garden on the official opening day. The always delightful model train exhibit outside in the National Garden is constructed entirely from plant materials — with a Dino-Mite theme this year. And the Conservatory is filled with its signature holiday decor, including sculptures of iconic DC sites also made from plant materials. Open 10am – 5pm. Admission is free.
A walk in the woods at Scott’s Run Nature Preserve
4) Enjoy a holiday hike. The forecast is looking great for Thursday, perfect for some time on the trail. In honor of the day, I suggest going to Turkey Run. 🦃😉 And Rock Creek, Scott’s Run, Riverbend, Great Falls, Roosevelt Island, Huntley Meadows, and Fountainhead are all nice parks for family tramping. This post has details on all of them along with even more recs for local walks in the woods.
Kids can work up appetites at the playground at The Beauvoir School
5) Hang out at a playground. Beauvoir, Hains Point, Clemyjontri, Watkins Regional Park, Cabin John Regional Park, Wheaton Regional Park, plus loads of DC Parks and Rec locations, and many more in the DC Metro are good places to take littles to play while you’re waiting for the feast.
Fun on ICE! at National Harbor
6) Get into the holiday spirit at National Harbor. There is a nightly tree lighting and light show in the Waterfront District that runs every half hour from sunset until 9pm. Plus, there’s much more holiday magic at the Gaylord National, including the popular ICE! exhibition, which you can find a discount for here.
Swing into the holidays at Light Yards in the Capitol Riverfront
7) Take an evening drive or stroll through a holiday light display. Several around the area have started dazzling visitors with twinkling wonderlands, and some will be open Thanksgiving evening.
The Alamo is a great place to catch a movie…and open on Thanksgiving
8) Catch a flick. Just about all of our local movie theaters will be open, and there are some good films to see now! A few family movies: Wicked: For Good, Zootopia 2, Arco, Rental Family. (On my list, with teens and older: Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, Hamnet, Eternity.) See what’s playing at a theater near you.
