The best cities to visit for Thanksgiving have been revealed just in time for the holiday.
Although some would say that there’s no place like home for Thanksgiving, WalletHub says that objectively, San Diego, Atlanta, San Francisco, San Jose and Dallas are the best places to visit.
WalletHub rated major hubs in America by Celebrations and Traditions, Affordability, Safety and Accessibility, Weather Forecast, and “Giving Thanks” (volunteer opportunities) to uncover the places where people will be most thankful to spend their holiday weekend.
Left: Liu Guanguan, Left: Kirby Lee, Right: Anthony Behar/Associated Press, Sipa USA via AP
San Diego
San Diego is the highest rated city in the U.S. for Thanksgiving weekend. Although it is also expensive, it has copious 4.5 star restaurants for people who want to dine out either on Thursday or with family surrounding the holiday.
Despite being by the beach, the city has a large number of pumpkin patches, decorations, and other holiday activities for people to engage in.
Also, unlike other cities that are expecting storms today, San Diego only has a one percent chance of precipitation for Thanksgiving.
Atlanta
Atlanta ranks among the best cities in the country for “giving thanks,” and giving back to the community.
It is one of America’s top cities for the number of charities per capita, and the average Atlanta resident gives 5.5 percent of their income to charity every year.
Another one of Atlanta’s winning qualities for Thanksgiving is travel ease. Last November, only 10 percent of flights in or out of Atlanta were delayed, one of the lowest delay rates in the country.
San Francisco
Although San Francisco is ranked among the most expensive cities to cook or buy a Thanksgiving meal, it scored highly on affordable accommodation. Surprisingly, WalletHub stated that a three-star hotel room for Thanksgiving in the city can be as little as $60.
The city also has copious pumpkin patches and Thanksgiving activities, as well as restaurants for people who want to dine out.
San Jose
San Jose’s combination of safety rating, celebrations and traditions, and weather forecast moved it into the fourth spot for best Thanksgiving city.
It is expected to be a breezy 60 degrees on Thursday. Perfect fall weather for the holiday.
San Jose is not ranked as very affordable, but with the right tactics, Thanksgiving can be a budget-friendly holiday for all.
Professor Elisabeth Honka, who teaches at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, has advice for a Thanksgiving that won’t break the bank, saying: “Write a shopping list at home and stick to the list in the store.”
She also advised: “Skip Black Friday and Cyber Monday! You’ll save the most by not buying anything.”
Dallas
Dallas is the fifth best city for Thanksgiving, according to WalletHub. It is ranked second for celebrations and traditions surrounding the holiday, and despite having forecasted clouds for Thursday, is anticipating sunny skies all weekend.
Dallas is also ranked as on the more expensive side. However, Dr. Amanda Cecil, of Indiana University, reminded people that ultimately, “Thanksgiving is a holiday to reflect and be thankful for family and friends.”
She said this element of the holiday can make it easy to celebrate with a potluck, so that other people can also help chip in for the meal.
She added: “Also, it is smart to use local and seasonal foods, which are cheaper.”
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