For most families, Thanksgiving means gathering around a huge table covered with different dishes, often with the presence in the host house of different family members from far-flung reaches of the country.
Well, times change, and now there is a growing trend of people breaking away from traditional Thanksgiving celebrations for something far more memorable — a holiday road trip!
Honestly, there might very well be no better way to spend Thanksgiving than in an RV, taking in the grandeur of nature's beauty wherever you happen to be. So, with that in mind, here are a few suggestions for the best RV trips for Thanksgiving!
The Best RV Trips for Thanksgiving
Some of the places on this list of the best RV trips for Thanksgiving you might expect, while others could be places you've never heard of. Where should you go?
Whether somewhere new, or somewhere tried and true, the destination is up to you! Here are our top picks for a Thanksgiving road trip.
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Of course, the Grand Canyon is on this list; how could it not be? It's a classic American destination all throughout the year, but an advantage of visiting for Thanksgiving is that it is no longer peak travel season.
With stunning vistas, fewer crowds, and crisp skies and air, Thanksgiving might just be the best time to visit the Grand Canyon in an RV and take it all in at your leisure.
Tip: The South Rim's Trailer Village RV Park is the only RV campground open year-round, with hookups, at the Grand Canyon.
Miramar Beach, Florida
Sun, sand, and surf may not be a combination you ever associated with Thanksgiving before, but after taking your RV to Miramar Beach, in northern Florida...it may become your ideal way to mark the day going forward.
Whether you stay at Camping on the Gulf or 30A Luxury RV Resort, you'll be close to all the coastal action on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico — even if that means doing very little at all!
Tip: Need to do some Black Friday shopping? Then Silver Sands Premium Outlets is where you want to be. One hundred and ten designer and name-brand outlet stores await, and they're open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Black Friday!
Solvang, California
Known as "the Danish village," Solvang is a great alternative to the standard California itinerary for any road trip, but especially on Thanksgiving. There's free daytime parking for RVs everywhere in Solvang, so you don't have to rush to your RV campground before the fun begins.
Then again, since you'll be in the heart of California Wine Country, parking your RV first and letting others do the driving may be best!
Tip: The Solvang Visitors Bureau holds a Thanksgiving meal at a local restaurant each year, for $89 a person.
State Route 1 Road Trip, California
California's State Route 1 goes by many names, depending on where you are on it — Coast Highway, Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), Shoreline Highway, etc. Starting about an hour north of San Diego and ending northeast of Sacramento, a holiday road trip along SR1 could be just what you need this Thanksgiving.
Tip: You have your pick of destinations along the way — will it be Laguna Beach, or across the Golden Gate Bridge in the San Francisco Bay?
Top of the Hill RV Resort, Texas
If you want to be on the road but don't want to go without turkey on Thanksgiving, consider a stay at the Top of the Hill RV Resort in Boerne, Texas. Top of the Hill Resort holds an annual "Turkey in a Trashcan" event, during which six turkeys are roasted in open-fire trash cans for the enjoyment of guests; it's sort of a potluck, though, so be sure to bring/prepare your own sides or additions to share!
Tip: Top of the Hill accepts reservations for RV camping, but you'll have to call to make plans.
First Landing State Park, Virginia
First Landing State Park is located on Cape Henry, off the Chesapeake Bay. As it is right where the first colonists landed in 1607 before the establishment of the Jamestown colony, a holiday spent at First Landing State Park offers an unparalleled chance to get in touch with history.
Tip: Once you're finished with the meal, instead of napping you can head out on an eight-mile hike through the park.
Celebrate Thanksgiving With Cruise America
When you're out on the road in an RV during Thanksgiving, you'll find you have a lot to be thankful for. You're embracing life, perhaps experiencing new places and meeting new people; what memories you'll be making! And, wherever you happen to find yourself on Turkey Day, Cruise America will be there right along with you.
With a fleet of modern RV rentals packed with amenities that are sure to satisfy your holiday road trip needs, you can rely on Cruise America. To see how Cruise America can help get you on the road for the best RV trips for Thanksgiving, visit today!