Thanksgiving is one of the most popular holidays, and it is for good reason. It’s a time when family, friends, and loved ones can all gather together and enjoy the holiday with the wonderful meals that Thanksgiving has to offer. But during Thanksgiving weekend, there’s so much more to do than just eat, talk, and leave the get-together. You may not know what to do during the holiday weekend, so here are some fun things you can do or go to that are worth your and your family’s time! My list is filled with things to do so there’s no possible way that you can’t find anything to do during Thanksgiving weekend.

1. Stay in a Vacation Home/Go Away With Loved Ones

Going away during the holiday weekend is a really fun way to spend time with your loved ones and to build memories that won’t be forgotten. Vacation homes are always a great way to spend time with family because first of all almost always look amazing and clean, and second of all act as a getaway from the rest of the world so you can just focus on yourselves. They always have many bedrooms and bathrooms meaning you can bring lots of people for the weekend. Here are two vacation homes that I recommend you should check out or consider:

The Range

Steamboat Springs, Colorado

4.93/5 Stars (Vacasa)

$1,903 avg/night

The Range is a beautiful, modern vacation home atop the Rocky Mountains that won’t disappoint! Each room is next to one another, so it’s pretty hard to get lost. Get comfy and treat this as your new home for the weekend with the breakfast bar, kitchen, dining area, and living room. The living room has a very comfortable couch and a fireplace where you can relax and put on a movie or show with the family. This is a great place for people who like to cook and make food in the kitchen which is filled with stainless steel kitchen appliances and has lots of space. Each bedroom also has a walk-in bathroom with super soft, and comfy beds that the entire family will enjoy sleeping on. On the lower floor, there’s family media that has a huge Wildhorse Gondola to enjoy the stellar view around the area, or you can also enjoy being inside the hot tub on the balcony and enjoy the view that way (three to be exact). There’s an outdoor grill, a family room, and a fitness center. Nearby, What more can you ask for at a simple vacation home? It’s filled with stuff too and it’s the ultimate getaway for a family of any size and there’s no doubt in my mind that you won’t always remember this trip.

Tuscan Village Villa

La Jolla, California

4.39/5 Stars (Vacasa)

$980 avg/night

Tuscan Village Villa has a stellar interior that really gives off that ‘Villa’ and ‘beach’ vibe. The Villa is a great option for a vacation that you’re planning to go to if you have a large family. It has 4 floors with 5 bedrooms (with 5 queen-sized beds) and a 3.5-bath home. It’s right next to the beach which is awesome too to spend time at the beach with your family. The basement is equipped with two of those queen beds, a TV with comfortable seating, along with a bath and fridge. The second or main floor has a living room with a Tuscan style for the seating, a fireplace, and a huge flat screen TV mounted on the wall. The dining room even has its own floor! It has six seats along with a beautiful, modern kitchen. Most surprisingly, it has a half bath on this floor too. The final floor has an en-suite bath with a bedroom that has a master queen bed. Two other queen bedrooms share the hallway and have comfortable, quality linens. Need I say more? It’s clear that his one-of-a-kind vacation home is fit for all families. Customers say that it has a “beautifully designed interior, well-equipped kitchen…”, the guests find the beds really comfortable, it’s very clean, great local attractions, a roof area with spectacular views, and a helpful and reliable staff that makes the stay even better. Overall, it’s a great home for large families and will satisfy all your needs, along with an unforgettable Thanksgiving experience that you can spend by the beach.

2. Go eat at a fancy restaurant

This idea is a no-brainer unless you’re already making food at your house. But for those who aren’t cooking but want to bring your family out to a fancy restaurant to enjoy yourselves at and leave with full tummies, then this is a great idea for you. Restaurants almost always have the best foods to eat and they leave you wanting more of where that food came from. So, here are two restaurants that I recommend you should eat at if you live close by and are truly missing out on them: 

Leblon Steak

295 Kinderkamack Rd, Hillsdale

4.7/5 Stars (Google)

There’s no doubt that steak is absolutely delicious and steak may be the solution to you getting bored of turkey every year. Personally, I never liked turkey, so this restaurant would definitely be a go-to place for me if I didn’t have a parent at home who could make amazing Thanksgiving meals. Leblon Steak is Bergen County’s Brazilian steakhouse in which the restaurant introduces a newer concept, where they “combine the best Brazilian and Argentinian grilled meat on a charcoal fire.” Their menu consists of full Brazilian barbeque, Rodizio style, churrasco where the meat is cut from the skewers and is served table side. Their desserts consist of a Brazilian flan, homemade Brigadeiro, New York cheesecake, and homemade papaya cream. If your family loves steak and wants to eat somewhere fancy on Thanksgiving night, this steakhouse is perfect for you.

Faubourg

544 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair

4.5/5 Stars (Google)

According to New Jersey Monthly, this restaurant is in their top 40 best restaurants in New Jersey. Faubourg offers foods that are “French-inspired fare paired with unique wines, craft cocktails…”. They have great and attentive service with an indoor and outdoor space to eat, along with private dining spaces and an upstairs lounge. All this for a restaurant sounds crazy. Since Thanksgiving is coming up, why not go all out while at this restaurant? Faubourg’s menu includes three main different menus for brunch, lunch, and dinner which is pretty cool. The brunch menu includes seafood, handcrafted cocktails, foods made to share with others, desserts, etc. The lunch menu includes foods such as mushroom omelet, orecchiette & land ragout, branzino, lobster rolls, steak frites, I mean this sounds amazing! Dinner includes gougeres, daily oysters, tortellini & butternut squash, beet & sweet potato, sirloin steak, and more. Faubourg sounds like a delicious restaurant with a variety of meals and I’m sure you’ll find something you’ll like. Give these two restaurants a try or at least consider them, they won’t disappoint.

3. Go Pumpkin Picking or Go to a Cornfield Maze

Pumpkin picking has always been a fun family activity for those with babies or kids in their families. The same could be said for cornfield mazes which were always great fun as a kid. I remember going every year apple picking, and then pumpkin picking. Then a few days later, I’d go to the cornfield maze with my mom, dad and my brother. We always had a good time, took photos, and definitely got lost in cornfield mazes. For those who have babies, toddlers, or kids, this is a great way to spend time with them during Thanksgiving. As you’ve come to know at this point, I recommend two things. But this time, I’ll recommend a two in one:

Harbes Family Farm & Vineyard

715 Sound Avenue, Mattituck, NY

4.3/5 Stars (Google)

Harbes Family Farm is a 100-acre farm that began as a small farmstand about 30 years ago, and is now Long Island’s North Fork . Harbes has lots to do like see farm animals on an 8-acre land, the Barnyard Adventure, sports zone, a trike track, and fun games for the  kids. The Farm also includes a Wine Bar, more specifically the Harbes Wine Bar where you can taste wine that was renovated from a potato farm that was 100 years old. In the bar, the Harbes have their award-winning wines up for tasting. During this time of year, they host amazing Fall Festivals that include corn mazes (two in one basically, a corn maze and a pumpkin patch), hayrides, obviously pumpkin picking, and more. They also have fresh food, since of course they are a farm. Harbes sells their very own super sweet corn, vegetables and fruits. Every family with kids or is just looking to have fun, you should really go to Harbes Family Farm & Vineyard. It’s two in one, what are you waiting for?

Thanksgiving is a great time to do whatever you want with family and friends. I recommend going to at least one of these vacation homes, restaurants, and the pumpkin patch/corn maze. I don’t think either of these places will disappoint and since Thanksgiving is a special time, I tried to pick the best of the best places for you and your family. Don’t waste this Thanksgiving. Get up, don’t be boring, and do something for this special holiday (Consider one of these options at least, or if I’ve given you an idea, then I’ve done my job)!