21 Activities To Do Thanksgiving Weekend 2015
{Photo credit: Reston Town Center}
Whether you are entertaining out of town guests or want to venture out with your family and friends this Thanksgiving weekend, here are our top 21 picks of things to do in the DC/Virginia area:
1.) Reston Town Center Holiday Parade & Bash
The 25th Annual Reston Town Center Holiday Parade & Bash will be taking place Friday November 27th at 11am. This year's theme is "Home Sweet Home" in honor of the military families and will showcase marching bands, dancers, antique cars, community groups, costume characters and more. Following the parade, there will be several activities available including visits and photos with Santa, horse drawn carriage rides, mini train rides, and the official tree lighting ceremony by Santa and Mrs. Claus at 6:30pm. Don't forget the Black Friday deals at all the participating retailers. For more information, visit:
www.restontowncenter.com/holidays
2.) ICE! at The Gaylord National Harbor
ICE! is an indoor winter wonderland featuring two million pounds of hand-carved ice sculptures kept at a chilly 9 degrees. It showcases five ice slides, seven individual rooms depicting the story of 'Santa Claus is Comin' to Town,' and the Frostbite Factory which is a live carving zone. It runs from November 21th to January 3rd. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit:
www.nationalharbor.com
3.) Mount Vernon by Candlelight Tours
Join this beautiful estate for candlelit character guided tours of the first and second floors of this historic Mansion. They will showcase 18th century dancing, fireside caroling, hot chocolate and at the final stop of the tour, guests will hear about Washington's holiday cooking and see a reproduction of Martha's Great Cake. For more information on event times and to purchase tickets, visit:
www.mountvernon.org
4.) Winterfest at Ticonderoga Farms
For a wintery 'down on the farm' feel, visit Ticonderoga Farms in Chantilly, VA. Their Winterfest includes hay forts, fire pits for smores, goat petting area, chickens, peacocks, and more to pet and feed, hayrides, log cabins, big slides, and much more. For information on event dates and ticket purchases, visit:
www.ticonderoga.com
5.) A Christmas Carol at Fords Theatre
Get in the Christmas spirit and go see the timeless musical at Fords Theatre. For more information and tickets, visit:
www.fords.org
6.) Ice Skating at Local Ice Rinks
What would the holidays be without some ice skating! Whether your a beginner or an advanced skater, ice skating is a great way to burn off your Thanksgiving Day calories! There are many local options to visit. Here are some of our favorites:
*Reston Town Center Ice Rink
*Tysons Corner Ice Rink (located in Tysons Corner Center)
*Pentagon Row Ice Skating Plaza
*Washington Harbour Ice Rink (This Georgetown rink is DC's largest)
*Sculpture Garden Ice Rink (Located in The National Gallery of Art's Sculpture Garden)
7.) U.S. Botanic Garden Visit
As a living plant museum, there is so much to take in at the U.S. Botanic Garden. Take a guided tour to learn more about the Garden's plants and collections. Admission is free. For more information on their tour hours, visit:
www.usbg.gov
8.) Visit The Children's Science Center Lab in Fairfax, VA
Located in FairOaks Mall, The Children's Science Center Lab offers fun, interactive exhibits for children of all ages to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) hands on. For more information and to purchase admission tickets, visit:
www.childsci.org
9.) Shenandoah National Park
Gather up the family, pack a picnic and head out to Shenandoah National Park. Spend the day hiking and burn off the Thanksgiving Day calories. Then stop and have a picnic while you take in the breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Ranger guided tours are available for those who want to learn about Shenandoah's history, plants and animals. They also offer horseback riding, rock climbing or wine tasting. For complete information on available activities and events, visit:
www.goshenandoah.com
10.) CityCenterDC Tree Lighting
The Second Annual CityCenterDC Tree Lighting will take place on Saturday November 28th at 6pm. There will be live performances and fun for all ages. Enjoy post celebration shopping or dinner at one of their world-class dining establishments. Our personal favorites are a stop at Fig & Olive followed by dessert at Milk Bar! For more information, visit:
www.citycenterdc.com
11.) City of Alexandria Tree Lighting
At this official kickoff to the holiday season, the mayor and Santa Claus will light the city tree in Market Square on Friday November 27th at 6pm. There will be live entertainment, caroling, visits with Santa and much more. The historic town of Alexandria is also home to beautiful shops and restaurants which can be great for dinner and shopping after the tree lighting ceremony! For more information, visit:
www.visitalexandriava.com
12.) Washington Ballet Presents, The Nutcracker
A holiday must see, critically acclaimed The Nutcracker, transports the audience back to historic Washington, DC and stars George Washington as the heroic Nutcracker. The production features The Washington Ballet's international roster of dancers. You can catch this magical production at the Warner Theatre. For more information on show times and to purchase tickets, visit:
www.washingtonballet.org
13.) Zoolights at The National Zoo, Washington DC
Zoolights at the National Zoo in Washington, DC is a winter holiday event that is fun for the whole family which runs from November 27th to January 2nd! The National Zoo presents a display of thousands of sparkling lights featuring sculptures of many of the Zoo's most popular animals. You will enjoy winter themed activities, a laser light show, musical performances, train rides, tubing and animal exhibits as well. For more information on event times and tickets, visit:
https://nationalzoo.si.edu
14.) Cinderella at The National Theatre
In the mood for a love story? Look no further then The National Theatre where the hit Tony award winning Broadway musical, Cinderella, will be playing until November 29th. It is a fresh and modern take of the beloved tale. For more information on show times and tickets, visit:
www.thenationaldc.org
15.) Small Business Saturday
If you plan on taking advantage of Black Friday specials all weekend, don't forget to consider purchasing goods or dining out at small businesses in support of Small Business Saturday. #ShopSmall
16.) BullRun Festival Of Lights
The Bull Run Festival of Lights is a 2.5 mile drive through holiday light show at Bull Run Regional Park in Centreville, VA. It features penguins, snowmen, candy canes, jumping deer, Santa's workshop, Frosty the Snowman, tin soldiers, elves and more. The seasonal event includes more than 40,000 animated lights set to music! After viewing the lights, you can visit the Winter Wonderland Holiday Village which includes amusement rides, an ice skating rink, entertainment, shopping, contests, food and more. For more information on hours and tickets, visit:
www.bullrunfestivaloflights.com
17.) Attend a Washington Wizards or Washington Capitals Game
Calling all DC sports fans! Thanksgiving weekend is full of DC sports, including the Washington Wizards playing at home {the Verizon Center} against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday November 28th at 7pm. Not a basketball fan? The Washington Capitals are playing at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday November 27th at 5pm. Setup dinner pre or post game at one of DC's finest restaurants for an evening of fun for everyone! For more information and to purchase tickets visit:
www.nba.com/wizards; http://capitals.nhl.com
18.) Visit Local Vineyards
Depending on the weather, visiting local vineyards is a great option. Some vineyards allow outside food, so pack up a lunch and take a wine tour through some Virginia vineyards. One of our favorite sites to help you select your vineyards to visit is:
www.virginiawine.org
19.) Decorate your Home For Christmas
For those of you who prefer to spend time at home, Thanksgiving weekend is often the best time to get in the Christmas spirit and start decorating {if you haven't already} your home, pick up your tree, put on some Christmas carols and sip on some hot chocolate while putting up ornaments. It's a great family tradition to start!
20.) Salamander Resort Zip Lining & On-site Activities
One of our personal favorites, The Salamander Resort located in Middleburg, VA, is a great place to take your family and friends during Thanksgiving weekend. They offer a plethora of activities including tree top zip lining tours, horse back riding, carriage rides, cooking classes, a luxurious spa, two onsite restaurants, lawn games, smores by their fire pits and much much more for the kids and family. For a complete listing of actitivites available Thanksgiving weekend, visit:
www.salamanderresort.com
21.) Topgolf, Loudoun
You don't have to be a golfer to head out to Topgolf! This 65,000 square foot location in the heart of Loudoun County sports three levels, 102 driving bays, three bars, a restaurant, and a rooftop terrace {connected to one of their bars}. Each driving bay is furnished with couches, a TV, and a computer which controls the players scores. For more information about Topgolf, visit:
www.topgolf.com/us/loudoun
