Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26, 2026. Most families plan this trip destination first. We think that is backwards: with a four-day break and kids, the two travel days shape the trip more than the place does. So pick the days, then the place.
What TSA's own counts say about Thanksgiving week
TSA publishes how many people pass its checkpoints every day. We lined up the last two Thanksgiving weeks by their position around the holiday, since Thanksgiving always lands on a Thursday. Figures are national daily totals from TSA's 2025 and 2024 passenger volume tables, in millions.
| Day (2026 date) | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Fri before (Nov 20) | 2.79 | 2.75 |
| Sat before (Nov 21) | 2.48 | 2.49 |
| Sun before (Nov 22) | 2.62 | 2.66 |
| Mon (Nov 23) | 2.56 | 2.51 |
| Tue (Nov 24) | 2.68 | 2.69 |
| Wed (Nov 25) | 2.75 | 2.73 |
| Thanksgiving (Nov 26) | 1.56 | 1.55 |
| Fri after (Nov 27) | 2.39 | 2.38 |
| Sat after (Nov 28) | 2.70 | 2.81 |
| Sun after (Nov 29) | 3.13 | 3.09 |
| Mon after (Nov 30) | 2.89 | 2.83 |
| Tue after (Dec 1) | 2.23 | 2.28 |
Two things stand out. The famous "busiest day," the Wednesday before, is not the problem: it ran below the Friday a week earlier in both years. The crush is the return. Sunday after Thanksgiving topped both whole years, and Monday after ran second-busiest of the fortnight both times.
Five ways to shape the break
Here is the same data turned into trip shapes. "Out" and "back" are 2025's figures for those days.
| Shape | Nights | Out / back (millions) | Our take |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu to Sat | 2 | 1.56 / 2.70 | Quietest pair. Drive or one short hop only. |
| Thu to Sun | 3 | 1.56 / 3.13 | Easy out, hardest day back. Fine if you drive home. |
| Wed to Sun | 4 | 2.75 / 3.13 | The default, and the most crowded combination. |
| Sat to Fri | 6 | 2.48 / 2.39 | Both days under 2.5M. Needs the whole week off school. |
| Sat to Sat | 7 | 2.48 / 2.70 | A full week, and still skips the Sunday crush. |
Where to go for each shape
November highs and lows below come from our own weather data. Flight times are approximate, from our flight dataset; check live schedules, including whether your route is nonstop.
| Place | Nov high / low | Approx. flight: LAX / ORD / JFK | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, D.C. | 57°F / 42°F | 5h15 / 2h20 / 1h20 | Thu to Sat |
| San Diego | 69°F / 53°F | 0h55 / 4h / 6h05 | Thu to Sun |
| Sedona | 63°F / 39°F | Fly to Phoenix, then about 2h by car | Wed to Sun |
| Florida Keys | 80°F / 71°F | 5h30 / 3h15 / 3h | Wed to Sun, or Sat to Fri |
| Aruba | 86°F / 75°F | 7h30 / 5h / 4h | Sat to Fri |
| Big Island, Hawaii | 82°F / 67°F | 5h30 / 9h30 / 12h30 | Sat to Sat |
Washington, D.C.: museums that open on Thanksgiving Day
This is the trip that turns the quiet Thursday flight into an advantage. The Smithsonian says most of its museums are open every day of the year except December 25, and the National Zoo is open every day except Dec. 25 too. Fly or drive in Thursday morning, eat a late dinner, and you have two full museum days before a Saturday return. Admission to the Smithsonian's DC museums is free, which keeps a short trip cheap. Expect coats: our data has a 42°F low.
San Diego: the West Coast drive
From most of Southern California, San Diego is a drive, which takes the Sunday airport crush out of the plan entirely. Our weather data has highs near 69°F with very few rainy days, mild enough for outdoor days with a stroller, though not for most kids to swim. Drive down Thanksgiving morning and home on Sunday, when the airports, not the roads you are on, are at their worst.
Sedona: cool mornings, short hikes
Highs near 63°F and lows near 39°F make Sedona a hiking trip rather than a pool trip. Plan trail time for late morning, once it warms up, and early dinners, since November evenings come early and cold. It suits school-age kids and up better than toddlers. The two-hour drive from Phoenix means a Wednesday start is worth it.
Florida Keys: warm water without a passport
At 80°F highs and 71°F lows, the Keys are the warmest place here that needs no passport for US citizens. They are also a 113-mile chain, so the base matters more than the dates; our Florida Keys guide covers which Key to stay on for how many nights. The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs to November 30, so a Thanksgiving trip sits in its final week. If you buy travel insurance, check how it treats named storms.
Aruba: the full-week Caribbean pick
Aruba's tourism board says the island sits well south of the main Atlantic hurricane belt, while noting it can still feel side effects from passing storms through November. Our data has highs near 86°F and about five rainy days in November. It is a passport trip, and every child needs their own, babies included. From the East Coast the flight is around four hours, which earns its keep only on the Saturday-to-Friday shape.
Big Island: the West Coast full week
About five and a half hours from LAX or SFO in our flight data, and too far for a four-day break once you count the time change. On a full week it works. NOAA says humpback whales are generally seen in Hawaii from November through April, peaking January through March, so late November is the early edge of the season: a sighting is a bonus, not a plan. Our Big Island guide covers which side to stay on.
Book in this order
Lock in first
- The return flight, on any day but Sunday or Monday after.
- Seats for the whole family on one reservation.
- A room with a fridge, if Thanksgiving dinner may be takeout.
Can wait
- Most activities and tours, once you know the weather.
- The outbound flight, if you are leaving on Thanksgiving Day.
- Restaurant plans for the days after Thursday.
For seats, our airline family seating guide explains why choosing seats for everyone, or for no one, protects the airlines' sit-together promises. For the checkpoint itself on the busiest days, see TSA security with kids.
- Check your school calendar before anything else: the week-long shapes only exist if the district closes all week.
- Price the Thursday-out and Saturday-to-Friday options before you default to Wednesday to Sunday.
- If you must fly home Sunday, take the earliest flight that works, so a cancellation still leaves later options that day.
- Confirm every child's passport expiry before booking Aruba.