HAP WEEKLY Let Someone Else Cook Thanksgiving Dinner This YearBy Stacey Leasca |  | | Courtesy of The Sea Ranch Lodge |
| The holiday season is meant to be a break, so this year, let someone else handle the turkey and all the fixings. All you need to do is check into the right hotel. On the Northern California coast, The Sea Ranch Lodge creates an intimate environment by having just 17 rooms. Here, Thanksgiving dinner runs from 2 to 7 p.m. on Nov. 26, giving you plenty of time for seconds, with herb-roasted turkey, local rockfish, and wild mushroom risotto on the menu. “Being at The Sea Ranch allows you to slow down, and that’s how we want Thanksgiving at The Lodge to feel,” executive chef Ryan Seal shared with Hotels Above Par. Be sure to stay the weekend, as the hotel is hosting a Maker’s Market on Nov. 27 and a forest hike with an edible garden tour on Nov. 28. Further south, Nina Ruggiero, the senior editorial director of Travel + Leisure, suggests Terranea Resort, which sits above the bluffs of the Palos Verdes Peninsula just outside Los Angeles. “As a resident of LA’s South Bay, I spend a lot of time at Terranea Resort on the gorgeous Palos Verdes Peninsula, whether it’s for a spa and pool day, a fitness class with a view, dinner with a side of whale watching, or a seasonal event like their Harvest Festival in the fall,” she said. “I’m a transplant, and lots of my transplant friends love to go for Thanksgiving dinner for Champagne, lobster, and the more traditional holiday fixings, buffet style. It doesn’t feel like being home for the holidays, but it does feel like a luxe vacation, and I think that has to be a close second.”
| Feature Continued |  | | Courtesy of Blackberry Farm |
| Families ready to splurge should look to Blackberry Farm in the foothills of Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains, which is hosting a weekend of Thanksgiving events from Nov. 24 to 29, including a Turkey Trot 5K, family bingo night, and an ornament-making class with Leanne McQueen. “It’s an especially compelling option for a multigenerational family that wants to spend Thanksgiving together without anyone having to host,” Brett Bowen, founder and luxury travel advisor at The Luxury Award Traveler, shared. For a touch of history, travelers can check into Cape May’s Congress Hall, which has welcomed guests since 1816. Its Thanksgiving package runs Nov. 25 through 30 and includes an overnight stay, welcome cocktails in the Brown Room, and a buffet made with produce from Beach Plum Farm to keep it local. “Thanksgiving is a great time to get away with family and friends and enjoy a slower pace in Cape May, when the beaches are quieter, and the town takes on a cozy charm,” general manager Billy Scott said. And for anyone ready to leave the country entirely, there’s Vocabolo Moscatelli in Umbria, Italy. “We’ve found that Umbria has become a favored destination for Thanksgiving among U.S. travelers who are ‘in the know,’ which led us at Vocabolo Moscatelli to once again offer our prix fixe Thanksgiving menu, which incorporates holiday favorites but with an Umbrian touch, with farm-fresh ingredients sourced directly from our local partners such as pumpkin, potatoes, onions, fresh eggs, ricotta, and herbs,” co-owner Catharina Lütjens said. “We’ll also host our annual holiday market Thanksgiving weekend on Sunday, Nov. 29, featuring local artists and designers showcasing handcrafted goods, live music, vin brulé, roasted chestnuts, tasty bites, and wine tastings.” She also recommended visiting their spa suite for the occasion, which includes a wood-fired jacuzzi, private sauna, and a separate glasshouse with its own wood-burning fireplace. All you need to do is show up hungry. And maybe bring a few takeout containers for leftovers, just in case.
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