Are you ready for Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is coming up soon, and we all know it can be very stressful if you don’t plan ahead of time.

We suggest that you start planning right now on what to do, where to go, and if you’re hosting a party – what to prepare.

Here are some ideas to help you get ready for a memorable Thanksgiving Holiday with your friends and family.

Photo Credit: Madelaine Lam

Let’s start with food and drinks!

Many of us will be hosting a meal on this particular day and may need some ideas on what to include in our menus. Try some of these traditional – and some not-so traditional – meals as suggested by our community:

Roast Turkey
Stuffing/ Dressing
Cranberry Sauce
Mashed Potatoes
Green Bean Casserole
Pumpkin or Pecan Pie
Cranberry Stuffed Roasted Cornish Hen
Slow Roasted Pork Belly
Whole Roasted Salmon with Orange Butter Glaze
Sweet Potato Casserole
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Bread Rolls

Photo Credit: Buena Montero

So, search out those recipes and make sure to write down all the ingredients needed. You can definitely start shopping now for the frozen and pantry items and go for some last minute shopping of fresh items the day before Thanksgiving Day.

Photo Credit: Madelaine Lam

Alcoholic Drinks

Wine
Hot Spiced Mulled Wine
Eggnog
Ciders
Champagne
Sangria
Bloody Mary
Cocktails (some of our fall favorite cocktails: Sparkling Apple Pie on the Rocks, Apple Cider Mimosas, Manzarita, Margarita, Moscow Mule, Bourbon and Spiced Pear Cocktail)

Non-Alcoholic beverages for Thanksgiving

Hot Chocolate
Coffee
Tea
Juice
Mocktails (some of our favorites: Mulled cranberry apple cider, Asian Pear Sparkler, Rosemary Citrus Spritzer)

And to those who want to skip the cooking and the mess, here are some great Thanksgiving to go options.

If you’d like to skip cooking in the kitchen this Thanksgiving, we have a whole bunch of great carry-out options for your family’s Thanksgiving Dinner.

We are here to help you try some of the delicious Thanksgiving classics that Plano area restaurants and caterers have to offer.

Your Family Gathering can come in many forms!

By the time you buy a turkey or a ham, plan to buy the ingredients and cook all the sides and make the desserts… wow! Ordering it for pickup is looking better and better.

Maybe you are still planning a big gathering? Make it easier on yourself by outsourcing some of it! Small gathering? Why cook all the sides for a small crew when you can outsource it?

Yep, these Thanksgiving to-go combinations look better and better everyday!

Want to cut back on some (or all) of the cooking for Thanksgiving?

Caveat: Some options have deadlines for pre-orders or may have limited availability, so order early.

Want a smoked brisket or other great barbecue options?

Blu’s BBQ on Preston
Dickeys
Spring Creek BBQ
Rudy’s
Lockhart BBQ
Hard Eight BBQ
Crack Brisket
Richardson’s Ten50 BBQ
and the new contender H-E-B

All of our favorite BBQ options are HERE.

Want to pick up Turkey and Ham? (turkeys are rumored to be in short supply this year, so order early)

Honeybaked Hams
Luby’s
Central Market
Lockhart Smokehouse Plano
H-E-B
for a whole turkey, try Greenberg Smoked Turkey based in Tyler TX

What about sides?

H-E-B
Sprouts
Eatzi’s

Caterer options

Catering by Chef Mark
Thornhill Catering

Looking for a ready-made Thanksgiving meal?

Cracker Barrel
Haywire
Ten 50 BBQ
Norma’s Cafe
The Keg
Boston Market
Whiskey Cake Plano
Del Frisco’s
Maggiano’s
Cowboy Chicken
Seasons 52
Saltgrass
Urban Crust
Holy Grail Pub
Fogo de Chao
Craftway Kitchen
Blue Mesa
Jasper’s
Bonnie Ruth’s

Want to eat out?

Cru – Thursday November 23, 12 pm – 9 pm, $55 for 3 course meal
Princi Italia – Thursday November 23, 11 am – 3 pm 3 courses for $55, 4.30 pm – 9 pm A La Carte Menu
Blue Mesa – Thanksgiving Brunch Buffet

If you’re looking for ideas for things to do in November, we have some great events for you!

Let’s talk about where to go for a mini-vacation!

Okay, for people who love to travel during Thanksgiving for a getaway, this is an opportunity to go on a staycation, a road trip.

Thanksgiving is known to be the busiest travel period of the year, so expect higher than usual traffic at airports and roadways.

Here are a few travel ideas:

A Staycation is always a great way to bond with family; to relax or explore areas near home. There are a lot of local hotels/ resorts available, depending on your budget. We have chosen 3 great properties perfect for staycations.

To add, you may want to consider these two hotels in the city:

Hotel Crescent – situated in the heart of Dallas’ dynamic Uptown, finally, finished its 33 million dollar overhaul. Freshly renovated and never been so beautiful! It is a few steps from the Dallas Arts District with easy access to a lot of new restaurants, shopping, and entertainment.

The Adolphus Hotel – “situated on the original site of City Hall, the Hotel was modeled after a beaux arts German Castle. In its recent restoration and renovation, the hotels storied past both celebrated and re-imagined. There is a send of discovery at every turn.” WOW!!

Broken Bow – we’ve found some great cabins owned by local Moms.

Hill Country also has some great properties and is perfect for this time of year.

But if staying close to home is more your style, here’s some great Air Bnb rentals around Dallas Fort Worth.

And, here are some ideas about some areas that you may want to consider exploring this Thanksgiving holiday.

Deep Ellum
Uptown and Downtown Dallas
Dallas Arts District
Greenville Avenue
Historic Downtown Plano
Legacy West
The Shops at Legacy
The District
The STAR
Historic Downtown Mckinney
Watters Creek, Allen
Stockyard, Fort Worth

A road trip can be fun too, and our favorite fall destinations near DFW are Oklahoma and Arkansas. They’ve got some fantastic foliage, which is a good change of scenery. Plus, staying in a cabin is so relaxing and fun. Here are 5 of our favorite Road Trips from North Texas.

Whatever you do this Thanksgiving, enjoy this special time with your family and friends.