For many, Thanksgiving can be stressful. There's the travel, the cooking, the hosting, and piles of dirty dishes to wash. This year, enjoy a more relaxing holiday in the Beehive State. With beautiful mountains out your window and the promise of fresh mountain air, a Thanksgiving in Utah this 2023 Holiday season is one to look forward to.
When you think about the perfect Thanksgiving, you probably picture rustic, harvest-esque scenes and the comfort of a crackling fire. Located in historic downtown Park City, High West Distillery and Saloon offers these vibes and more. Have a glass of whiskey in the company of your friends and family before you prep (or attend) a delectable Thanksgiving celebration the next day.
Thanksgiving gives them all the excuse to eat an excessive amount of pie. Often, Thanksgiving pie means unmemorable, store-bought pies or a lot of time spent in the kitchen. That’s where June Pie comes in. A charming pie shop located in Heber, June Pie sells sweet and savory pies. You can expect all of the classic pie flavors, as well as an exciting array of specialty pies, including cookie pie, brown sugar pudding pie, and butterscotch pumpkin pie.
If the family wants to get out of the house on Thanksgiving morning without having to run a half-marathon, Salt Lake City's Hogle Zoo holds a Thanksgiving event called “Feast with the Beast.” From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., you can watch animals smash, roll, and play with pumpkins and turkey-shaped piñatas.
Although there are many great spots for Black Friday shopping in Murray, Fashion Place is where to get your Christmas shopping done early. Located just south of Salt Lake City, Fashion Place is an expansive shopping mall easily accessed from Utah's main freeway. Featuring popular stores such as Crate & Barrel, Urban Outfitters, Madewell, Nordstrom, and Lego, Fashion Place is also home to the Cheesecake Factory.
There are few things Utahans get as riled up about as University of Utah football. There are no college football games this year on Thanksgiving Day in Utah, but the Utah Utes will take on the Colorado Buffaloes on Nov. 25 at Salt Lake City's Rice Eccles Stadium. If you’ll be in Utah for the few days after the Thanksgiving holiday, tickets are still available.
Nearly all Utah museums are closed on Thanksgiving Day, but that shouldn't dissuade you from visiting one before or after Turkey Day. The Anasazi State Park Museum in Boulder offers fascinating Native American history. This museum showcases one of America's most interesting Native American tribes: the Anasazi.
Although you shouldn’t need an excuse to satiate your appetite on Thanksgiving Day, running a half-marathon could help you feel better about periodic moments of pseudo-gluttony. The Thankful 13 Half Marathon starts in Lehi and runs along the beautiful Jordan River Parkway Trail. If 13 miles sounds too much for your taste, the race also includes a 5K and a fun run for children.
Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks for all of their loved ones and the beautiful things in life. This includes animals! The Humane Society of Utah is a fantastic place to volunteer for Thanksgiving. Volunteer Work at the Humane Society comes in various forms: fostering an animal, caring for animals, working at events, or completing other organizational duties. If animals have made a difference, you’ll likely love volunteering here.
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It's not often that you get to go skiing on Thanksgiving Day. But in Utah, this is normal. Most of the state's premier ski resorts open before Thanksgiving. So pack up your family and get some good skiing in before heading home to sip on cocoa, sit by the fire, and eat hefty turkey.
