10 Top Thanksgiving Destinations Slideshow

Grab a hot chocolate and pack a breakfast to eat alfresco while staking out a spot at watch the 86th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which starts at 77th Street and Central Park West at 9 a.m. and continues down to Macy's on 34th Street on Thanksgiving Day. Crowds start forming before sunrise and there is very little food sold along the route, so make sure to bring something of your own. Avoid grabbing a spot on Sixth Avenue between 34th and 38th Streets, where the vantage points are limited due to television filming.

Begin the day with the Honolulu Marathon Clinic's 10K Turkey Trot before heading out to a Thanksgiving-style luau at Hilton Hawaiian Village. The evening includes a cocktail reception, pineapple toss, conch shell blowing challenge, hula lesson, and turkey with tropical trimmings.

While the spreads at the hotel buffets on The Strip are plentiful, there are usually long lines to get at the turkey, ham, prime rib, and all the trimmings. If you have a military or veterans ID, consider dining at Nellis Air Force Base for Thanksgiving, which offers an inexpensive meal for those in the armed forces.

After a day of visiting theme park attractions, head to one of dozens of restaurants for a Thanksgiving feast, whether it's an upscale affair at Citricos at  Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa or a Thanksgiving lunch buffet with Mickey and friends at Hollywood & Vine at Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park.

Before you feast on turkey, hit the beach for the 2012 Fort Lauderdale 5K Turkey Trot and Paddle, a 5K run along A1A, the beachside road, and a 2-mile paddle in the Atlantic Ocean. The calorie burning along the beach will be the perfect activity before the eat-a-thon at hotel Thanksgiving brunches at The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale and The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa.

Los Angeles International Airport is the second-busiest airport during Thanksgiving time (edged out by Chicago's O'Hare) according to Orbitz, as reported by The Sacramento Bee. Gladstones is hosting Thanksgiving at the Beach, a three-course sunset meal of Thanksgiving classics with a twist, like butternut squash bisque, herbed free-range turkey with jalapeño cornbread stuffing and peppered gravy, sweet potato soufflé, portobello potato gratin, and pumpkin pie.

Those seeking a Thanksgiving in the sun can have their beach time fun and turkey, too. At the all-inclusive resort Grand Velas, a traditional turkey feast with all the trimmings is offered at both the oceanfront Azul Restaurant or more casual Bistro Restaurant.

With the busiest airport at Thanksgiving (O'Hare topped Orbitz's list of busiest airports as reported by The Sacramento Bee), those headed to the Windy City have many options if they decide to dine out on turkey day. After checking out the McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade (a Windy City tradition since the Great Depression) on State Street, have Thanksgiving dinner at David Burke's Primehouse at the James Hotel or the $40 three-course prix fixe menu at Aquitaine.

While most of the country celebrates Thanksgiving Day, there is a small group of people who mark the day with an "un-Thanksgiving," known as the Indigenous People's Sunrise Gathering on Alcatraz. The date commemorates the three-year occupation of Alcatraz by the "Indians of All Tribes" from 1969 to 1971. For those who can't resist tucking into a turkey, book a table at Urban Tavern for its four-course prix fixe menu served family style or executive chef Paul Piscopo's three-course Thanksgiving menu at TRACE at the W Hotel.

The Dallas Cowboys are taking on the Washington Redskins this Thanksgiving afternoon, making it the perfect time for a Thanksgiving tailgate. Maximum Sports Connection is offering a two-night package, which includes a dinner with meet-and-greet and autograph signings with current Dallas Cowboys.