Thanksgiving in Florida

Whether you'll be travelling to Grandma's house for Thanksgiving dinner or packing the family up for a fall vacation, here are some ideas for spending the holiday in Florida...

• Fairbanks House B&B, Amelia Island has three- and four-night Thanksgiving Holiday Packages that include a daily gourmet breakfast, bedtime sweets and more. This will put you in town as the Centre Street Merchants kick off the holiday shopping season.
• The Gaylord Palms Resort near Orlando is offering two holiday packages: The Holiday Memories Package and the Best of Florida Christmas Family Holiday Package. Both packages include tickets to ICE!, the winter wonderland holiday spectacle combining frozen creations with heartwarming family fun.
• The Belleview Biltmore Hotel hosts A Classic Thanksgiving Dinner in its Tiffany Ballroom. The luxurious resort, located in Clearwater, offers Bed & Breakfast, Golf and Spa packages.
• Reflect on life's blessings while taking in the breathtaking beauty of the gardens and enjoying the Thanksgiving Day carillon recital at Bok Sanctuary.
• Flamingo Gardens decorates the historic Wray Home for the holidays beginning the day after Thanksgiving.
• The Mission Inn Golf and Tennis Resort, located 35 minutes northwest of Orlando, is offering a Thanksgiving Holiday Package for November 24-26 that includes breakfast every morning, a Thanksgiving Day buffet, a Friday night Floribbean Dinner Beach Party and two-hours of tennis of daily tennis.

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• The 6th Annual Downtown Delray Beach Thanksgiving Weekend Art Festival will draw over 175 artists that will exhibit their unique creations, including functional and decorative pottery, original paintings, hand-crafted jewelry, hand-blown glass, sculptures and more. November 26 & 27.
• Tickets are on sale now for Let it Snow! Downtown Pensacola tours featuring interactive displays of holiday scenes and characters. The popular annual event kicks off Thanksgiving weekend, November 25 & 26.
• One of the most nostalgic holidays is Thanksgiving, so this might be the perfect time to visit the Flagler Museum and take in the special exhibit "The Games We Played," which features American board and table games from the Liman collection.
• Here comes Santa Claus and millions of twinkling lights...
  • The 13th Annual Festival of Lights at Silver Springs features millions of holiday lights, nightly strolling carolers, a lighted boat parade, shopping in specialty stores, special stage shows and Santa.
  • Millions of twinkling lights and holiday displays will provide an extra sparkle to Cypress Gardens during Christmas Wonderland beginning November 18.
  • One million twinkling lights, a visit from Santa, arts and crafts, fun, food and on-going entertainment highlight Boca Raton's holiday tree lighting, Friday, November 25.
  • Downtown Delray Beach lights their famous 100-foot holiday tree at a special ceremony, Saturday, November 26.
  • Disney World celebrates the holidays with special displays and millions of sparkling lights that brighten the theme parks and on-property resorts around Thanksgiving. Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party is held at the Magic Kingdom during select nights in November and December. The special ticketed event is great fun for the entire family and features a special parade and sweet treats.
  • The nation's oldest city decorates with millions of lights in The Nights of Lights grand celebration that kicks off the week before Thanksgiving and runs through January 2, 2006.

If you simply can't get away and you're spending Thanksgiving at home, here are a few tips from my fellow guides at About.com to help make preparations easier:

• Peggy Trowbridge, About's Home Cooking Guide, gives you the tools to avoid panic and plan your meal in advance with Thanksgiving Recipes for Dummies. Enough said.
• You’ll enjoy Thanksgiving more if you do some preparation ahead of time. Be ready for Thanksgiving by using this four-week Countdown to a Perfect Thanksgiving by About's Interior Decorating Guide, Coral Nafie.
• Short on cash? Our Frugal Living Guide, Pat Veretto, shares Random (but Frugal Thanksgiving Thoughts to remind us that the a true Thanksgiving is a frugal one.

Whatever you do... have a safe and blessed Thanksgiving!