Crave a getaway? Two of the best places to go for Thanksgiving are in Upstate NY

Looking for a quiet getaway instead of a homecooked meal this Thanksgiving?
Head to the mountains in Upstate New York, home to two of the top-rated Thanksgiving destinations in America.
Lake Placid, a gem of the Adirondacks, and New Paltz, the gateway to Upstate, have been named among the best Thanksgiving towns in the United States by Country Living. The charming communities made the list alongside New York City, host of the iconic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and Arlington, Texas, famed for football and a big Turkey Trot.
“If the thought of quiet country roads, rolling pastures, and, most importantly, someone else cooking your meal sounds all sorts of appealing, it’s time to start making plans to head to one of the best places to go for Thanksgiving for 2024,” Country Living wrote.
It’s no secret that Lake Placid is one of the top spots in America for a snowy getaway.
New York’s “Olympic Village” boasts a stack of wintry accolades — including being named one of the most beautiful winter towns and one of America’s most “Christmassy” communities.
But travelers don’t have to wait for Christmas to experience that holiday charm.
“Lake Placid isn’t just picturesque, idyllic, and peaceful, it’s also a lot of fun around the holidays,” Country Living wrote in its roundup. “While snow isn’t a given, it is a possibility here this time of year, so pack your winter coat and gloves!”
Endless outdoor activities await in Lake Placid, from snowboarding and skiing at Whiteface Mountain to riding on the Cliffside Coaster — the longest coaster in North America.
On your Thanksgiving getaway in Lake Placid, book a stay at Whiteface Lodge, called a “winter wonderland” by Vogue, or Mirror Lake Inn, once named among the nation’s best waterfront hotels. Work up an appetite in the great Adirondacks outdoors before sitting down for a buffet-style Thanksgiving dinner at The View, Mirror Lake Inn’s AAA Four Diamond restaurant, or at the High Peaks Resort.
If eating and sleeping like a king sounds like the perfect antidote to Thanksgiving chaos, the Hudson Valley has a solution.
The Mohonk Mountain House, a sprawling castle on Lake Mohonk in the Shawangunk Mountains, has won a staggering number of accolades in the past year — including being named the second-best all-inclusive resort in America and one of the nation’s best hotel restaurants.
“The Mohonk Mountain House is truly an East Coast treasure every autumn,” Country Living wrote. “The resort always has something fun to do, from axe-throwing to board games.”
On your all-inclusive Thanksgiving trip at Mohonk, feel free to bring kids. Track wild turkeys around the scenic property before filling up on dinner at Mohonk Mountain House’s “Grand Thanksgiving Buffet.”