Thanksgiving Weekend Activities
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011
Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011
There’s more to Thanksgiving weekend than shopping.
Sure, shopping is the focus, as always, but I’ll leave the mall scene to the experts at S.W.A.G. You’ll need other options for escaping the food and relatives this weekend, and that’s where I come in.
My new favorite Thanksgiving Day tradition is taking a walk after the meal. It’s hardly novel, but if you haven’t tried it before, trust me–escaping the house and and getting active for 30 minutes clears your head after a day indoors, and of course benefits your health as well.
Elsewhere in NoVA, Reston Town Center is more than just shopping, believe it or not. They’ve planned out a whole day filled with fantastic holiday kick-off activities.
The Reston Holiday Parade starts at 11 a.m. Apparently this is the parade’s 21st year–I had no idea it had been around that long! It features Macy’s-style parade balloons, antique cars, and the main event, Santa and Mrs. Claus in a horse-drawn carriage. Photos with Santa begin at 12:30 p.m.
This parade is the real deal! Photo courtesy Reston Town Center.
Then at 6 p.m., Santa lights up the town center’s tree. The Reston Chorale will be on hand to sing Christmas carols, and everyone is encouraged to sing along.
To cap off the night, take a horse-drawn carriage ride around the town center for just $5.
Santa and Mrs. Claus in their carriage. Photo courtesy Reston Town Center.
And of course, the classic Reston Town Center skating rink will be open all day. Oh, and don’t forget to check out the Reston Hyatt’s magnificent gingerbread village. The delectable destination is on display all day in the Hyatt‘s lobby.
–Matt Basheda
Tags: culture gurus, Entertainment, Events, game plan, Matt Basheda, Northern Virginia, Northern Virginia Magazine, NoVA, Reston Holiday Kick-Off, Reston Town Center, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving weekend activities, things to do