Thanksgiving, Somewhere Different
Where to bring the family together this November, or next.
Thanksgiving has always been about getting everyone around the same table. This year at Wild Herz Travel, we are seeing more families choose to set that table somewhere new. A week away turns the long weekend into something larger. It gives grandparents, parents and children proper time together in a place none of them knows yet, and the kind of memories that outlast the holiday itself.
Late November is a good moment to go. Europe’s Christmas markets are just beginning to glow, cities are settling into winter, and a change of scene feels especially welcome before the December rush. Or look further afield, where warmer days and different traditions offer another way to celebrate.
Here are four journeys worth considering. Each has hotels suited to a family gathering, experiences every generation can share, and time enough to enjoy being together.
Published: October 22nd, 2026
Six nights: two capitals, one easy train journey
Vienna suits winter beautifully. Palaces, coffee houses and Christmas markets give late November an atmosphere of its own, and the compact centre is easy for several generations to explore together. Base yourselves at Hotel Sacher, opposite the State Opera, for old-world grandeur. For something smaller and art-filled, Das Tyrol is a boutique hotel by the MuseumsQuartier.
Begin at the Belvedere, where Klimt’s Family hangs among his better-known golden works. It is a hushed, dark canvas of a mother and two sleeping children, and a fitting painting to stand before together [display to confirm]. Spend an afternoon at the markets with warm Punsch, then book a private strudel class. Stretching the dough until it is almost transparent is the traditional test, and grandparents and grandchildren tend to take it equally seriously.
A train journey of around two hours and forty minutes brings you to Budapest, a city with a more spirited energy. A private walking tour across both banks of the Danube brings its layers to life, from the castle district in Buda to the grand boulevards of Pest. Leave time for coffee and cake in one of the historic cafés. The St. Regis Budapest opened this spring in the Belle Époque Klotild Palace. With butler service and room for everyone, it suits a multigenerational party well.
The Thanksgiving moment
A lively dinner in an elegant, buzzing dining room, followed by rides and games at the Christmas market. It isn’t Thanksgiving as it is at home, and that is the appeal: everyone around one table after a day spent discovering somewhere new.
Vienna and Budapest
Imperial grandeur, Christmas markets and two cities with a shared history.
Seven nights: two lakes, vineyard terraces and memorable train journeys
Switzerland is particularly good at bringing generations together. It offers easy train journeys, walkable cities, mountain scenery and very good food, with no need to rush. Zurich makes an elegant start, with old-town lanes, a lakefront and Christmas markets. At the main railway station, the market’s towering tree, hung with Swarovski crystals, is a seasonal sight in its own right. Stay at La Réserve Eden au Lac for contemporary, yacht-club style on the water. Alternatively, the Widder is an intimate hotel spread across historic townhouses in the old town.
A chef-led food tour makes a lively evening for all ages. Lucerne is less than an hour away by train, with its covered wooden bridge, lakeside promenades and mountain views. With more time, continue to Appenzell for painted houses, rolling green hills and a glimpse of a more traditional Switzerland.
Then head to Lausanne, around two hours away, crossing from German-speaking Switzerland into its French-speaking region. Lausanne has a gentler character, with vineyard terraces tumbling towards Lake Geneva and the French Alps beyond. Beau-Rivage Palace, set in gardens by the lake at Ouchy, is a classic choice for a family occasion, with room to retreat as well as gather.
The Thanksgiving moment
Explore the UNESCO-listed Lavaux vineyards, the lake spread out below. Families with younger travellers should continue to Montreux. The Christmas market there lines the waterfront, and Father Christmas flies his sleigh across the lake each evening.
Lakeside cities, Alpine scenery and Switzerland dressed for winter.
Zurich and Lausanne
Six nights: Parisian winter, then the gentler Riviera
Paris is at its most companionable in the cold. There are museums to linger in, cafés made for long lunches, and the first Christmas lights strung along the boulevards. The Marais makes a natural base, full of independent shops and galleries to discover on foot. Le Grand Mazarin brings a playful, colour-filled take on Parisian style to its streets, and its indoor pool is a welcome bonus after a day exploring, particularly with children in tow.
Walk along the Seine to the Tuileries for the seasonal fairground and Christmas market, if they are running during your stay. For a special evening, book dinner at the Eiffel Tower. Arrive for sunset, and stay to watch the tower sparkle on the hour.
Nice is a short direct flight south, or around six hours by train for those who prefer a slower approach. The change of pace is part of the appeal. The ochre old town, Italianate architecture and Mediterranean light feel a world away from Paris, even in late autumn. Hôtel du Couvent, set within a 17th-century convent, pairs historic architecture with a quietly contemporary feel, and its Roman-inspired spa makes a soothing end to the day.
The Thanksgiving moment
Spend a morning in Èze, the medieval village perched above the coast, wandering its narrow lanes up to the exotic garden at the summit. Back in Nice, book a table at La Merenda, the intimate restaurant where chef Dominique Le Stanc cooks Niçoise specialities. A memorable family meal need look nothing like the traditional spread.
Paris and Nice
The pleasures of a great city, followed by a little Riviera sunshine.
Mexico City
A different kind of Thanksgiving, with art, ancient history and a table everyone helps to create.
Five nights: one vibrant city, a short flight from home
For families who would rather keep the flight short, Mexico City makes a compelling case. Late November falls within the dry season, and the city is full of life: leafy neighbourhoods, remarkable architecture, markets, museums and a food culture that could fill an entire trip.
Stay at Campos Polanco, a 12-suite hotel in a restored Art Deco building facing a quiet park in Polanco. Each floor has its own social space with a private kitchen, so the family has somewhere to gather that feels more like home than hotel. The rooftop terrace makes a fine spot for an evening drink.
Begin in Roma and Condesa, where Art Nouveau and Art Deco buildings sit alongside independent boutiques, bakeries and cafés. A private guide brings their history to life, and a stop at Rosetta, Elena Reygadas’s bakery, makes a fine introduction to the city’s contemporary food scene. On Sunday, Paseo de la Reforma closes to traffic for cyclists and pedestrians. Take e-bikes along the avenue and into the historic centre, where Bellas Artes, the Metropolitan Cathedral and the vast Zócalo show another side of the city.
For an early start that will be remembered long after the trip, take a private hot-air balloon flight over Teotihuacán. Watch the sun rise above the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon, then take a guided visit to the ancient city back on the ground.
The Thanksgiving moment
Spend the day in Coyoacán, visiting Frida Kahlo’s Casa Azul before joining a private chef for a family cooking session. Make tamales, sopes and a rich Oaxacan mole, then sit down together to the meal you have made together. This is Thanksgiving with a Mexican accent: less about recreating the familiar, more about sharing something new.
Next November
Thanksgiving 2027 falls on 25 November. Suites with connecting rooms and the right guides on the right days are worth securing early, particularly for larger family groups. If a week somewhere new together appeals, simply reply to this email and we can start planning now.