Thanksgiving meals to-go in Houston and more top news

Houston has many things to be thankful for this year, including being named one of the best places to go for Thanksgiving, according to a just-released WalletHub study.

H-Town ranked as the No. 12 best Thanksgiving destination, moving up three spots from its former rank as No. 15 in 2024.

WalletHub’s annual “Best Places to Go for Thanksgiving” ranking compares the 100 largest U.S. cities to discover which have the ultimate Thanksgiving celebrations and traditions, and the best holiday weather, affordability, safety, and accessibility.

A total of 18 relevant metrics were measured for each city’s ranking; factors that were considered include the number of pumpkin patches per capita, the cost of a Thanksgiving dinner, the share of delayed flights around the Thanksgiving holiday, the number of volunteer opportunities per capita, and more.

The Texas city that rose through the ranks to claim the top spot as the best Thanksgiving destination for 2025 is none other than San Antonio.

Houston has been on the rise since 2023 when it ranked as the 32nd best U.S. city for celebrating Turkey Day festivities.

WalletHub says Houston has the 8th best Thanksgiving celebrations and traditions in the nation, which may come as no surprise given the dozens of local restaurants hosting their own Turkey Day feasts this year. Plus, locals can get into the festive spirit with all the holiday events taking place around Houston this winter season.

Houston additionally earned high marks in the categories for weather (No. 19), affordability (No. 23) and “giving thanks” (No. 34). The city’s lowest-ranked category was for safety and accessibility (No. 97).

Other Turkey Day destinations in Texas
The North Texas cities of Dallas (No. 4), Irving (No. 6), and Plano (No. 7) also claimed spots among the top-10 best destinations for Thanksgiving this year. Garland (No. 21), Arlington (No. 41), and Fort Worth (No. 50) all ranked among the top 50.