It is okay to go out for Thanksgiving! We all have those images of a perfect Thanksgiving meal served around the table with the glistening turkey and everyone passing the gravy and the stuffing. However, with lives so busy and time so precious, going out on Thanksgiving might be the best way to give thanks and celebrate family and friends. Local restaurants now offer great Thanksgiving options designed to make you feel like part of the family.
Another alternative is to pre-order a Thanksgiving meal, pick it up and serve it at home. You can still get family time without spending hours in the kitchen.
Some people even prefer to get away entirely for Thanksgiving, opting for a meal over a campfire or something unique to our community—maybe a dinner cruise on the lake. The most critical component of any Thanksgiving meal is friends and family. We encourage you to make this year more about giving and sharing and less about trying to create perfection.
While there are a lot of alternatives out there, here are a few of our favorite ways to celebrate the season without spending hours in the kitchen. Or, you might want to call your favorite restaurant in advance and ask if they are serving something special this Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving at Litchfield's
Litchfield's, the fine-dining restaurant at The Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park, serves a 3-course prix fixe menu from 3 to 7 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. You'll enjoy an array of Thanksgiving classics prepared by Chef de Cuisine Adam Dunton and served at your table. The cost is $89 per adult and $30 per child aged 4 to 12. Children 3 and under are complimentary. Prices do not include tax or gratuity. Make reservations early at WigwamArizona.com.
Thanksgiving in The Wigwam Ballroom
Also at The Wigwam Resort, you can join other diners at The Wigwam to say thanks together. Thanksgiving dinner is served buffet-style in the ballroom from noon to 4 p.m., with a mix of classic holiday offerings. The price is $72 per adult and $30 for children aged 4 to 12. Children 3 and under are complimentary, and prices do not include tax or gratuity. Make reservations online at WigwamArizona.com.
Thanksgiving Dinner Cruise at Lake Pleasant
Head to Lake Pleasant for a Thanksgiving on the water. Board The Phoenix 30 minutes before departure and settle in for a full Thanksgiving dinner while enjoying the views. A full-service bar is onboard. Thanksgiving day cruises at 11:30 a.m. and 2 and 4:30 p.m. Adults, $70; children 4 to 12, $50; those 3 and younger are $10. LakePleasantCruises.com
AJ's Chef-Prepared Dinners
Order up your chef-prepared Thanksgiving dinner from AJ's Fine Foods in Arrowhead. Order a whole roasted turkey or boneless turkey breast with all the trimmings, including mashed potatoes, herbed dressing, candied yams with marshmallows, green bean amandine, gravy, cranberry relish, dinner rolls and your choice of apple or pumpkin pie. Other options include ham, pork roast, leg of lamb, ribeye roast or beef wellington. AJsFineFoods.com