Ways to Celebrate Thanksgiving, Old and New

New York

Now in its 89th year, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a quintessential American Thanksgiving staple. An estimated three million people are expected to venture out to see everything from floats and Broadway performers to marching bands and, of course, Santa. The lineup of balloons includes Paddington the Bear, Snoopy and Woodstock, and the Pillsbury Doughboy, among others. If you’re in New York, the parade begins at 9 a.m. on the Upper West Side of Manhattan at Central Park West and West 77th Street. It will move south on Central Park West, making an eastward turn on Central Park South, then heading south at Sixth Avenue from West 59th Street to West 34th Street before heading west to Herald Square, home to the world’s largest Macy’s store. A word of advice for anyone going to the event: the views on Sixth Avenue from West 34th to West 38th Streets will be limited as space is reserved for media outlets.

Looking for something a bit less traditional? At 8 a.m., the Pilgrim Pedal Ride, a family-friendly biking excursion that weaves through Brooklyn and Queens, will begin at East 23rd Street and the East River. The event, run byCity Bike Coach, costs $35 per person, which includes a “sit-down social” breakfast at a Brooklyn diner midway through the ride. The ride is 10 to 12 miles one way and 20 to 24 miles round trip. Registration is online-only and ends at 7 on Thanksgiving morning. If you don’t have a bicycle, you can rent one using Citi Bike, the bike-share program in New York.

Chicago

The McDonald’s Thanksgiving Parade brings a creative flair to Chicago’s downtown Loop. The one-mile-long parade will be held on State Street, starting at 8 a.m. at the intersection with West Congress Parkway (near the Harold Washington Library Center) and heading north to Randolph Street. Look for Hello Kitty, Teddy the Turkey, Ballet Folklorico Sones Mexicanos, and a deep bench of marching bands.

After the parade, a nearby option for a classic Thanksgiving meal is Miss Ricky’s, a restaurant at Virgin Hotels Chicago. For $24, you can get a meal that includes turkey, mashed potatoes, sausage stuffing and green beans. Walk a few blocks east to see Chicago’s official Christmas tree at the corner of East Washington Street and Michigan Avenue in Millennium Park. This year’s tree is a 63-foot-tall Colorado blue spruce.

Atlanta

Headed to the South? The Atlanta Track Club is sponsoring theThanksgiving Day Half Marathon and 5K, which begins at 7:30 a.m. at Turner Field, the home of the Atlanta Braves (755 Hank Aaron Drive, SE). Race options include a 50-meter dash, one-mile race, 5-mile race, or a half-marathon, with costs ranging from $20 to $90. Although online registration has closed, you can still register on Nov. 25 at the race number pick-up location at the Big Peach Running Co. (800 Peachtree Street, NE).

Kim Severson, a correspondent for The New York Times, recommends thePonce City Market (675 Ponce de Leon Avenue, NE) for post-Thanksgiving Day activities. The building, occupied by Sears, Roebuck & Company from 1926 until 1987, is now a sprawling complex of dining and shopping options.

“Some of the bigger names in Southern cooking have opened there, including a great little Mexican spot by Sean Brock and Hop’s Fried Chicken, a fried chicken and hot yeast roll stand by Linton Hopkins,” Ms. Severson said. “Shopping includes Southern-made jeans and hats, as well as mall staples like Lululemon and Williams-Sonoma.”

Los Angeles

The Turkey Trot Los Angeles is a five-mile and 10-mile race throughout Los Angeles, offering runners a nice view of the Continental Building, the city’s first high-rise building, Walt Disney Concert Hall and more. Prices range from $20 to $65, for both youth and adult races. There is also a one-mile race for children ages 2 through 12.

For the animal lover, the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens (5333 Zoo Drive) is open on Thanksgiving day. At 133 acres, the zoo hosts a diverse array of animals, including koalas, zebras, gorillas, and elephants. Prices range from $15 to $20, with free admission for children under age 2.

The Los Angeles Auto Show is open on Thanksgiving day and runs until Nov. 29 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Check out the 2017 editions of various models, from the Ford Escape to the Porsche 911 Targa 4. Prices are $5 to $15, along with a special $85 “Aficionauto Pass” that gives visitors unlimited individual admission and a discount on merchandise.