A Thanksgiving Itinerary in Phoenix, Arizona

Thanksgiving. Phoenix. You. Family? Cacti. Palm Trees. Dry rivers. Dust. Road construction. The valley. The cities of the valley. Parks. Restaurants. Shops. Roads. So many to choose from. So few hours in Thanksgiving Day. What do you do? How do you make the most of those hours? Watch football? Make turkeys out of paper? Make turkey in the kitchen? Go for a desert hike? Hike on Camelback Mountain? Go shopping at the Biltmore, in Old Town Scottsdale, at Desert Ridge, or Chandler Mall? Even the Renaissance Festival might be open. There are many ways to spend the day. But in case you haven't come up with any particularly enticing ideas, the following are a few to help you make the Thanksgiving holiday in Phoenix a good one, including an activity for the daytime, dinner and evening (as well as some alternative ideas).

1. The Thanksgiving Day Parade in Fountain Hills. The Fountain Hills Thanksgiving Day Parade is the only one in Phoenix. So if you like parades, or want to feel part of some Thanksgiving festivities, this is where to go. If Fountain Hills isn't pretty enough already, set in a valley behind the McDowell Mountains and before the Superstitions, or vice versa depending on which way you look at it, Fountain Hills is just that, a hilly desert city with one of the country's largest manmade fountains. The setting is perfect for a parade, with large floats, marching bands, marines and other festivities amidst the blue sky desert valley streets and the fountain. The kids will love it, the weather will be nice, and the drive is a quick and pretty one.

2. Pick a resort for a special dinner. Most of the Phoenix-area resorts offer Thanksgiving specials, for rooms, for spa, and for dinner. Do one or all of those options. Among the resorts open are The Phoenician, JW Marriott Desert Ridge, Hyatt Gainey Ranch, Royal Palms, Arizona Biltmore, and Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. The Marriott Buttes, Top of the Rock, seems to be the local favorite, offering a turkey dinner with a southwestern flair and a great view of the city.

3. Zoo Lights at the Phoenix Zoo. The Phoenix Zoo is widely considered one of the nation's top zoos for children. But when the holiday season rolls around, it is one of the nation's top zoos: period. Zoo Lights is one of their main attractions and opens Thanksgiving weekend. It is a great way to spend the evening, or part of the evening, strolling through the zoo amidst Christmas lights and decorations, holiday music, and cool desert air.

4. Alternative ideas for a Thanksgiving dinner out. If dinner at a resort is not your cup of tea, here are a couple of other dinner ideas. Rustler's Roost: An old-western steakhouse that sits atop South Mountain overlooking the Phoenix Valley. You are greeted by a large cow in a pen beside the front door. Inside, a slide (or stairs) leads you into the restaurant. There is live cowboy music. The food is very good. It is a Thanksgiving meal very suitable for Phoenix and the southwest. TheSalt Cellar: An underground seafood restaurant, The Salt Cellar is an excellent choice for Thanksgiving dinner, offering their usual menu and five or six other holiday options.

5. Alternative ideas for the day and night. Day: Rawhide at Wild Horse Pass. Built with the spirit of the Old West, Rawhide is Arizona's largest western-themed attraction. You can pan for gold, eat rattlesnake, or take a hayride. By Thanksgiving Day, the place is lit up with 150,000 lights, including a 100-foot tall "tree of lights." Aside from a wonderful western menu, you can experience falling snow on their dusty Main Street, roast marshmallows over a town fire, and enjoy live holiday music, a holiday Six Gun Theater Show, Santa's stable-animals in the petting ranch-and even Santa Claus himself. And best of all is that admission is free. It is a nice way to spend an afternoon in western, holiday spirit. Night: Catch a movie! Not much else is open.

This should cover you for dinner, if you want to spend it on the town. The parade and the trip to and from Fountain Hills should take up a good portion of your day, and Zoo Lights is a great way to spend the evening. Put your own personal touches on the rest of the day, and it should be a very good one. Happy Holidays!