Copyright Boston.com
Boston was the only New England city to make WalletHub’s list of the top 100 Thanksgiving destinations — and its restaurant scene helped secure a top 20 spot. Planning to spend Thanksgiving in Boston? You’re in one of the best cities in the country to do it, according to a new report from WalletHub. The study ranked the 100 best U.S. cities for Thanksgiving based on factors like volunteer rates, weather, safety, and Thanksgiving celebrations and traditions. Boston came in 18th overall — and was the only New England city to make the list. Boston’s vibrant restaurant scene helped secure its spot in the top 20. The city ranked No. 1 in the country for the number of restaurants with Yelp ratings of at least 4.5 stars or higher, giving those spending the holiday in the city plenty of dining options for a Thanksgiving meal or weekend outing. Boston also scored well for “Giving Thanks,” a measure which included volunteer hours per capita, charities per capita, and income donated to charities. Cities in Texas and California cities dominated the top of WalletHub’s list, with San Antonio, Texas taking first place overall. “The best cities for celebrating Thanksgiving all have an abundance of high-quality restaurants and places to buy festive decorations, and their residents get very excited for the holiday based on their Google search history. Other features make individual cities stand out; for example, San Antonio has great weather, Atlanta has a fantastic track record for on-time flights and Virginia Beach has surprisingly affordable accommodations,” said WalletHub Analyst Chip Lupo. The report also shared that the average American spends $235 over the five-day Thanksgiving period — and 71% aim to avoid talking politics at the dinner table.
