Thanksgiving in Loudoun

The single most-asked question of Thanksgiving week, answered.

Frozen turkeys take days, not hours, to thaw in the fridge, and the time in the oven depends on the size of the bird. Put in the weight and your dinner time, and we'll give you every step, from freezer to carving, with reminders for your calendar.

A turkey trot is a fun run held around Thanksgiving. Nobody chases a turkey.

It's an American tradition: families run, jog or walk a short course on Thanksgiving morning (or a weekend before), often in silly hats, usually for a good cause, and then go home and eat with a clear conscience. You don't need to be a runner. Most have a short kids' race, and plenty of people walk the whole thing. Answer three questions and we'll tell you which one is yours.

Let someone else carve.

Plenty of Loudoun restaurants serve a proper Thanksgiving meal on Thursday, from a family-friendly turkey plate to a white-tablecloth feast. Others will cook the whole dinner for you to pick up and serve at home. Tell us how many adults and kids are at your table and we'll show you what each option really costs. These book up, so don't leave it until Wednesday.

Thursday, from the first race to the last bowling lane.

Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday of November, when American families gather for a big afternoon meal, usually turkey. Much of Loudoun closes for the day, and what stays open keeps short hours. Here's how the day runs, in order, and what's shut, so nobody drives to a locked door.

Forgot the cream? Burned a finger? Here's who's open.

Something always runs out on Thanksgiving, and most stores close early or not at all. This is where you can still buy it, fill a prescription, or get a cut looked at. Stores announce holiday hours in mid-November, so until then we show last year's and say so. We'll update as they post.

Grandma lands at Dulles at 5. Here's how that goes smoothly.

Thanksgiving week is the busiest time of year to fly. Here's the free waiting lot so you're not circling the airport, the Metro stations in Loudoun and where you can and can't leave a car, and the days to avoid if anyone's still booking.

Four days, already planned. You're welcome.

Got grandparents who want a gentle day, cousins with energy to burn, or a toddler and a turkey to manage at once? Each plan below strings together places that are open and suit that crowd, in an order that works. Add a whole day to your plan in one tap, then swap anything you like.

For the table where the fun is actually happening.

Print it at home, put a few crayons out, and buy yourself twenty quiet minutes. Enter your email and it's yours, along with our weekend picks every Thursday.

No school Wednesday through Friday. Here's your out.

Loudoun County Public Schools close for three days around Thanksgiving, so the kids are home while you're shopping, cooking and hosting. These are the places we'd send them on the two days either side of the big meal: easy to get to, open that week, and worth the trip.

Family in town? Make them jealous.

When relatives visit for the long weekend, these are the places that show Loudoun at its best: a historic house dressed for the holidays, a Civil War battlefield above the Potomac, open lawns, and a mountain view with a cold drink. Something for every age, and nothing that needs a reservation months ahead.

The day after Thanksgiving, the holidays officially begin.

In America, the Friday after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday, the big shopping day, and it's also when many families go and choose a Christmas tree. In Loudoun, that means cutting your own at a farm on the mountain. Santa makes an early appearance on Sunday. The town tree lightings come a week later, and we've noted those too.

Late November in Loudoun can be cold, wet, or both.

When the weather turns and the house is full, these indoor spots keep everyone moving: bowling, trampolines, ice skating and a free little museum. One is even open on Thanksgiving afternoon, which, if you've met your cousins, you'll appreciate.

Thanksgiving is about gratitude. Here's how to pass it on.

These are simple ways for a family, kids included, to help neighbors in Loudoun this season: packing a holiday meal for a family who needs one, donating a winter coat, or making toys for shelter animals at the kitchen table. Some have deadlines before Thanksgiving, so start early.

Before you drive anywhere on Thursday, check here.

Thanksgiving is a public holiday, so schools, libraries and county offices close, and buses and trash pickup change. Here's what's open, closed or on short hours from Wednesday to Friday. Tap a day to switch.

Every deadline in this guide, in one list.

The short version for the busy parent: what to order, register for or book, and by when. Screenshot it, or add the reminders to your calendar.