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Houston gobbles up top-10 spot on new list of best cities for Thanksgiving

Houston is the 7th best city to visit for Thanksgiving.

Houston is moving closer to claiming a seat at the head of the table on a new list of the best cities to go for Thanksgiving, a new report has declared.

Experts at personal finance website WalletHub examined the 100 largest U.S. cities using 18 relevant metrics to determine the best places to "gobble up Thanksgiving festivities at a reasonable price." Cities were also ranked across five main categories: celebrations and traditions; affordability; safety and accessibility; weather forecast; and a "giving thanks" rank.

Houston moved up into the No. 7 spot for 2026 after ranking 12th nationally in 2025.

Meanwhile, the top three best places to visit for Thanksgiving are Dallas (No. 1), Atlanta, Georgia (No. 2), and San Antonio (No. 3). This is the first time Dallas has landed in the top spot; the city previously ranked No. 4 in 2025.

Out of the five main categories, Houston performed best on the list of the most affordable cities for dining out during the Thanksgiving holiday, landing at No. 6 nationally. The city also ranked 8th for its celebrations and traditions, largely due to its numerous holiday happenings that take over in November and December.

Here's how the city ranked in the three remaining categories:

No. 15 – Giving thanks
No. 19 – Weather forecast
No. 96 – Safety and accessibility

"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," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo.

Other Texas cities that earned spots on the list include Plano (No. 12), Arlington (No. 17), Austin (No. 19), Lubbock (No. 28), Corpus Christi (No. 36), Fort Worth (No. 47), Irving (No. 55), Garland (No. 67), Laredo (No. 71), and El Paso (No. 80).

The top 10 best places to go for Thanksgiving in 2026 are:

No. 1 – Dallas
No. 2 – Atlanta, Georgia
No. 3 – San Antonio
No. 4 – Louisville, Kentucky
No. 5 – Las Vegas
No. 6 – Scottsdale, Arizona
No. 7 – Houston
No. 8 – Virginia Beach, Virginia
No. 9 – Boston
No. 10 – Chesapeake, Virginia

holiday happenings thanksgiving turkey trot houston

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Editor's note: It's time to look back at the top Houston news of the week, with a trio of exciting restaurant openings, plus a stunning Sugar Land estate for sale. Read on for our most popular stories, then plan your weekend here.

1. Houston's Michelin-recognized African restaurant confirms Memorial plans. Houston’s award-winning West African restaurant is coming to the Memorial City/Spring Branch area. ChòpnBlọk will open its third location next summer in the Greenside Memorial development.

2. Houston's new Neapolitan pizzeria wafts into familiar Uptown space. A familiar Galleria-area space will soon be home to a new Italian restaurant. Aroma, a pizza and pasta concept from chef Salvatore Martone, will open on November 14.

3. Texas Monthly’s refreshed restaurant guide crowns 149 Houston spots. Texas Monthly is ditching its revered Dining Guide and replacing it with the Texas Grand — an honor roll of the best restaurants in the state, including 149 in Houston.

4. Dallas-based Japanese sando and matcha shop sets Heights opening date. A Dallas-based restaurant known for its Japanese-inspired sandwiches has found a permanent home in the Heights. Sandoitchi opened its first permanent Houston location on October 31.

5. Opulent Sugar Land mansion with 2-story theater listed for $5.5 million. When it comes to palatial living, it’s hard to top 4043 Maranatha Drive in Sugar Land. The home unfolds across more than 11,500 square feet, with incredible amenities.

The two-story private in-home theater of 4043 Maranatha Drive in Sugar Land Imagine movie nights in this two-story in-home theater. Photo by Jacob McKensie