30 things to do over Thanksgiving weekend

Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanic Garden

Go ice skating
Skating at Rock Center the day after Thanksgiving is not for the crowd averse. But if your out-of-town guests have been dreaming about it for weeks, you don’t have much choice. If you're in the mood for a less-packed rink, TONY’s comprehensive list has a number of outer-borough options—when your 15-year-old cousin heads back to Wisconsin, he can say he’s been to Wu-Tang’s home turf.

Volunteer
On Thanksgiving Day, hand out meals with God’s Love We Deliver or serve Thanksgiving lunch to seniors in Brooklyn. On Black Friday, forgo mass consumerism and lead seniors from the Village Nursing Home in a drumming circle or walk pups at the Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition in Williamsburg. On Saturday 28, shake your booty in Queens with the seniors at Sunnywood Apartments or stretch your legs for training with the Achilles Track Club, which coordinates training and competitions for people with disabilities. The Robin Hood Foundation, the Food Bank for New York City, and United Way always need volunteers.

Go window hopping
By Thanksgiving, New York’s famous window displays are in full swing. Start at Macy’s and work your way northeast, hitting up Lord & Taylor, Saks, Henri Bendel, Bloomingdale’s, and Barneys. By the time you see all the displays, you’ll barely have the energy to spend any money. (If you’re too lazy to leave the apartment, check out this slideshow of Barneys Saturday Night Live-themed displays.)

Commune with nature
It’s not quite what the first settlers saw when they arrive, but the New York Botanical Garden will give you space to reflect on what you’re thankful for this year. Get the blood flowing with a brisk walk and admire winter bloomers such as the gold-and-purple Bird-of-Paradise or the spiky crimson Powder Puff. The holiday centerpiece is the Holiday Train Show (Nov 21–Jan 10) in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, when more than a dozen model railway trains traverse an incredibly detailed New York City landscape made entirely of natural materials such as leaves, twigs, bark and berries. Bronx River Pkwy at Fordham Rd, Bronx (718-817-8700, nybg.org)

Explore the American Folk Art Museum with Free Music Fridays
‘Tis the season to celebrate American heritage. See indigenous craft work at its best with a trip to the American Folk Art Museum (formerly the Museum of American Folk Art), which offers free entry on Fridays. Enjoy the galleries, café and live music in the stunning atrium designed by architects Billie Tsien and Tod Williams. 45 W 53rd St between Fifth and Sixth Aves (212-265-1040, folkartmuseum.org); 5:30–7:30pm, free

Work your way through the holiday markets
Looking for soy-wax candles for your sister-in-law, the raw foodie yoga teacher? Think antique milk bottles would look great in your brother’s boyfriend’s new pad? From Bryant Park to Brooklyn, the seasonal markets get into full swing after Thanksgiving, so hit the ATM and start hunting.

Get hot chocolate and giant square marshmallows from City Bakery
Pastry genius Maury Rubin’s loft-size City Bakery is jammed with Chelsea shoppers loading up on unusual salad-bar choices ($12/pound; grilled pineapple with ancho chili, bean sprouts with smoked tofu, creamy mac and cheese). There’s also a small selection of soups and pizza. But to heck with all that: The thick, incredibly rich hot chocolate with fat, house-made marshmallows is heaven in a cup, and the moist “melted” chocolate-chip cookies are better than a marked-down pair of Prada pumps. 3 W 18th St between Fifth and Sixth Aves (212-366-1414, thecitybakery.com)

Bring the fam to an alley
Need a family-friendly activity? Check out one of the city’s best bowling alleys for a fun afternoon out. If everyone’s all grown up, try Williamsburg’s new 16-lane Brooklyn Bowl for a cool retro vibe, an onsite music venue, great grub from the folks behind Blue Ribbon and beers from Kelso, Sixpoint and next-door Brooklyn Brewery (it’s 21+ except Saturdays from noon to 6pm). 61 Wythe Ave between North 11th and 12th Sts, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718-963-3369). Hour of bowling: $30–$50.

Ease the tension at Spa Castle
Need a way to distract the family’s attention away from your ? Sweat it out en famille at Six Flags-esque modern bathhouse Spa Castle, which welcomes children of all ages. The squeaky clean facilities—dozens of hot tubs, including a huge all-year-round outdoor oasis, and multiple sauna rooms comprising so-called healing materials such as gold, LED lights or mineral salt—are a great antidote to pre-holiday stress. A Bathhouse Cure starts at $35 weekdays/$45 weekends ($20/$25 for children between two years old and three feet tall). Treatments cost extra. 131-10 Eleventh Ave at 131st St, College Point, Queens (718-939-6300, nyspacastle.com)

Go on a Thanksgiving-themed food tour
The recently launched Rum & Blackbird showcases midtown’s culinary crown jewel, Hell’s Kitchen, with a tour of seven distinctive eateries, including TONY-approved Poseidon Bakery and Gazala Palace. From Friday to Sunday, the tour will feature a number of special holiday-inspired items, so save room for turkey empanadas with cranberry salsa from Empanada Mama, cranberry orange biscotti from Biscotti Di Vecchio, and slow-roasted pumpkin with piloncillo at La Rosita. Reservations required; tours last for three hours. Meet near 50th St and Eighth Ave (exact location provided with ticket purchase). Buy tickets at rumandblackbird.com or call 212-209-3370; $49 includes all tastings.

Go to the National Museum of the American Indian
This branch of the Smithsonian Institution displays its collection around the grand rotunda of the 1907 Custom House, at the bottom of Broadway (which began as an Indian trail). The life and culture of Native Americans is presented in rotating exhibitions—from intricately woven fibre Pomo baskets to beaded buckskin shirts—along with contemporary artwork. Currently on show is "Beauty Surrounds Us", a collection of musical instruments, games and ceremonial clothing that celebrates the importance of decorative art in native cultures. Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, 1 Bowling Green between Broadway and State St; 212-514-3700, nmai.si.edu). Free.

Drink on the cheap
Train for your company holiday party’s annual drink-off at these reasonably priced watering holes. Enjoy inexpensive wines at Epistrophy, fill up on edamame and sake at Snacky, and enjoy Shoolbred’s tasty house ale for $5 a pint. If you haven’t had your fill of poultry yet, seek out the city’s best buffalo wings on your budget-friendly bar crawl.

Seek out Black Friday sales
Gird yourself, bargain-hunters: Black Friday can get ugly. Our Shopping editors have pulled together some worthy spots for you to visit, so you can come home with the Le Creuset skillet or flat-screen TV you’ve always dreamed of. Check our Shopping section for information on what’s on sale and where.

Start early on DIY holiday gifts
Snap out of your tryptophan-induced slumber for an early-morning trip to the Painted Pot (339 Smith St between Carroll and President Sts, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn; 718-222-0334 • 8009 Third Ave at 80th St, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn; 718- 491-6411; paintedpot.com). They’re offering a holiday special from 9 to 11am on Black Friday, so you can paint cow-banks, sushi plates and even light-switch bed covers with no studio fee. If getting out of bed that early proves to be too much, a quick trip to Michael’s will net you a variety of DIY kits, including make-your-own moccasins. Other options include bracelets, personalized drinking glasses, soap and maraschino cherries.

Drink seasonally
Holiday drinking isn’t just about getting wasted enough to face your family—it’s also about getting in the mood and getting in the spirit. Need ideas for where to go? Look no further than TONY’s winter drinking guide. In addition to cozy hotel lounges and hearty eats, you’ll find seasonal drink specials like red-hot ale at L’Ecole and hot spiced wine at Grey Dog.

See free comedy
Two gratis comedy sets are perfect for wrapping up your Thanksgiving weekend. Get in line early to score free tickets to this indefatigable improv show ASSSSCAT 3000 at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater (307 W 26th St between Eighth and Ninth Aves; 212-366-9176, ucbtheatre.com; 9:30pm), featuring stars from Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock. Alternatively, head to Beauty Bar (231 E 14th St between Second and Third Aves; 212-539-1389, myspace.com/vinceandjesse), where proprietors Vince Averill and Jesse Popp regularly book some of the local scene’s brightest rising stars. The Sunday shows are free and kick off at 9pm.

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