In foodie-friendly California, Thanksgiving is a great chance for local and celebrity chefs to strut their stuff—and it’s also a lovely opportunity for anyone to enjoy a feast against the backdrop of Golden State scenery, from the beaches to the mountains.
Here are 20-plus feasts you’d be thankful you decided to attend in Southern, Central, and Northern California.
Southern California
Hotel del Coronado, San Diego
This landmark hotel on Coronado Island has a rich history, having hosted presidents, celebrities, and a classic Marilyn Monroe film. Its sumptuous buffet spreads across both the stately Crown Room and Coronet rooms (fun fact: the chandeliers in the Crown Room were designed by Wizard of Oz author Frank L. Baum). Afterward, get your exercise by taking a few loops around the seasonal beachside rink, which opens before Thanksgiving.
Fairmont Grand Del Mar, San Diego
This luxury Fairmont resort just outside Del Mar offers a full (and plush) Thanksgiving weekend. Choose from the four-course menu at Amaya or the buffet in the ballroom: Feasts include turkey and options like local Carlsbad oysters on the raw bar, baked brie, and desserts ranging from pumpkin cheesecake and chai madeleines to chocolate-caramel tarts. Stick around for the long weekend to skate the resort’s own outdoor seasonal ice rink.
Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, Rancho Santa Fe
The North County San Diego community of Rancho Santa Fe, with fruit orchards and ocean views, offers a plush version of home for the holidays. Its Inn at Rancho Santa Fe—which first opened as a guest house in 1924—is holding a classic four-course prix fixe Thanksgiving Dinner at its on-site Lilian’s; the restaurant is named after Lilian J. Rice, the architect who designed many of Rancho Santa Fe’s Spanish-style buildings in the 1920s.
The Gambling Cowboy Chophouse & Saloon, Temecula
Experience an Old West–style feast in Southern California’s Old Town Temecula, with a four-course Thanksgiving feast at the colorful Gambling Cowboy Chophouse and Saloon. Enjoy the rustic, cowboy-chic atmosphere, take in the Temecula Valley views from its third-floor deck, then dive into roast turkey, prime rib, or maple-glazed ham—complemented with options including cowboy mac ’n’ cheese and Temecula wines.
Balboa Bay Resort, Newport Beach
Pair your Turkey Day feast with a beach walk or boat ride in this Newport Beach resort. The buffet at the waterfront resort’s Lighthouse restaurant starts with a complimentary wine tasting. It includes a chilled seafood display and carving stations for turkey, prime rib, and salmon, plus classic holiday sides and plenty of desserts.
Disneyland Resort, Anaheim
On Thanksgiving, the Anaheim parks are fully open and decked out for the holiday season. For a Turkey Day feast, choose from brunch or dinner buffets—complete with characters in holiday attire—at Goofy’s Kitchen at Disneyland Hotel and Storytellers Café inside Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. Inside Disneyland Park, head to the Jolly Holiday Café for the seasonal Thank-mas sandwich with turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce.
Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner, Buena Park
You can think outside the turkey at this restaurant just outside the gates at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park. Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner restaurant offers both brunch and dinner buffets for Thanksgiving; along with the turkey and classics, you’ll get their famous fried chicken, bubbly, and pumpkin cider, finished with both their signature boysenberry pie and classic pumpkin pie. The park is open all day, too, with holiday decorations and shows at Knott’s Merry Farm. You can also order a full feast to go, complete with pie.
Or, tuck in at the classic buffet at the Knott’s Hotel restaurant, Thirty Acres Kitchen, which also neighbors the theme park. Make it a full holiday weekend by booking one of the hotel packages that includes park admission, daily breakfast, and parking.
Purple Room, Palm Springs
First opened in 1960, this classic supper club on Palm Springs’ Palm Canyon Drive was a prime Rat Pack hangout. Today it offers a retro lounge-style Thanksgiving that also features live music from Pam Phillips’ Jazz Quartet. The menu includes throwback delicacies such as shrimp cocktail and Scottish salmon, along with turkey, butternut squash risotto, and the restaurant’s beloved pumpkin spice cheesecake.
Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach
Spend the day in Long Beach with resident sea otters, puffins, and other marine life at this must-see aquarium. Seating for the buffet-style feast runs from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on its rooftop veranda, overlooking the aquarium’s Rainbow Harbor.
Terranea, Rancho Palos Verdes
This oceanfront resort in L.A. County offers a serene perch for a day of gratitude—the week’s activities include a hike, a movie night, kids’ crafts, and lighting the resort tree.
Choose from several options for your meal that offer carving stations, seafood, charcuterie, and creative desserts: There’s a sumptuous buffet with live music and special cocktails in the Palos Verdes Grand Ballroom; another buffet with ocean views at the resort’s Catalina Kitchen; and the curated three-course menu at the award-winning, farm-to-table Mar’sel. You can also keep it low-key with creative Thanksgiving-themed offerings at other onsite eateries, Nelson’s (zesty turkey enchiladas) and Bashi (try the pan-roasted duck breast with wasabi salsa and ponzu).
The Langham Huntington, Pasadena
This storied hotel offers Thanksgiving brunch and dinner across its gorgeous property in Pasadena. Brunch is typically served in the Huntington Ballroom from 12:00 p.m. until 4 p.m.—a buffet-style spread with multiple serving stations, a kids’ corner, and a glass off champagne for adults. Meanwhile, dinner reservations are available at both the Royce Steakhouse and the Terrace restaurant. Both meals are prix fixe with variations on the holiday staples like acorn squash or chestnut soup and oven-roasted turkey with traditional sides.
Shutters on the Beach, Santa Monica
While the view of palm trees, sand, and blue ocean may not be traditional scenery, you’ll still feel thankful dining at the 1 Pico Restaurant at Santa Monica’s stylish Shutters on the Beach hotel. The hotel's three-course beachfront feast typically offers heritage turkey, plus options like a burrata-and-bresaola appetizer, grilled branzino, and pumpkin pie, or a maple pecan tart for dessert.
Central California
Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Beach, Oxnard
This all-suites oceanfront Hilton in Oxnard is hosting a sumptuous Thanksgiving Brunch Buffet from 11 a.m.–4 p.m. at its restaurant, Ox & Ocean. Go the turkey-and-trimmings route or opt for the prime rib and seafood bar. Kids can choose chicken tenders, mac ’n’ cheese, and more, and everyone can enjoy pies, cheesecakes, and petit fours for dessert.
Finch & Fork, Santa Barbara
Embrace a cornucopia of local produce at this acclaimed Turkey Day buffet at the Kimpton Canary Hotel in downtown Santa Barbara. The restaurant prides itself on using a wide range of produce from regional family farms in its “harvest buffet.” The feast also includes turkey and prime rib carving stations, classic sides, and a big dessert display.
Rosewood Miramar Beach, Montecito
This delightful brunch buffet at the plush resort in Montecito offers traditional Thanksgiving fare plus activities for your littles, served in the Chandelier Ballroom. Or, sit down for a traditional, four-course dinner served family style in the hotel’s Revere Room.
Madonna Inn, San Luis Obispo
This quirky hotel in San Luis Obispo County has nothing traditional about it, but its exuberant spirit makes a great setting for the feast of turkey, ham, or roast duck with trimmings. Save room for the famous desserts—a dozen-plus pies and cakes, including the famous Pink Champagne Cake.
The Padre Hotel, Bakersfield
“Be sure to bring your stretchy pants,” advise the folks at this charming boutique hotel in downtown Bakersfield. The prix fixe menu includes turkey, NY strip, or salmon paired with creative takes on green bean casserole and whiskey-buttered potatoes. Come to town early the day before: It’s a local tradition to enjoy the city’s acclaimed Basque restaurants the night before Thanksgiving.
Elderberry House, Oakhurst
Indulge in a dinner as sumptuous as the setting at this famed restaurant, part of Château du Sureau in Madera County, between Fresno and Yosemite. The tasting menu of classics—often with additions such as turkey consommé and seared scallops—comes with a choice of reserve wine pairings.
Northern California
Fairmont San Francisco, San Francisco
Enjoy a Thanksgiving buffet in San Francisco’s grand Laurel Court Restaurant & Bar—with domed ceilings and Italian frescoes—at this stately Nob Hill hotel. Check out the life-sized gingerbread house, already on display for the holiday season—and you can even book a spot to dine inside it.
Claremont Resort & Club, Berkeley
This classic 100-year-old hotel in Berkeley offers up a decadent Thanksgiving dinner at its Limewood restaurant with turkey plus sides like lobster mac ’n’ cheese and a veggie cornucopia. The Berkeley resort also offers Santa Suites from mid-November through December.
Carneros Resort and Spa, Napa
Enjoy a farm-to-your-table Thanksgiving dinner created by this Napa resort. Sit down for a multi-course feast with optional wine pairings at Farm or a three-course menu (with à la carte options for kids) at the more casual Boon Fly Café. The luxury Napa Valley resort also offers holiday-week festivities, such as a meditation class, a pie-making workshop, and a Black Friday event at the resort’s shop.
Napa Valley Wine Train, Napa
Set your Thanksgiving against Napa Valley’s lovely fall landscape on this 3.5-hour train-ride-meets-dinner with a menu that typically includes renowned Diestel Farms turkey from Tuolumne County, carrot ginger soup, and pumpkin crème brûlée—and plenty of local wine.
Montage Healdsburg, Healdsburg
Feast with a view of the vineyards and river at this Sonoma County resort. The three-course menu includes turkey with chestnut stuffing, lobster thermidor, sweet potato gratin, and a pumpkin cheesecake with huckleberries for dessert. During Thanksgiving week, hotel guests can enjoy afternoon teas and gratitude hikes as well as craft-making for kids at the resort’s Paintbox children’s program.
Delta King, Sacramento
Enjoy the holiday from this 1929 paddlewheel riverboat that calls the Old Sacramento Waterfront home. The buffet-style dinner includes turkey and prime rib carving stations, plus picturesque views of the Sacramento River.
National Exchange Hotel, Nevada City
Soak up the historic vibes at this charming reborn hotel in Gold Country’s Nevada City. The afternoon seating promises a multi-course, prix fixe feast including “modern spins on classic dishes.” The hotel doesn’t go back quite as far as the pilgrims, but it did open in 1856 as an upscale version of a Gold Rush mining camp.
Granlibakken, Tahoe City
This classic lodge on the northwest shore of Lake Tahoe makes a picture-perfect setting for a family feast, with the classic buffet of turkey and trimmings (along with vegetarian options, including a savory vegan roast) and creative appetizers like pickled-beet deviled eggs and salami trumpets with farmer’s cheese. If there’s snow, don’t miss out on the Tahoe City resort’s famed sledding hill.
The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe, Truckee
There’s nothing like cool mountain air to build up your appetite, so the setting at Manzanita restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe, is perfect, with its lodge ambience in Truckee, in the Sierra Nevada. The Thanksgiving prix fixe meal features colorful starters such as Dungeness crab agnolotti and savory main courses such as a Diestel turkey with sage-infused gravy. Or enjoy the buffet with live music at the hotel’s Dine Among the Pines event.
Trillium Café, Mendocino
Local flavors abound at this inn and restaurant with ocean views, set in the heart of Mendocino. Along with the organic local turkey, the Thanksgiving menu always includes a selection of appetizers and at least 5 entree choices besides turkey—plus creative desserts. The restaurant offers a new ocean-view pergola patio and ocean-view fire pit, plus dog-friendly outdoor dining.
Feather Falls Casino, Oroville
Enjoy a traditional feast at the Butte County casino resort owned by the Concow-Maidu of Mooretown Rancheria Tribe. Beyond turkey and the staples, Oroville’s Dreamcatcher Buffet typically features salmon, roasted chicken, cranberry-glazed pork chops, and dozens of sides, pies, and bread pudding. The casino resort is also home to the Feather Falls Brewing Co.
McCloud Hotel, McCloud
Soak up the scenery of Mt. Shasta at this charming hotel in McCloud, with easy access to the ski park. The menu for dinner at the hotel has featured orange sage–roasted turkey, butternut squash ravioli, corn soufflé, and chocolate cake with hazelnuts, as well as pumpkin pie with whipped cream.
