More than 71 million people will be traveling by car this Thanksgiving, the AAA reports, to see family and friends, including on Long Island.
In Nassau and Suffolk counties, businesses are gearing up to help Long Islanders enjoy the holiday, whether they are dining out or preparing delicacies for a Thanksgiving feast at home.
For those looking for a restaurant experience, The Union, at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow, is hosting its first-ever Thanksgiving buffet in the ballroom of The Lannin, its catering venue, located in the same building. There will be two seatings: 12 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Prices are $89 for adults and $45 for children. Kids under age 3 eat free.
"It's the most important family meal of the year, and we're committed to making it relaxing and stress-free," Elias Trahanas, co-founder of Trahanas Hospitality Group, which operates The Union and The Lannin, said in a news release about Thanksgiving.
"We'll be serving all the classic family favorites, complemented by a variety of new dishes and unique culinary creations, all in an elegant and inviting setting that the whole family can enjoy," Trahanas added. "It will be a Thanksgiving experience to remember."
Along with traditional holiday offerings, the buffet will also include Italian, seafood and salad stations, as well as an abundance of desserts.
For those looking to enjoy dinner and possibly make a full weekend of the holiday, Gurney's Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa is offering a traditional Thanksgiving feast at its Scarpetta Beach Dining Room. Guests can also enjoy a bite or a drink at the resort's Firepit, featuring live music Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening, weather permitting.
For kids, Gurney's is offering fall-themed crafts cookie decorating with its pastry chefs on Friday afternoon, cake decorating on Saturday afternoon, and a screening of a family-friendly movie on Friday evening. On Saturday, they can splash and play at the seawater pool while watching a "dive-in movie."
Over in Cold Spring Harbor, Sandbar is offering a Thanksgiving prix fixe, from 12-8 p.m., at $85 per person plus tax and gratuity. Offerings an appetizer (duck tacos, jumbo lump crab cakes, the restaurant's prized chickpea fries and more) entrée (there's roasted turkey, of course, but also options for seafood lovers and steak enthusiasts) and a host of dessert offerings.
Long Island is filled with catering options, including from Old Field's Barbecue in Huntington. Zorn's of Bethpage is offering complete Thanksgiving dinners to go, and for home cooks, fresh turkeys are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
And for those looking for something a little different, Krave It in Huntington is offering its Thanksgiving Pie - a mashup of traditional favorites on a pizza crust. The crust is topped with turkey breast, candied yams, marshmallows and cornbread stuffing, drizzled in cranberry sauce and gravy.
To finish the meal on a sweet-yet-gourmet note, Port Washington-based Smusht is offering specialty pints of frozen treats, including sweet potato casserole with toasted marshmallows and pecans, caramel apple pie, pumpkin cheesecake with cinnamon streusel and a vegan caramel apple option.