Thanksgiving doesn't always lead you home

You can celebrate Thanksgiving with a horse and carriage ride at the landmark Biltmore estate in Asheville, N.C., which will already by decorated for Christmas by then. For meals, you have a choice of venues — Bistro, Deerpark or Stable Cafe, or, if you're staying at the Inn on Biltmore Estate, you can have your turkey at The Dining Room. Three-night packages at the Inn start at $1,760 for two; details at biltmore.com.

In St. Augustine, Fla., the local version of Thanksgiving is actually celebrated in September, commemorating a feast held more than 440 years ago between Spanish colonial settlers and native Timucuan Indians. The November holiday gets its due as well in restaurants around the historic city, but some chefs reinterpret traditional Thanksgiving fare to incorporate seafood and Spanish influences.

For example, the menu at the Reef of St. Augustine, one of the city's oceanfront restaurants, will feature turkey, ham and stuffing, but also Minorcan clam chowder, a regional specialty that has a tomato broth and peppers; oysters and shrimp; Spanish salads and paella-style casserole. "Not necessarily the authentic 16th century Spanish menu", said general manager Jeremy Ticehurst, "but we do make efforts to infuse the flavors of our Spanish heritage and freshest local ingredients into our menu when planning special events."

With kids off from school and families getting together, Thanksgiving is naturally a busy time at Walt Disney World. The park serves up more than 100,000 pounds of turkey during the month of November, from elaborate Thanksgiving meals at the park's sitdown restaurants to turkey drumsticks, a popular a la carte item on Disney menus year-round.

Among the more unusual Thanksgiving traditions at Walt Disney World Resort is a gathering of some 20 families at the park's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. For more than 30 years, they've been erecting a village of tepees there and cooking several dozen turkeys in big open pits. "Our kids look forward to it more than Christmas," said Karen Butler, who drives with her husband from Georgia to take part in the event. "It's real family time."

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In California, the annual San Diego Thanksgiving Dixieland Jazz Festivale, featuring two dozen Dixie Land bands, takes place Nov. 21-25. And wine-lovers can spend Thanksgiving Day aboard the Napa Valley wine train, which offers lunch and dinner excursions; details at 800-427-4124.

Finally, if for some reason you'd prefer to celebrate this most American of holidays on the other side of the Atlantic, head to Italy. Francesca Bortolotto Possati, the owner of the Bauer Hotel in Venice, lived in America for many years and holds a traditional Thanksgiving meal at the hotel each year for guests and friends. Rates begin at $2,500 for a four-night stay.

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