Thanksgiving in Miami comes with sunshine instead of snow — and the holiday week is packed with ways to celebrate. Thursday, November 26, 2026 is Thanksgiving Day, and across Greater Miami the week around it brings races, family festivals, beach days and the unofficial start of the holiday season.
Start the morning with a Miami tradition: the turkey trot. The Life Time Turkey Trot Miami takes over Tropical Park on Thanksgiving morning with a 5K, a 10K and a Kids Trot, all ending in a holiday Finish Festival with post-race activities for the whole family. On Miami Beach, the second annual Make-A-Wish Southern Florida Turkey Trot for Wishes invites runners and walkers to a 5K along the shoreline at Lummus Park — a feel-good way to give thanks and give back.
Thanksgiving week is also one of the best weeks of the year to be outdoors in Miami. November opens the dry season, with average highs around 80°F and breezy evenings near 70°F — perfect beach weather without the summer humidity. Pack a picnic for Bayfront Park, stroll Lincoln Road, take the family to the Miami Children’s Museum or Zoo Miami, and save room for Black Friday browsing at the city’s shopping districts the next morning.
Families visiting from colder places love Miami’s twist on the holiday: a morning run under palm trees, an afternoon on the sand, and a classic Thanksgiving dinner to close the day. Many restaurants across the city serve holiday menus, so plan ahead if you’d rather let someone else do the cooking.
However you celebrate, Thanksgiving in Miami proves the best holiday traditions can happen in flip-flops.
And the fun doesn’t end on Thursday: the long weekend is ideal for exploring — take the family to Frost Science or the Pérez Art Museum, walk the Wynwood Walls, or catch an early look at the holiday lights that start glowing around the city. December arrives just days later with Art Week, Art Basel and Christmas events (see our December and Art Basel guides), so Thanksgiving week is really just the warm-up for Miami’s best season.
Photo: Rob.Bertholf / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
