gobble gobble

San Antonio carves out No. 3 spot among best Thanksgiving cities

WalletHub says San Antonio is a top spot for Turkey Day.

San Antonio has lost its seat at the head of the table and no longer stands as the No. 1 best city to go for Thanksgiving, a new report has declared.

Experts at personal finance website WalletHub examined the 100 largest U.S. cities using 18 relevant metrics to determine the best places to "gobble up Thanksgiving festivities at a reasonable price." Cities were also ranked across five main categories: celebrations and traditions; affordability; safety and accessibility; weather forecast; and a "giving thanks" rank.

San Antonio slipped into the No. 3 spot for 2026 while Dallas (No. 1) and Atlanta, Georgia (No. 2) claimed the top two spots. This is the first time Dallas has landed in the top spot; the city previously ranked No. 4 in 2025.

Despite landing in third place, San Antonio tops the list for its dining affordability during the Thanksgiving holiday. The city boasts "an extremely high number of restaurants rated at least 4.5 stars," and there's still time to make a reservation at one of the local restaurants hosting their own Turkey Day feasts and to-go meals this year.

"And if you’re looking to celebrate Thanksgiving on a budget before diving into the shopping weekend, San Antonio offers the third-cheapest Thanksgiving dinner in the country," the report said.

San Antonio ranks 9th nationally for its "celebrations and traditions" rank, largely due to its numerous holiday happenings that take over in November and December. Additionally, the report said the city's weather forecast ranks as the second best in the U.S.

"Finally, San Antonio is only forecasted to have a 1 percent chance of precipitation during Thanksgiving, giving an even better atmosphere to the holiday," the report said.

Other Texas cities that earned spots on the list include Houston (No. 7), Plano (No. 12), Arlington (No. 17), Austin (No. 19), Lubbock (No. 28), Corpus Christi (No. 36), Fort Worth (No. 47), Irving (No. 55), Garland (No. 67), Laredo (No. 71), and El Paso (No. 80).

The top 10 best places to go for Thanksgiving in 2026 are:

No. 1 – Dallas
No. 2 – Atlanta, Georgia
No. 3 – San Antonio
No. 4 – Louisville, Kentucky
No. 5 – Las Vegas
No. 6 – Scottsdale, Arizona
No. 7 – Houston
No. 8 – Virginia Beach, Virginia
No. 9 – Boston
No. 10 – Chesapeake, Virginia

dallas holiday happenings thanksgiving turkey trot san antonio

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Editor's note: The top San Antonio news of the week includes two openings, one closure, an acquisition, and a mansion for sale. Read on for our most popular headlines, then plan your weekend right here.

1. Decadent dessert shop MilkShake Factory opens in northwest San Antonio. Sweet things are coming to San Antonio's growing Northwest Side via the second local outpost of MilkShake Factory, coming to The Landmark, near La Cantera, on Saturday, November 7.

2. Filipino bakery chain exits Texas with San Antonio closure. San Antonio’s Filipino community has lost one of its go-to spots for celebration cakes. Jollibee’s Red Ribbon Bakeshop chain has pulled out of Texas with the closure of its San Antonio bakery at 84013 SH-151.

3. Terry Black's Barbecue reveals opening date for San Antonio restaurant. Barbecue fans, get fired up: The city's first Terry Black's Barbecue will open November 17 in the Broadway corridor.

Coming to San Antonio November 17. Photo courtesy of Terry Black's Barbecue

4. Venezuelan food giant scoops up San Antonio nacho king Ricos. Rico’s Products, the San Antonio family business behind concession stand cheese, has been acquired by Caracas-based food giant Empresas Polar.

5. Chip and Joanna Gaines list TV-series mansion in Waco for $7.4 million. An estate that will star in Chip and Joanna Gaines’ latest TV series, Fixer Upper: Chip Bought a Mansion, has gone on the market for $7.4 million. The more than 14,000-square-foot mansion sits on a 5.7-acre site that boasts views of Lake Waco.