What's open and what's closed in the Bay Area on Thanksgiving and Black Friday weekend

Byby Juan Carlos Guerrero KGO logo
Thursday, November 22, 2018
Bay Area attractions and events on Thanksgiving and Black Friday
A community decorated Christmas tree shines bright at Christmas in the Park in San Jose.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- It's Thanksgiving and you have relatives in town. You don't have to stay cooped up inside until the turkey is ready. Here are some suggestions to keep you and them busy until dinner time.

Attractions open on Thanksgiving

Aquarium of the Bay

California Academy of Sciences

Japanese Tea Garden

Musee Mecanique

San Francisco Botanical Garden - Free admission on Thanksgiving

San Francisco Zoo

San Jose Friendship Garden

Watch a movie

Movie theaters are open on Thanksgiving. Films premiering this week are "Ralph Breaks the Internet", "Creed II" and "Robin Hood."

Go ice skating

Many of the season outdoor ice skating rinks stay open on Thanksgiving. Some even open just in the evening to keep you from lounging on the sofa like a stuffed turkey.

Check out our list of holiday ice skating rinks.

These are the best spots to enjoy some holiday ice skating in the Bay Area.

Take a tour

Restaurants and shops in San Francisco's main tourist attractions are open, including Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39. You can also take a tour by land or sea of San Francisco and the bay. Big Bus San Francisco, Red and White Fleet, and Blue and Gold Fleet Bay Cruise are all operating on Thanksgiving.

Go for a run

The best bay to feel good about stuffing yourself at Thanksgiving dinner is to burn some calories early in the day. At least 14 Bay Area cities have turkey trots on Thanksgiving morning. Air quality should not be a factor since a storm system will clear the air in time for these Thursday morning runs.

Applied Materials Silicon Valley Turkey Trot

Oakland Turkey Trot

San Francisco Turkey Trot

Zoom Turkey Trot Half Marathon - to burn even more calories.

Get in the holiday spirit

These events are not open on Thanksgiving, but they do get going on Black Friday.

Union Square Tree Lighting Ceremony

Christmas in the Park

San Rafael Parade of Lights & Winter Wonderland

The Great Dickens Christmas Fair

Black Friday and beyond

These attractions reopen the day after Thanksgiving.

Asian Art Museum

Chabot Space and Science Center

Children's Discovery Museum

Children's Fairyland

De Young Museum

Exploratorium

Legion of Honor

Oakland Museum of California

Oakland Zoo

Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

San Jose Museum of Art

Tech Museum

The Walt Disney Family Museum