Hang with Einstein at Seasons Greenings   How about a side of recreation to go with your Thanksgiving meal? If you’re going to be in town for the holiday and are looking for pre- or post-feast activities, find some some ways to complement the main event of the day. Happy Thanksgiving!   See the fantastic Osgemeos: Endless Story exhibit if you can 1) Visit a Smithsonian museum or the National Zoo. They are all open on Thanksgiving from 10am – 5:30pm, except for the American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery which are open 11:30am – 7pm and the National Zoo 8am – 4pm. The National Gallery of Art (which is not part of the Smithsonian, just a neighbor on the Mall) is open, too, from 10am – 5pm. Admission is free at all of them, so they’re all easy pop-ins! [KFDC Tip: I highly recommend Osgemeos: Endless Story at the Hirshhorn — reserve free passes to see it.     Ice skating on the National Mall…so quintessentially DC 2) Go ice skating (if weather permits)! Many of the outdoor rinks in the area are open on the holiday, including our favorites in DC. Glide on the National Mall at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden Ice Rink, with beautiful Potomac views at Washington Harbour, and right over the river at The Wharf (opens Thanksgiving Day!). Find info on those and more in Virginia and Maryland.  And be sure to check ice rink websites for Thanksgiving Day hours!     Pollinators are part of the Season’s Greenings train display again 3) Experience Season’s Greenings at the U.S. Botanic Garden on the official opening day. The always delightful model train exhibit, constructed from plant materials, is outside in the National Garden again. And the Conservatory will be filled with its signature holiday decor, including sculptures of iconic DC sites (a few new ones. this year!), also made from plant materials.  Open 10am – 5pm. Admission is free.     Rock Creek Park is beautiful this time of year 4) Enjoy a holiday hike.  The forecast is looking great for Thursday, perfect some time on the trail.  In honor of the day, I suggest going to Turkey Run.  Rock Creek, Great Falls, Roosevelt Island, Huntley Meadows, and Riverbend are all nice parks for family tramping. This post has details on all of them along with even more recs for local walks in the woods.   Monkey around on the Hains Point playground 5) Hang out at a playground.  Beauvoir, Hains Point, Clemyjontri, Watkins Regional Park, Cabin John Regional Park, Wheaton Regional Park, plus loads of DC Parks and Rec locations, and many more in the DC Metro are good places to take littles to play while you’re waiting for the feast.     Fun on ICE! at National Harbor 6) Get into the holiday spirit at National Harbor.  There is a nightly tree lighting and light show in the Waterfront District that runs every half hour from sunset until 9pm. Plus, there’s much more holiday magic at the Gaylord National, including the popular ICE! exhibition, which you can find a discount for here.     City lights… Swinging bells are back at Light Yards 7) Take an evening drive or stroll (or swing) through a holiday light display— several around the area have started dazzling visitors with twinkling wonderlands.     The Alamo is a great place to catch a movie…and open on Thanksgiving 8) Catch a flick.  Just about all of our local movie theaters will be open, and there are some good films to see now!   A few family movies: Wicked, Moana 2, The Wild Robot. (On my list, with teens and older: A Real Pain, We Live in Time, Anora, Heretic.)  See what’s playing at a theater near you.