If your Thanksgiving plans usually involve a coat, this is the list for that other kind of trip.
The one where the whole point is trading the cold for a porch, a pool, or a beach. We pulled together 11 destinations that are genuinely warm in late November, backed by real November temperature data rather than a vague “it’s nice down south.”
A few places nearby — see all in Naples
We split them into two groups, since “no passport needed” and “book a flight abroad” are two very different trips to plan for. If a Thanksgiving in Florida is more what you had in mind, four of the eight no-passport picks below are Florida destinations alone, each with a genuinely different personality.
Every property linked below is bookable direct through Stay with no OTA service fees. That typically saves 15% compared to booking the same home through Airbnb or Vrbo.
At a Glance: Warm Thanksgiving Destinations for 2026
| Destination | Late-Nov Temps | Passport? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Rico | 86°F / 75°F | No | Warmest no-passport option, Old San Juan charm |
| Maui, HI | 78–84°F / 70–74°F | No | Classic tropical Thanksgiving, whale season begins |
| Key West & the Florida Keys | 80°F / 72°F | No | Warmest spot in the continental US |
| Southwest Florida Gulf Coast | High 70s | No | Calm Gulf beaches, upscale and family-friendly |
| Miami Beach, FL | High 70s–low 80s | No | Warm beach + city energy |
| Scottsdale/Phoenix/Tucson, AZ | Mid-70s days, 40s nights | No | Dry desert warmth, golf, Arizona’s only Thanksgiving parade |
| San Diego, CA | Mid-60s–low 70s | No | Mildest reliable warmth, whale watching starts |
| St. Croix, US Virgin Islands | Mid-80s / mid-70s | No | Genuinely warm Caribbean, still a US territory |
| Los Cabos, Mexico | 75–83°F | Yes | Desert-meets-ocean, whale watching begins |
| Costa Rica (Pacific coast) | Warm, tropical; Southern Pacific still sees late-season rain | Yes | Jungle-and-beach adventure combo |
| Ambergris Caye, Belize | 84°F / 68°F | Yes | Reef snorkeling, quieter than Christmas week |
No Passport Needed
1. Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is the warmest “no passport” pick on this list by a real margin. Highs sit around 86°F, and lows rarely drop below 75°F.
By late November the island is heading into its dry season, right as hurricane season officially ends. Thanksgiving itself is genuinely celebrated here as Día de Acción de Gracias.
By the time you land, Old San Juan’s plazas are already starting to string up Christmas lights. The holiday atmosphere layers right on top of the beach weather.
November is also one of the island’s quieter, better-value months. It falls in the gap between hurricane season and the winter high season.
A note on booking here: this is a new market for us, so property inventory is still coming online. Check back as we add verified Puerto Rico rentals.
2. Maui, Hawaii
Maui runs 78–84°F during the day and rarely drops below 70°F at night in late November. It’s also the driest of the main Hawaiian islands, even as the wider archipelago moves into its wetter season.
Humpback whale season is just beginning to return offshore, with whales typically present in Hawaiian waters from November through April, according to NOAA’s Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Several islands run a Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot if your group wants to earn the feast.
The catch: Thanksgiving week itself is Maui’s single biggest demand spike of the fall. Plan to book 4–6 months out if those specific dates matter.
Where to stay: Best Day Trips from Kihei, Maui covers how to fill the days around your Thanksgiving stay. Best Time to Visit Hawaii breaks down the shoulder-season value angle, and Is Kihei Safe for Tourists? covers neighborhood-by-neighborhood practical notes if you’re staying in South Maui.
3. Key West & the Florida Keys
The Keys stretch 120 miles from Key Largo down to Key West, and daytime highs hold around 80°F the whole way, with lows around 72°F, close to the National Weather Service’s official 30-year normals for Key West. But which Key you pick matters more than the weather does.
Key Largo, the first island you hit driving from Miami, is built around diving and snorkeling at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Days here run toward boats, paddleboards, and mangrove eco-tours, with a relaxed, low-key nightlife scene.
Go to Key Largo if: diving or snorkeling is the actual point of the trip and you want the shortest drive from Miami.
Islamorada, about halfway down the chain, calls itself the “Sportfishing Capital of the World.” Expect offshore charters, upscale waterfront dining, and art galleries, a more refined, couples-friendly atmosphere than Marathon or Key West.
Go to Islamorada if: fishing is on the agenda, or you want a quieter, more upscale Keys trip without going all the way to Key West.
Marathon, sitting almost exactly in the middle of the island chain, is the most family-friendly stop. Sombrero Beach is one of the better family beaches in the Keys, and its central location makes day trips to both the Upper and Lower Keys easy.
Go to Marathon if: you’re traveling with kids and want a home base within reach of everything else.
Key West, at the southernmost tip, is the one with actual nightlife, walkability, and culture. The Key West Offshore Powerboat Racing World Championship runs the first week of November, and the town’s official holiday calendar, the Harbor Walk of Lights, home tours, a lighted boat parade, officially kicks off the night before Thanksgiving.
Go to Key West if: you want energy, walkable Duval Street nightlife, and a real holiday atmosphere layered on top of the beach weather. Thanksgiving week is one of the island’s two busiest windows of the year (along with the powerboat races), so book ahead.
4. Southwest Florida Gulf Coast: Naples, Sanibel & Sarasota
This stretch of Florida’s Gulf side sits in the high 70s through late November: calm turquoise water, quiet white-sand beaches, and a noticeably more upscale, less spring-break atmosphere than the Panhandle.
But “Southwest Florida” isn’t one trip. Naples, Sanibel, and Sarasota are genuinely different vacations that happen to share a coastline, and picking the wrong one for your group is the easiest way to end up disappointed.
Naples is the polished, golf-and-dining pick. Beaches sit right in town, no causeway or bridge required, and Fifth Avenue South and Third Street South are packed with upscale restaurants, galleries, and boutique shopping. With more than 80 golf courses in the greater Naples area, it’s built for couples and golfers who want their beach and their dinner reservation within a short walk of each other.
Go to Naples if: you want a couples’ or golf trip with real restaurants and a walkable, low-key nightlife scene.
Where to stay in Naples: Where to Stay in Naples, FL: Best Areas for Every Type of Trip and Where to Stay in Naples for Families & Couples cover neighborhood picks. What to Pack for a Fall Trip to Naples, FL and Best Time to Visit Naples, Florida cover the practical planning side. Getting Around Naples, Florida is worth a read if you’re deciding whether to rent a car.
Sanibel Island (and neighboring Captiva) is the slow-paced, nature-first pick. Strict local development laws have kept high-rises and chain restaurants off the island entirely, and the J.N. “Ding” Darling wildlife refuge anchors a genuinely quiet, shell-covered coastline. It’s about a 35–40 minute drive from Naples, across a causeway onto the barrier island.
Go to Sanibel if: you’re traveling with young kids or want a slower, unplugged nature vacation over a lively one.
Sarasota (and Siesta Key) is the cultural, bigger-city pick. Siesta Key Beach’s famously fine quartz sand regularly ranks among the best beaches in the country, and Sarasota’s arts scene, the Ringling Museum, an opera house, multiple theater companies, gives it more going on after dark than either Naples or Sanibel. It sits about two hours north of Naples by car.
Go to Sarasota if: your group wants a real beach-town-plus-city combination, with more affordable lodging than Naples to boot.
5. Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach stays in the high 70s to low 80s through Thanksgiving week. Unlike the quieter Gulf Coast, it pairs that warmth with genuine city energy.
Restaurants, nightlife, and Art Basel’s build-up all start landing in the weeks just before it kicks off in early December. It’s the pick on this list for a group that wants a warm beach during the day and an actual city to explore at night.
6. Scottsdale, Phoenix & Tucson, Arizona
The Sonoran Desert holds mid-70s daytime highs well into Thanksgiving week, though nights can drop into the 40s and 50s, so don’t leave the layers at home entirely. All three cities share the same desert, but they deliver genuinely different trips.
Scottsdale is polished and resort-driven, built for visitors. Old Town Scottsdale packs restaurants, galleries, and boutiques into a walkable district, and the resort corridor along Scottsdale Road includes some of the most luxurious hospitality in the Southwest. Fountain Hills, just outside town, hosts Arizona’s only Thanksgiving Day Parade on the morning of the holiday itself.
Go to Scottsdale if: you want a walkable resort town with golf, spas, and upscale dining close together.
Where to stay in Scottsdale: Phoenix vs. Scottsdale: Which Should You Visit? and Gilbert vs. Scottsdale help you pick a base within the Valley.
Phoenix is bigger, more affordable, and more spread out, at over 500 square miles, you’ll want a car for almost everything. It’s the pick for a group that wants more texture and variety than a curated resort district, plus events like the Phoenix Zoo’s ZooLights, which starts November 27, and the Hidden in the Hills artist studio tour.
Go to Phoenix if: budget and variety matter more than walkability, or you want easy access to both Scottsdale and Sedona from a central base.
Tucson, about two hours south of Phoenix, has its own distinct identity: a stronger Mexican cultural influence, a serious arts and food scene, and Saguaro National Park’s cactus forests on both sides of the city.
Go to Tucson if: you want a genuinely different Southwest city rather than another stop in the Phoenix metro, and don’t mind the extra drive.
Where to stay near Tucson: Best Day Trips from Phoenix, AZ covers Tucson, Sedona, and the Grand Canyon if you’re based in the Valley and want to see all three.
7. San Diego, California
San Diego is the mildest, not the warmest, entry on this list: mid-60s to low 70s.
It’s also one of the most reliable. Humpback whale season is just kicking off offshore, and a genuine slate of Thanksgiving Day brunch and lunch cruises run out of the harbor if you’d rather not cook.
Book rental cars early. Demand spikes hard over the holiday weekend.
8. St. Croix, US Virgin Islands
St. Croix runs mid-80s during the day and mid-70s at night in late November. For a genuine Caribbean Thanksgiving vacation without a passport, this is about as close as it gets: real Caribbean weather, and because it’s a US territory, it’s another “no passport needed” entry alongside Puerto Rico.
Late November is still technically the tail end of hurricane season, so pack for the occasional tropical shower. They tend to be brief.
International Escapes
9. Los Cabos, Mexico
Los Cabos runs 75–83°F in late November, and whale watching season is just beginning offshore as humpbacks start arriving for the winter. “Los Cabos” actually means two towns, about 20 miles apart, with genuinely different personalities.
Cabo San Lucas is the party town: a busy marina, beachside bars blasting music, and a walkable downtown built entirely around tourism. It’s known for its lively (sometimes very lively) nightlife and easy walkability if you’re staying near Medano Beach.
Go to Cabo San Lucas if: nightlife, energy, and a big-resort atmosphere are what you’re after.
Where to stay in Cabo San Lucas: Best Time to Visit Cabo San Lucas breaks down pricing and crowd patterns month by month, and Is Cabo San Lucas Safe for Tourists? covers current, practical safety context.
San José del Cabo, the older and quieter of the two, has colonial architecture, cobblestone streets, art galleries, and a more authentic Mexican food scene, including a well-known street food tradition Cabo San Lucas doesn’t really have.
Go to San José del Cabo if: you want culture and quiet over nightlife, without giving up warm weather or ocean views. The two towns are about a 30-minute drive apart, so a day trip to the other is easy either way.
10. Costa Rica (Pacific Coast)
The Southern Pacific coast, sometimes called the Costa Ballena, is one of the last parts of Costa Rica to dry out. Unlike the northern Pacific (Guanacaste), which is usually dry by November, this stretch around Uvita, Dominical, and Ojochal can still see real rain into late November, heaviest at night, with mostly sunny mornings. It’s warm and tropical either way, just pack for the occasional evening downpour. Three towns anchor the region, each with its own role.
Uvita is the practical base: more restaurants, more tour operators, a bigger supermarket, and the main entrance to Marino Ballena National Park, home to the whale-tail-shaped Punta Uvita sandbar.
Go to Uvita if: you want the most amenities and easiest logistics as your home base for the region.
Dominical, a short drive north, is the surf town: beginner-friendly breaks, cafes, and a younger, more laid-back energy than Uvita or Ojochal.
Go to Dominical if: surfing is the main draw of the trip.
Ojochal, further south, is the dining hub. French and Canadian expats built a cluster of genuinely excellent restaurants here starting in the 1990s and 2000s, punching well above what a village this size should be able to deliver, and it sits slightly inland for cooler evenings.
Go to Ojochal if: food is a priority and you don’t mind a quieter, more residential base than Uvita.
Where to stay: Day Trips from Ojochal, Costa Rica covers Marino Ballena National Park and the wider Costa Ballena region, and Things to Do in Ojochal, Costa Rica is a full first-timer’s guide.
11. Ambergris Caye, Belize
Ambergris Caye holds around 84°F during the day and 68°F at night, with the wet season starting to taper off by late November.
It’s a genuine reef destination. The Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Belize’s first marine protected area, sits just offshore for snorkeling and diving, and the island is noticeably quieter here than during the Christmas rush that follows a few weeks later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the warmest place to go for Thanksgiving without a passport?
Puerto Rico is the warmest true “no passport” option, with highs around 86°F in late November. Key West and the Florida Keys are close behind, and both St. Croix and Maui offer genuinely warm, tropical weather without leaving US territory.
Do I need a passport for St. Croix or Puerto Rico?
No. Both are US territories, so US citizens can travel there the same way they would to any US state, no passport, no customs, no currency exchange.
Naples, Sanibel, or Sarasota, which one should I actually pick?
Naples for a couples’ or golf trip with real restaurants nearby. Sanibel for families or anyone who wants a slow, nature-focused week. Sarasota if your group wants culture and nightlife alongside one of the best beaches in the country.
Key West or one of the other Florida Keys?
Key West for nightlife and walkability. Islamorada for fishing and a quieter, upscale vibe. Marathon for families who want a central base. Key Largo if diving is the actual point of the trip.
How far in advance should I book a warm Thanksgiving destination?
Thanksgiving week is one of the busiest travel periods of the year across nearly every destination on this list. Popular spots like Maui and Key West are best booked 4–6 months out if your dates are fixed. More flexible destinations like the Southwest Florida Gulf Coast or Scottsdale can often still be booked 2–3 months ahead.
Is it actually warm in Arizona for Thanksgiving?
During the day, yes, expect mid-70s in Scottsdale, Phoenix, and Tucson. Nights are a different story and can drop into the 40s, so pack layers even for a desert Thanksgiving trip.
Do I really save money booking direct instead of through Airbnb or Vrbo?
Yes. Booking the same property directly through StayWithStay typically saves around 15% compared to booking through a major OTA, since you’re not paying an additional guest service fee on top of the nightly rate.