What’s open on Thanksgiving day in Los Angeles

This delightful tribute to the horticultural magic of Southern California includes more than 600 varieties of camellias and some five acres of roses. Just a heads up that Enchanted: Forest of Light, the illuminated, after-hours event at Descanso, won’t be running on the evening of Thanksgiving but will be the rest of the weekend.

This splashy museum dedicated to the history of moviemaking is open every day but Christmas. That means you can spend your Thanksgiving with C-3PO and the shark from Jaws, as well as explore “Color in Motion.” Just make sure to secure a reservation before you head over there.

Cinephiles study their ABCs at this beloved movie theater, defined by its bargain prices, shabby charm and film-for-film’s-sake attitude—not to mention that its owner is none other than Quentin Tarantino, making for an always-interesting bill. Its Thanksgiving picks are typically more interesting than whatever you’ll find at the multiplex.

If watching sea otters and penguins is more your speed than making small talk over dinner, then spend the afternoon at this Long Beach aquarium. Reservations are currently required on weekends and holidays—and if you’re hungry, you can book a Thanksgiving lunch on the veranda, as well.

These gorgeous grounds in Arcadia are perfect for a little peace and quiet. You could wander these gardens for hours; many do, taking in tropical forests and waterfalls, trees and fish.

L.A. doesn’t typically seem like much of a winter wonderland, until, that is, you create an ice skating rink right in the midst of Downtown skyscrapers. Come glide around and pretend there’s snow on the ground at Pershing Square’s outdoor holiday skating rink—which will be open from 11:30am to 9:30pm on Thanksgiving.

This South Bay botanic garden covers 87 acres on the northeast side of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. You’ll just need to secure a timed entry ticket—including on Thanksgiving.

We can’t think of a better way to spend a traditionally stressful holiday than luxuriating away from the hustle and bustle, tucked away in the relaxing embrace of clay and steam. There are Korean spas—a classic L.A. experience—and then there’s Wi. The 24-hour mega spa offers treatment rooms; five different heated saunas including jade, clay and salt; hot tubs; dry and steam saunas; a TV lounge area; a restaurant; library and sleeping rooms.

Drift into the Convention Center for the 10-day L.A. Auto Show with cars that would even make Bond drool. If you’re a car nerd, get behind the wheel to test drive one of the cherry rides (including an EV track), while celebrities meet and greet at the manufacturer exhibits. On Thanksgiving, the expo is open from 9am to 4pm.

Okay, so the museum portion of Griffith Observatory is technically closed on Thanksgiving Day, but our favorite part of the landmark is taking in the views, which you’ll still be able to do. The star attraction here has always been the building itself and the vantage point it affords of the cityscape, the hills of Griffith Park and the famed Hollywood sign. It’s one of the city’s must-see attractions and a perfect place to watch the sun set over another Thanksgiving.

Riverside’s stunningly beautiful Mission Inn is bathed in 4.5 million twinkly lights during the annual Festival of Lights. Normally open the day after Thanksgiving, the free seven-week-long holiday tradition gets an early start this year and runs from mid-November to early January.

The Laugh Factory is one of those clubs where you bring visitors if they want to see comedy celebrities—its round glowing orange sign is an iconic image synonymous with L.A. comedy. On Thanksgiving, the Factory typically hosts an annual free Thanksgiving Feast that’s open to anyone—the visiting, the hungry, the homeless—and served by comics and other celebs, who also perform sets throughout the afternoon.

You’re going to need a reservation, and you’re almost surely going to walk in thinking “I can’t believe all of these other families decided to come today, too.” But by Thanksgiving, Disneyland and its rides will already be decked out in a bit of holiday magic.

Universal Studios Hollywood’s hillside theme park offers some worthwhile thrills fueled by silver-screen memories. And what better way to partake in a bit of holiday magic than at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, where it always feels like a Thanksgiving feast anyway.