What's Open, Closed In DC For Thanksgiving 2020

WASHINGTON, DC — The week of Thanksgiving is almost here, and that means lots of travel, food, and closures.

The Thanksgiving tradition in America began with the pilgrims and Puritans who traveled from England in the 1600s. In 1621, pilgrims at Plymouth in present-day Massachusetts had a feast after a good harvest, which they enjoyed with the local Native Americans who helped them pass the winter by giving them food when there were lean times.

Thanksgiving falls on a Thursday every year, which makes it a little more predictable compared to other holidays in terms of what's going to be open and what's going to be closed. Everything is closed on Thursday and usually Friday as well, but there is a little bit of ambiguity on Wednesday. Mondays and Tuesdays are typically normal days but some organizations simply take the whole week off.

Here's a look at what's open and what's closed in D.C.:

Government offices: Closed Thursday

Courts: Closed Thursday

Schools: Closed Wednesday through Friday

Libraries: Closed Thursday

U.S. Postal Service: The post office will be closed on Thursday

Trash and recycling: No collections on Thursday, collections resume on Friday

Metro: On Thursday, local routes will operate on a Sunday schedule. Park & Ride routes will not operate. MetroRail and MetroRapid will operate on a Sunday schedule. Local MetroBus routes will operate on a Sunday schedule.

Travel tips: The American Automobile Association recently released its annual Thanksgiving travel forecast, which looks a lot different from those in previous years. AAA anticipates at least a 10 percent drop in travel this year — the largest one-year decrease since the 2008 Great Recession. If you plan to travel from D.C. and want to avoid the rush, beware of the peak travel time.

Also see ...

Thanksgiving Travel 2020: Worst Times To Travel In DC

Restaurants Open For Thanksgiving 2020 Around DC