What's Open, Closed In Arlington For Thanksgiving 2020

ARLINGTON, VA — 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 Arlington:

All Arlington County government offices, courts, libraries, and facilities will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 26, and Friday, Nov. 27, in observance of Thanksgiving

Below are the schedule changes to know for the Thanksgiving holiday around Arlington:

• No Trash and recycling on Thursday. Regular Thursday routes shift to Friday and regular Friday routes shift to Saturday.
• Metered Parking will not be enforced on Thursday and Friday.
• DMV & DMV Select: All DMV offices are closed. Visit DMV's Online Services to access many available.
• Human Services: Closed (Child Protective Services, Adult Protective Services, and Mental Health Emergency Services open 24/7/365)
• Parks & Recreation Facilities & Programs: Administrative offices, centers, classes and leagues will be closed on Thursday and Friday. Parks and outdoor amenities will be open with some restrictions.
• Permitting and Inspection Services: Permit Office is closed. No building or trade inspections will take place. Online permitting is available. System is available for customer use and application submissions.
• Public Schools: Closed Wednesday-Friday.
• Sheriff's Office: Administrative offices closed on Thursday. In-person personal visits at the ACDF are suspended due to the pandemic until further notice.
• Swimming Pools: For openings, see pool schedule.
• Treasurer's Office: Closed, but CAPP available for online payments.

Transportation

• ART – Nov. 27: ART 41, 42, 45, 51, 55 and 87 will operate on Sunday schedules. All other ART routes will not operate and the ART customer call center will be closed. Nov. 28: ART 41, 42, 45, 51, 55 and 87 will operate on Saturday schedules. All other ART routes will not operate and the ART customer call center will be closed.
• STAR – The Call Center will be closed Nov. 26-27. To book STAR trips on those days, please contact the Call Center before the holiday to request a trip for Nov. 26 and Nov. 27.

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 Arlington and want to avoid the rush, beware of the peak travel time.

Also see ...

Thanksgiving Travel 2020: Worst Times To Travel In Arlington

Restaurants Open For Thanksgiving 2020 Around Arlington