The Pilgrims landed in Massachusetts in late 1620, and today’s Thanksgiving tradition stems from the feast held in the autumn of 1621 by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag natives to celebrate the colony's first successful harvest.
While in Massachusetts this coming summer you can visit Plymouth Rock, along the coastline between Boston and Cape Cod, where folklore has it that the Pilgrims on the Mayflower first landed.
Another modern Thanksgiving tradition is the "pardoning" of the White House turkey in Washington. (No wisecracks, please, about how many turkeys there are in Washington.) In the photo below, President John F. Kennedy is pardoning the 1963 turkey, only a matter of days before his fateful visit to Dallas.
The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is located in Boston, a city that is a must-visit while in Massachusetts. If you want to further immerse yourself in the history of the Kennedys, you can visit the Hyannis Port Historic District along the Nantucket Sound waterfront on Cape Cod. You could even go to Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard, an utterly charming island village adjacent to Chappaquiddick Island, where Senator Ted Kennedy’s infamous and deadly auto accident took place.
There is a wealth of history and tradition to be explored in Massachusetts. Don’t forget to allow extra time during your convention vacation to fully enjoy all these distinctive attractions.
Happy Thanksgiving!