Black Friday, the nation's biggest shopping event of the year, is just around the corner. Retailers are advertising hundreds of deals and expecting thousands of shoppers.
But maybe you're thinking more carefully about your consumption this Thanksgiving weekend, or trying to stay out of debt for the holiday season, or just planning to spend more quality time with loved ones.
We've got your back.
Here are seven things to do this Friday that don’t involve going to the mall:
Go ice skating. Both admission and skate rental are free at the Blue Cross RiverRink on the 23rd, to celebrate the rink’s 25th opening day. There’s also the IceWorks skating complex, the Flyers Skate Zone, and the Rothman rink right next to Philadelphia’s City Hall.
Take a hike. Pennsylvania state parks are open every day of the year, sunrise to sunset, and there are some beautiful views. Visitor favorites include Hickory Run, Ridley Creek, and Norristown Farm. Don’t forget to bundle up first, since it’s forecasted to be a chilly morning!
Get in on the city’s traditions. From the Holiday Spectacular and the Electrical Spectacle to LOVE Park’s Christmas Village and the Morris Arboretum mini-railway, we’ve got you covered with a guide to the brightest annual attractions.
Bake up a storm. Sure, Turkey Day may have you stuffed. But you can always stock up on Christmas cookies or Hanukkah treats early, plus get a cozy (and delicious) escape from the shopping crowd.
Go back to Thanksgiving’s roots. George Washington actually proclaimed a national day of Thanksgiving in 1789, right here in Philadelphia. If you check out Independence Hall on Friday, you get free admission to the room where it all happened.
Go tree shopping. For some people, it’s a family tradition to go evergreen the day after Thanksgiving – why not make it your tradition, too? There are plenty of tree farms open Black Friday, and if you go early in the season, you’ll get first pick.
Watch a holiday movie (or three). As temperatures drop, snuggle up and stay warm with some classics – NBC10 rounds up some of your favorite festive films here. If you'd rather hit the theaters, The Grinch is the most recent holiday special, while Ralph Breaks the Internet and Creed II, the latter of which was filmed right here in Philly, are projected to be box office hits.
And finally, if you do plan to get to the mall no matter what, here's a helpful guide (and map) to all our local shopping center hours.
Hey, we've all got our weaknesses.
