Armchair parade watching

Posted by Elaine Filadelfo, Thanksgiving Day Parade Enthusiast

I'll admit it, I still love the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. In fact, this is the first year in as long as I can remember that I won't be spending my Wednesday evening braving the crowds on 77th Street to see the balloons getting inflated. But I'll definitely be camped out in front of my TV tomorrow morning (with frequent trips to the kitchen to baste my turkey, of course) watching the balloons, floats, and marching bands make their way through Herald Square. Plus, there are several maps and a KML file that plot out the route so you can follow along at home. That way, when the commentators say the Big Apple Circus float is at Columbus Circle, you'll know you've got plenty of time to stir your cranberry sauce before they perform.

There are also lots of parades happening in other cities across the country. Take a look in Google Maps and see if your city's parade is already in there (I just found Chicago's parade, for example). If you don't see it there, create your own MyMap of the route and the best viewing places.

And if all that parade watching makes you antsy to hit the streets yourself, there are plenty of Thanksgiving races charted out in MyMaps. Many of them show the actual routes, so you can also use them on Friday morning to burn off some of those calories from the big dinner!ost content