Actually, some families do go out to a restaurant for Thanksgiving.  Mine has done so for several years now.  The places are always packed, so it can't be that uncommon.

There are lots of restaurants around that are doing Thanksgiving dinners - the Pickwick is one of them - but I second rediguana's suggestion that you and your family head to the DECC.

The Lighthouse on Homestead Rd.

Black Woods had a decent classic turkey buffet that I heard was good.  If you're into the all you can eat thing, it might be worth calling them up.  Nothing about this event on their web site, though.

Oops, I meant Alice's Restaurant.

Lakeview Castle does a nice job.

You need reservations though and I believe the Plaza IGA does Thanksgiving Dinners that are not bad. Before Thanksgiving you pay a price (very low as I remember) and you get a complete dinner that you finish cooking at home.

My wife and I did it one year and it was good.

Peace

Back in my radio days, must have been '96.  I got stuck with the evening gig on the night before Thanksgiving.  This was KAXE-FM, northern community radio, one of the best stations in the country, heck the world. Most of the music shows were done by volunteers but if you couldn't get people (on say, the night before a huge holiday) staff had to fill in. Anyway, I played Alice's restaurant, the whole thing. I had never heard it before.  Highly recommended.  Maybe I'll pull it out to listen to with the fam this year.  Thanks for the hijack/memory jogger Gremmels and Bret.  

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As for where to go, I know this isn't what you're looking for lady, but most north country families I know have a "room for more" policy on Thanksgiving.  In fat times and lean times there's always room for more and our house is no exception.

Oh, this is a great place to ask my Thanksgiving question: If I wanted to invite five complete strangers (preferably middle-aged single women) to my home for Thanksgiving dinner, how would I start? Would you be interested if you fit that description and had nowhere else to go that day? This is a fantasy dinner of mine, though I'm usually busy (cooking for others) on that day. What do you think?

Paul, actually I AM a female and would like to invite other females over for dinner just to have a good time and make new friends. I'd invite YOU, however, just for the laughs. Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanks, rootbeerlady. I feel the same way, and it sounds interesting and fun. I may be back with my invite!

Carla. . .you are not. . . .

PJ, I always find a dinner with women to be a lot more fun than mixed company! But then I grew up in a family of men and have tried to make up for it ever since. Go for it!

c- you're the lesbian big sister i never had.

My family will also be in Duluth on Thanksgiving Day and need to find a restaurant  for dinner, so I'm glad for the suggestions here. We are going to Duluth to visit our adult daughter, who, due to a traumatic brain injury, lives in a supervised group home there.

view? 

we *used* to have the Buena.

PJ, thanks for the suggestion. I'll look into Blackwoods.

Midi is great! Good food, great atmosphere, nice view. Wish I'd thought of that one.