Google tells us what we need to know to get to Thanksgiving without delay

By Lulu Chang Published November 23, 2016

google thanksgiving travel recipes leftovers — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Thanksgiving is fast approaching, but how fast will your journey home be? Have no fear, Google Maps is here to expedite the trip to the best of its abilities by way of some early data. On Monday, the Google Maps and Google Trends teams published a blog post to help folks plan the start of their holiday season. “From figuring out the best time to leave for grandma’s house to searching for the tastiest pumpkin pie recipe to wow your guests,” the internet giant wrote, “Google’s your guide to a successful (and gluttonous) turkey day.”

First and foremost, Google wants to ensure you can get to the food. For Turkey Day 2016, it looks as though the best time to get on the road would be early in the morning on November 20, the Sunday before Thanksgiving. “In cities with busy airports, airport traffic can be up to 60 percent worse than a normal workday,” Google points out, with the five most hectic airports located in Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, New York, and Atlanta.

Recommended Videos

Thanksgiving is not a time for procrastinators, as Google projects that the worst time to leave this year would be around 3 p.m. on November 23. Really, at that point, you might as well not leave at all.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

But do not dawdle once you finished stuffing yourself — Google Maps data suggests the best time to leave after your food coma passes is 6 a.m. on November 25. Conversely, the worst time to leave would be the late afternoon on the following day, November 26.

As for what you will actually be stuffing yourself with on Thanksgiving — and perhaps the days following — Google Trends offers a few insights. Presently, the top trending recipes for Thanksgiving are turkey dressing, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, prime rib, and corn casserole. As for the actual turkey preparation, it looks like roast turkey is the most popular method, followed by smoked turkey, grilled turkey, braised turkey, and of course, fried turkey.

So get ready, friends. You’re just a week or so away from hopefully avoiding traffic and running into the best meal of the year.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…

Mobile

When will my phone get Android 15? Here’s everything we know

Android 15 has been available for a few months on select Android smartphones. This update has been in development since February and went through three phases before finally rolling out, starting with Google's Pixel phones. If you're waiting for the latest software, your wait won't be much longer. If you're curious about when your current Android smartphone will receive the Android 15 update, here are all the details available so far.

Are you not too excited about Android 15? Well, Android 16 is now official, having recently been announced by Google. However, it's a long way from ready, given it's only just opened developer beta access.
When did Android 15 come out?

Mobile

I spent 48 hours with the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Here are 5 things you need to know

Someone holding the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, showing the back of the phone.

The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is an important phone for Google — perhaps the most important one the company has released this year. After a good, but flawed entry into the foldable market last year with the first Pixel Fold, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold marks a gargantuan year-over-year upgrade — including an all-new design, much better specs, and a drastically different name.

All of that looks good on paper, but how does it come together in the real world? I recently had the chance to spend about 48 hours with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and while that's certainly not enough time for a full review, it has revealed a few key things you should know about Google's newest foldable.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold's hardware is lovely

Mobile

The Google Home app is getting a major overhaul. Here’s what it looks like

Just days after announcing its fourth-generation Nest Learning Thermostat, Google is set to change the Google Home app. As first noted by Android Police, this will revamp how users interact with their compatible devices.

The updated app, part of the Google Home Public Preview version 3.20.1.8, has been revised, including the thermostat controls and the general UI. The refresh also relocates the Nest app and Energy Dashboard icons underneath the main thermostat controls; they now look like pills. Meanwhile, the settings cog and overflow menu remain at the app’s top.