Thanksgiving lands on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025. Here’s what you need to know about what’s open and closed across the D.C. region.
Thanksgiving will (probably) gobble up your Thursday — and whether you’re traveling, cooking or trying to pick up a last-minute ingredient, here’s what you need to know about what’s open and closed across the D.C. region.
Government and schools
Federal, state and local government offices in D.C., Maryland and Virginia will be closed Thursday in observance of the holiday.
D.C.-area school systems will also be closed, with most schools reopening by Monday, Dec. 1.
Mail and shipping
The U.S. Postal Service will not deliver regular mail on Thanksgiving. Expect only Priority Mail Express deliveries.
UPS and FedEx will operate limited or no services depending on the category. Check carrier-specific holiday schedules.
Banks
Most major banks — including Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Truist, PNC and Capital One — will be closed Thursday.
Grocery stores
If you need a last-minute pickup, many grocery stores are operating — but with sharply reduced hours.
Open (hours vary by location):
- Whole Foods Market: Open with modified hours; many locations closing early.
- Harris Teeter: Open; many stores closing around mid-afternoon.
- Food Lion: Open, often 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Dollar General: Open with adjusted holiday hours.
- Family Dollar: Many stores open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Safeway: Open with modified hours.
Closed:
- Walmart
- Target
- Costco
- Trader Joe’s
- Aldi
- Lidl
- BJ’s Wholesale Club
- Kroger Pharmacies
Most closures are part of chain-wide holiday policies for 2025.
Retail
Large retailers and department stores across the D.C. region continue the trend of staying closed on Thanksgiving Day. Expect Walmart, Target, Costco, Best Buy and most malls to keep their doors shut until Black Friday.
Some in-store pharmacies and convenience stores may be open, but with reduced hours. Check your specific location.
Restaurants
Restaurant hours vary widely. National chains, such as Golden Corral or IHOP, may keep select locations open, but many independent restaurants close for the holiday.
Call ahead, or double check with OpenTable listings for your area.
Parking services and traffic
DC
All parking enforcement will be suspended Thursday and Friday. You don’t need to feed the meter.
Transit
Here’s how to get around the region on Thanksgiving:
Metrorail
- Operates on a weekend late night schedule.
- System runs approximately 6 a.m. to midnight.
- Regular operations resume Friday, Nov. 29.
- First and last trains vary by station; riders should check WMATA’s trip planner.
Metrobus
- Runs a Sunday schedule across the region.
- Regular operations to resume Friday, Nov. 29.
Parking at Metro stations
Metro-owned garages and lots are typically free on Thanksgiving. WMATA has not issued a 2025 exception.
Maryland
The MARC train won’t provide service on Thanksgiving. For Black Friday, trains will operate on a Saturday schedule for the Penn Line only. No Brunswick or Camden line service.
Local bus services will operate on a Sunday/holiday schedule for Thursday. However, commuter bus operations will not run Thursday and Friday, except for Route 201, which will operate on a weekend/holiday schedule on both days.
The Light Rail service will operate on a Sunday/holiday schedule Thursday.
Anne Arundel County
There will be no service on the Anne Arundel bus lines. For Friday, only the following routes will be in service: 201, 202, 203 and the BWI Express.
Free parking in downtown Annapolis at metered spaces between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.
Montgomery County
Ride On Bus, including Ride On extRa (pink and lime), will operate on a Sunday schedule for Thanksgiving.
Flash bus service will operate Thursday on weekend and holiday schedule for the Orange Route, as the Blue Route not be in service. Both Blue and Orange routes will operate on a regular weekday service on Friday.
Fees will not be enforced Thursday for any public parking garages, lots and curbside meters. Payments will resume Friday.
Prince George’s County
TheBus will not operate on Thursday. Regular operations will resume Friday, except for Route P78.
The Call-A-Bus and PGC Link services will not operate Thursday or Friday. Operations start back up Monday, Dec. 1.
Howard County
Parking fees will not be enforced Thursday, but will in effect Friday.
Virginia
VRE does not have service on Thanksgiving Day.
City of Alexandria
DASH buses will run on a weekend schedule Thursday. Lines 102, 103 and 104 will not run. It will operate regular weekday service Friday.
The King Street Trolley service will run its regular schedule Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Arlington
ART buses 41, 42, 45, 51, 55 and 87 operate on Sunday schedule on Thursday. All other routes are not operating.
On Friday, ART 41, 42, 45, 51, 55, 77 and 87 will operate on Saturday schedules on Friday. All other routes aren’t operating.
Fairfax County
Fairfax Connector will operate on a Sunday service schedule Thursday and a holiday weekday schedule for Friday.
City of Fairfax’s CUE Bus will not have service Thursday. It will have a modified weekday service Friday.
Loudoun County
There won’t be any Loudoun County Transit bus service Thursday.
For Friday, there will be a significantly reduced schedule. See the Transit and Commuter Services webpage for more information.
Prince William County
There won’t be any OmniRide bus service Thursday.
OmniRide Metro Express, OmniRide Local and OmniRide East-West Express will operate regular service on Friday.
DC services
- Trash and recycling collections shift to the following day.
- Recreation centers, libraries and DMV locations are closed.
Maryland and Virginia services
County offices, libraries and courts are closed. Trash collection schedules vary by jurisdiction but generally operate on a holiday slide schedule.
Libraries and recreation centers
DC
D.C. Public Library will open the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday. The Neighborhood Library will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday. Co-located libraries (Rosedale, Northwest One and Deanwood) will operate from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
On Thanksgiving Day, all libraries will be closed.
Recreation centers, community centers and indoor aquatic centers will be closed Thursday and Friday.
Maryland
Anne Arundel County
Libraries will be closing at 5 p.m. on Wednesday and will remain closed Thursday and Friday. Doors will reopen Saturday.
Montgomery County
Libraries will be closed Thursday and reopen Friday.
Park facilities and buildings are closed Thursday (parks and trails are always open daily from sunrise to sunset). Community recreation centers will be closed Thursday and Friday.
Howard County
Libraries are closing at 5 p.m. on Wednesday and will be closed Thursday and Friday, reopening Saturday.
Community and athletic centers are closed Thursday and Friday to the general public.
Prince George’s County
Libraries close at 5 p.m. Wednesday and will remain closed Thursday. Branches will reopen Friday. Community centers are closed Thursday.
Virginia
City of Alexandria
Libraries are closed on Thursday and Friday.
All recreation centers are closed Thursday. On Friday, the Chinquapin Park Recreation Center and Aquatics Facility, Charles Houston Recreation Center, and Patrick Henry Recreation Center will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. All other facilities will be closed.
Arlington
Libraries are closing early at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, and will remain closed Thursday and Friday. All community centers are closed Thursday and Friday. However, the Long Bridge Aquatics and Fitness Center will be the sole community center open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday.
Fairfax County
Recreation centers are open Thursday from 6 a.m. to noon, and will follow normal operating hours Friday.
Libraries are closed Thursday and Friday.
Prince William County
Libraries will be closed Thursday and Friday.
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