For some, Thanksgiving is a time to gather with friends and family. For others, it’s an excuse to get the heck out of Dodge — throw a dart at a map and disappear for a long weekend.

Impromptu vacationing can be hard on the wallet, though. To help narrow down a turkey-fugitive’s destinations, Travel + Leisure recently published “10 of the Cheapest Places to Travel for Thanksgiving This Year.”

“Forget the chaos of December: Thanksgiving might just be the smartest (and most underrated) time to sneak in a trip,” writes Lauren Dana Ellman. “The long weekend offers a perfect window for a quick escape before peak holiday crowds and price surges hit.”

Using economy airfare and hotel-price data from travel site Kayak — which, good news alert, indicate costs for travel are down 2% this year — Travel + Leisure compiled a price-based ranking of mostly U.S. cities (cheapest at top). The inclusion of Mexico City might appeal to some, however, given its average mid-70s temperature in November.

1 Minneapolis

2 Seattle

3 Denver

4 Atlanta

5 San Francisco

6 Boston

7 Chicago

8 Las Vegas

9 Mexico City

10 Nashville, Tenn.

Source: travelandleisure.com/affordable-places-to-travel-thanksgiving-11836473

— John Metcalfe, Staff writer