Some Non-Traditional Things Coloradans Are Doing For Thanksgiving

ACROSS COLORADO – Outlet malls. Art centers. Home improvement stores. Cellphone retailers. Breweries. If history is any indicator, these are just some of the places people across the country will be headed over the Thanksgiving holiday this year.

That’s according to a new analysis by Google Maps and Google News Lab, which published a new report this week titled “Mapping Thanksgiving.” The report looked at places people searched directions for over the holiday more often than at other times of the year. The top place people in Colorado searched for over the holiday: Public Swimming Pools. Here’s a complete breakdown for our state:

Overall

1. swimming pool
2. railroad company
3. shooting range
4. supermarket
5. tourist attraction

Wednesday

1. swimming pool
2. railroad company
3. condominium complex
4. supermarket
5. shooting range

Thursday (Thanksgiving)

1. swimming pool
2. visitor center
3. state park
4. railroad company
5. golf club

Friday (Black Friday)

1. swimming pool
2. airport
3. shooting range
4. tourist attraction
5. railroad company

Just in case you happen to be looking for a public indoor swimming pool to take relatives over the vacation, Denver has 14 indoor pools to choose from:

Indoor Pool Schedules

• Ashland
• Athmar
• Carla Madison Leisure Pool
• Carla Madison Lap Pool
• Central Park
• Glenarm
• Hiawatha Davis Jr.
• La Familia
• Martin Luther King Jr.
• Montbello
• Montclair
• Rude Rec
• Scheitler
• Twentieth Street
• Washington Park

Also, check out these other pools in the metro area:

Wheat Ridge Recreation Center

4005 Kipling St., Wheat Ridge, CO 80033

(303) 231-1322

Lone Tree Recreation Center

10249 Ridgegate Circle, Lone Tree, CO 80124

(303) 708-3500

Apex Center

13150 W. 72nd Ave., Arvada, CO 80005

(303) 424-2739

Ridge Recreation Center

6613 S. Ward St., Littleton, CO 80127

(303) 409-2333

As for shooting ranges, there's always Google.

Your turn. Where are you heading for Thanksgiving? Tell us in the comment section or on Facebook.

Across the country, people searched for places in various industries, including restaurants, entertainment, religious organizations and even schools.

The research seemed to show that people geared up for Christmas early — the top search term overall from Wednesday to Friday was outlet mall, and the No. 1 place on the actual holiday was tree farm. Other top places included scenic overlook, electronics store and video-game store.

Several states had some particularly interesting trending search terms.

The top trending search term in Arizona was car-stereo store. Folks in Mississippi and Montana, meanwhile, looked for coffee shops, while Vermonters searched for pizza places. Nevadans seemed to be looking for parking garages.

Search trends were represented as general categories, rather than exact terms. Trending categories were determined by comparing the total number of direction requests during the three-day holiday period to the total number of direction requests two weeks before and two weeks after Thanksgiving week.

The categories that saw the highest ratio increase during Thanksgiving week were considered top trending categories. Those categories were then compared to the national rate.

Patch national staffer Dan Hampton contributed to this report.
Image: Washington Park Lap Pool via City of Denver

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