No work, tasty food, family and friends, leftovers, shopping and four fabulous nights out – that’s why Thanksgiving is such a great time of year! It signals the start of the holiday season, but it makes for a nice break before the hustle and bustle of December begins. Many clubs and bars host some of their biggest nights of the year this weekend, so be sure to get out of the house.

Tonight (Wednesday) is traditionally one of the busiest nights of the year for the regular Wednesday hot spots. Very few people work on Thanksgiving Thursday and many of the sexy native San Diegans are home for Thanksgiving break.

The regular Wednesday circuit, which includes Flicks and Rich’s, will be packed wall-to-wall. Rich’s will host the “Gobble-Gobble” Pre-Thanksgiving Party with DJ Nikno spinning electro pop and funky house music on the dance floor, and DJ Bizzy J in the front room. If you want to avoid the long line at Rich’s, other places to consider include Numbers’ Midweek Madness Party; the Butterball Party at Mo’s (following a special Thanksgiving edition of the Dreamgirls Revue show); or the Tiki Turkey Pre-Thanksgiving Party at Hula’s. The night before T-Day most of the bars and clubs around town have sizable, lively crowds, all getting smashed before they have to face a day with the family – so you’ll have fun wherever you end up!

My biggest fear when I was 21 was whether the clubs would be open on Thanksgiving night. My friends and I, who, at the time, couldn’t bear a quiet night at home, thought bar owners would have decided to close up shop for the night. I soon learned that’s not the case. So, if you are not passed out from over-indulging on turkey, hit the bars again. The bars and clubs will be open with their regular Thursday night line-ups.

Expect the rest of the weekend to be filled with crowds on vacation mode. Whatever your favorite Friday or Saturday night hot spot is, it will be hot as ever this Thanksgiving weekend. The corner of University and Vermont will be full of activity, as the Rich’s and Universal crowds party caddy-corner to each other. Park Boulevard will be popping starting with Bourbon Street and Lei Lounge on the north end, all the way down to The Flame and Numbers to the south. And of course, Fifth Avenue is another great stop, with bars like The Caliph, The Loft, Celadon Thai Lounge, The Brass Rail and #1 Fifth Ave.

Since you have a four-day weekend (which means four nights to party) why not mix it up and try another bar or club you don’t usually go to? I can’t tell you how many times I hear people complain they are bored of the “same old places.”

I just listed 11 different bars and clubs – and that’s not even a comprehensive list. If you haven’t been to one (or more) of the places before, be bold and try one of them out. Or, if you only go to a certain venue on a certain night, like The Brass Rail for Manic Mondays, try it on a different night when the bar hosts a different event. You are guaranteed to see an entirely different crowd, and experience a different vibe and music. Try something new this holiday weekend! Be thankful we have so many different nightlife options to choose from.

And then there is Sunday! After four nights of partying (and a lot of eating in between), it is definitely time to recover before school, work and the busy month of December begins. One of the most popular places to spend a Sunday is Urban Mo’s. Mo’s serves an awesome brunch, and the drinks and boys flow all afternoon long. During brunch, Mo’s even has a “Build Your Own Bloody Mary Bar”! Another great brunch spot is Lei Lounge for its “Remedy Sunday,” which includes a live DJ and $3 cocktails. My current favorite Sunday brunch is Hawthorn’s, with its tasty menu and fabulous mimosas. While the restaurant and lounge draws a great crowd, it is relatively quieter than the crowds at other places – and after a Saturday night out, that is usually what I need. Of course, if you just haven’t had enough, pop over to Mo’s and Rich’s to close out the holiday weekend – just remember you have to be up early on Monday morning!

Enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday and be safe!