Im hoping you helpful people could advise me with a question on visiting the US

I have always been intrigued by Thanksgiving but being in the Ireland/England have no real experience of it. I know it is a popular time for family gatherings but would it be a good time to be a tourist in a city or best avoided? My boyfriend and I are going to New York and Boston in late November (currently talking about 21st ish but we can make it a few days later either). Having looked online we could go to the Macys parade and out for Thanksgiving dinner on the day (is that realistic?) but will the whole weekend (and in particular Friday) be crazy busy and/or have all the tourist places closed? Currently we havent decided which city to go to first, would it make any difference?

I guess the main thing Im asking is should we arrive just before Thanksgiving (probably on Wednesday) or delay a few days and get in on say Sunday?

Thank you!

In New England the real tourist places all close for American Thanksgiving Thursday and some on Friday.

FYI that Friday is called "Black Friday" in the shopping industry and people have been known to be stomped to death (yes in the USA) outside of a Wal-mart waiting for the 6AM opening.

Better to plan a shopping trip some other time. In New England family life,. Thanksgiving is like St Patricks Day in Ireland.

I think you should go to the Macy's parade and out to dinner in NYC on Thanksgiving if you have the opportunity . Definitely avoid stores and malls on the day after! Utter lunacy! That could be a great day to take in a Broadway show, or the show at Radio City Music Hall, go to Rockefeller center, other tourist places in the city. If you go to Boston (a city I'm biased towards, being a born Yankee from Massachusetts ) after Thanksgiving, everything will be decorated for Christmas.