FX Excursions

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Where to Celebrate New Year’s Eve in the United States

by Aoife O'Riordan

Dec 25, 2024

© Bradley Greeff | Dreamstime.com

eFlyer Lead

When you hear New Year’s Eve and “party” in the same sentence, your mind likely goes straight to New York City’s Times Square, where the iconic ball drop marks the end of a year and the start of another. Watching this exciting event from the comfort of your living room is much different than actually being there, and it’s no secret a trip to New York City for New Year’s Eve is quite pricey, not to mention crowded … very crowded.

Luckily, financial website WalletHub just revealed some other great U.S. destinations to ring in the New Year.

Beyond New York City, WalletHub found Orlando, Florida; San Diego, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Chicago, Illinois; Atlanta, Georgia; Miami, Florida; San Francisco, California; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Seattle, Washington, as some other great options to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

WalletHub compared entertainment and food, cost, and safety and accessibility to determine which cities came out on top. Safety and accessibility includes walkability, traffic congestion (because who wants that?), share of delayed flights, and forecasted precipitation, among others. Entertainment and dining for New Year’s Eve comes, of course, in the form of fireworks, the duration of fireworks shows, availability of restaurants, nightlife options and other factors.

So, beyond New York City, what makes Orlando your next best bet for New Year’s Eve celebrations? To start, the city boasts one of the longest fireworks displays in the country. Orlando also teems with shops, with the second-most jewelry shops and the second-most gourmet food stores per capita. And, for a night out, the city features the third-most nightlife options per capita.

San Diego also ranks high thanks to its mild weather, clear skies and low chance of precipitation on New Year’s Eve. The city offers many restaurants with high ratings, and those wishing to toast the new year will be happy to know San Diego has the 13th-lowest average wine cost among the more than 100 U.S. cities studied.

Where shouldn’t you go for New Year’s Eve? According to WalletHub, Lubbock, Texas; Garland, Texas; San Jose, California; Aurora, Colorado; Oakland, California; Memphis, Tennessee; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Glendale, Arizona; Anchorage, Alaska; and San Bernardino, California, rank the lowest across entertainment and food, cost, and safety and accessibility.

In Albuquerque and Anchorage, expect to pay high prices for wine, while Glendale, Arizona’s, average 3-star hotel will set you back considerably compared to similar hotels in Orlando, Atlanta and Houston.

WalletHub sourced data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Council for Community and Economic Research, Priceline, U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Yelp, local tourism offices and more.

Find the full study here.

Do you plan to travel for New Year’s Eve? Have you been to Times Square for New Year’s Eve before? Has any U.S. city surprised you in their New Year’s Eve celebrations? Do you have any advice for travelers unsure of where to go for New Year’s Eve? Tell us your thoughts. Email us at letters@globaltravelerusa.com. Please include your full name and location.

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