Map Shows Best cities for New Year's Eve

2 days ago 9

What's New

As 2024 draws to a close, a recent study, mapped by Newsweek, has revealed the best cities in which to celebrate New Year's Eve this year.

Why It Matters

People around the world will soon come together with friends, family or both to welcome in the New Year, with celebrations planned in many major cities.

To reach its conclusions, personal finance website WalletHub compared the 100 biggest U.S. cities across the three key areas of "entertainment & food," "costs," and "safety & accessibility."

Specific metrics within these groups included, but were not limited to, legality of fireworks, duration of 2024 fireworks shows, restaurants per capita, alcohol shops per capita, taxi-fare cost, walkability, and more.

Data was collected from a range of sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau, local tourism boards, and online reviews.

What To Know

The cities that made it into the top 10 were:

New York, NY
Orlando, Fl
San Diego, CA
Las Vegas, NV
Chicago, IL
Atlanta, GA
Miami, FL
San Francisco, CA
Pittsburgh, PA
Seattle, WA

New York City's ball drop event "is probably the most iconic celebration of the holiday anywhere," said WalletHub.

The report said New York leads the nation in both the number of restaurants per capita and the availability of affordable dining options rated 4.5 stars or higher.

Additionally, it ranked seventh in music venues and sixth in nightlife options per capita. NYC is also celebrated as one of the most walkable cities in the country, it said.

The study said that Orlando was ranked as the second-most fun city in the U.S. overall. It also boasts the second-highest number of party supply stores and the third-most nightlife options per capita.

The city has one of the longest fireworks displays in the country, WalletHub noted.

At just $55, the price of a three-star hotel room here on New Year's Eve was the second cheapest in the country, the report said.

The report said San Diego has the lowest chance of precipitation on New Year's Eve. It was also noted for its culinary offerings, with plenty of highly-rated restaurants.

"For people looking to have a relaxing evening with some music, San Diego has the 14th-most music venues per capita," read the report.

"And those who want to celebrate the transition to a new year with a bottle of wine will be happy to know that San Diego has the 13th-lowest average wine cost among the more than 100 cities in our study."

What People Are Saying

WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo told Newsweek: "The 2024 New Year's Eve city rankings saw some notable shifts compared to 2023, mostly driven by changes in affordability, entertainment offerings, and overall accessibility. Cities like Irvine, CA (from 72^nd to 21^st), and St. Paul, MN (from 70^th to 24^th), made dramatic jumps in the rankings.

"Other cities such as Virginia Beach, VA, and Boise City, ID, also surged in the rankings because of their strong mixes of affordability and diverse entertainment options.

"On the flip side, several cities experienced significant declines. Cleveland, OH dropped from 42^ndto 85^th, a reflection of its challenges in maintaining its affordability and nightlife appeal. Similarly, Austin, TX, and Houston, TX, saw steep declines, with both cities struggling to keep up with rising costs and shifting preferences for New Year's Eve destinations."

Lupo wrote in the report: "Celebrating New Year's Eve in the right city can turn the holiday into a truly magical experience.

"The best cities for New Year's celebrations have clear skies and some of the best fireworks displays around.

"The top cities also offer an abundance of highly-rated, affordable dining options, along with a vibrant nightlife and plenty of activities to make your transition into the new year a memorable one," Lupo added.