Top 10 Best Places For New Year’s Eve Celebrations

Who isn’t familiar with New York City’s annual tradition of dropping a lighted ball in Times Square on New Year’s Eve? But there are plenty of other places across the nation that have established their own traditions for greeting the New Year, and those places may not only be as much fun to visit, but far more affordable, according to WalletHub.

The personal finance website says that local businesses are notorious for hiking up their prices when big crowds are in town for a major event. In fact, hotels may raise their rates by several hundred percent on New Year’s Eve, compared with the rest of the year. 

With so many people making financial resolutions for the New Year, why would anyone want to greet it in even greater financial distress by spending more than they can afford on a year-end celebration?

To help put you on the path toward a fiscally fit New Year, WalletHub compared 100 of the biggest cities in the U.S. across three key dimensions: food and entertainment, (50 points); costs (30 points); and safety and accessibility (20 points), using 28 key indicators of an epic New Year’s Eve night out.

Here, in ascending order, are WalletHub’s top 10 best places for New Year’s Eve celebrations.

10. Philadelphia

Philadelphia ranks 13^th in food and entertainment, 70^th in costs and 55^th in safety and accessibility. Total score: 61.30.

9. Miami

Miami ranks seventh in entertainment and food, 95^th in costs and 42^nd in safety and accessibility. Total score: 62.04.

8. San Francisco

San Francisco ranks first in entertainment and food, 98^th in costs and 52^nd in safety and accessibility. Total score: 62.59.

7. Orlando, Fla.

Orlando ranks sixth in entertainment and food, 48^th in costs and 99^th in safety and accessibility. Total Score: 63.21.

6. Atlanta

Atlanta ranks fifth in entertainment and food, 59^th in costs and 87^th in safety and accessibility. Total Score: 64.20.

5. Los Angeles

Los Angeles ranks third for entertainment and food, 83^rd in costs and 54^th in safety and accessibility. Total Score: 65.98.

4. San Diego

San Diego ranks ninth for entertainment and food, 67^th in costs and 12^th in safety and accessibility. Total Score: 66.42.

3. Las Vegas

Las Vegas ranks fourth in entertainment and food, 80th in costs and 33^rd in safety and accessibility. Total Score: 67.47.

2. Denver

Denver ranks eighth in entertainment and food, and 36^th in both costs and safety and accessibility. Total Score: 67.71.

1. New York

New York ranks first in entertainment and food, 100th in costs and 21^st in safety and accessibility. Total Score: 67.79.