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Are you planning a trip to New York City for New Year’s Eve? Then this article is for you!
NYC is one of the best places in the world to spend New Year’s Eve. It was on my bucket list for the longest time and it did not disappoint!
It’s famous in the entire world for the ball drop in Times Square and is simply one of the best destinations for this time of the year.
🎆 Quick NYC New Year’s Eve Mini Guide 🎆
🏨 Where To Stay:
– 💲West Side YMCA
– 💲💲 Freehand Hotel in Midtown (my fave ❤️)
– 💲💲💲Renaissance New York Chelsea Hotel
🎟️ Tickets To Book in Advance:
– New Year’s Eve Boat Party
– Go City Pass (Discount Code: BEELOVEDCITY5)
– Radio City Rockettes (must see!)
– Ice Skating at Wollman Rink
💡 My Top Tip: If you are planning to visit several of the main attractions (like Top of the Rock, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, 9/11 Memorial, Museum of Modern Art), a GoCity pass will save you a fair bit of money.
I used it several times and it’s very practical as well because the app lets you choose different times and reschedule if needed. You can use the code BEELOVEDCITY5 for 5% OFF.
While spending New Year’s even in New York City definitely is a bucket list thing to do, it is also the busiest time of the year in the city which means they are things you need to be aware of.
As a travel coordinator who planned a trip to New Year’s Eve for groups I had to learn the hard way that there were a lot of things you need to know and I don’t want you to have the same struggles.
In this article I will share with you my best tips so you can spend the best New Year’s Eve in New York.
1. Don’t Go To Times Square on New Year’s Eve (or book a party)
I know that the most famous thing about New Year’s Eve in New York is the Ball Drop in Time Square.
This is probably the reason why you wanted to go to New York for New Year’s Eve in the first place and I hate to break it to you but this is actually probably one of the worst ideas.
HEADS UP: I’m about to explain why I don’t think it’s the best idea but I will also give you some options for NYE in Times Square if that’s really what you want to do. At the end of the day, this is your trip and while I’m giving some tips, you have to do what’s best for you!
The thing with Times Square is that it’s compley packed and you have to get there very early in the morning and wait all day with new access to the restroom until the ball drops at midnight.
Also bear in mind that New York in December is really cold and you can’t bring a big backpack or anything.
This means you should expect to stand in the cold for hours and hours.
Finally they put the barricades up the day before which means that it’s quite difficult to access and it will be completely closed after a certain time unless you have a ticket to the party.
For this reason, I do not believe that it’s the best way to spend New Year’s Eve in NYC.
There are plenty of other alternatives which allow you to have a much more enjoyable experience.
However if your heart is set on Time Square and you want to see the ball drop from there, here are some other options (but they aren’t free).
I would highly recommend booking a party in one of the bars, or even better, rooftop bars so you can truly enjoy your evening and a nice setting while being able to see the ball drop.
Please bear in mind that bars with direct views of the ball drop of that area are expensive and you’re looking at at least 500 dollars for the night.
Having said that, there are also other options for bars that are a bit lower down that would be around 150 – 200 dollars (which is a normal price for NYC especially since it usually includes food and drinks).
They won’t have direct views of a ball drop but you can go outside before midnight and see the Ball Drop from the street.
This is in my opinion the best option if your heart is set on Times Square.
Please note that you will need to enter Times Square via a specific entrance (this will be indicated on your ticket).
You need to go earlier as it will be very busy but you don’t have to go in the morning as you would if you just wanted to stand on the square.
2. Opt for a New Year’s Eve Party Cruise instead (or rooftop party with a view)
Since Time Square is so busy and not that much of an enjoyable experience I would highly recommend opting for a New Year’s Eve party cruise which would take you to the Statue of Liberty to see the fireworks.
If that’s not for you, there are also a lot of rooftop parties everywhere in Manhattan or even Brooklyn with beautiful views.
These are much better experiences as they will be less crowded and you can still enjoy the views of the New York city skyline.
I personally opted for the Statue of Liberty boat party and it was a great experience.
There’s something quite magical about seeing the fireworks behind this iconic landmark.
Most hotels also offer their own New Year’s Eve party so I would highly recommend checking with your hotel what they have to offer as this could be a great option.
Whichever way it will always be more comfortable and cheaper than going to Times Square.
3. Be ready for the crowds
The week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve is the busiest week of the year in New York City which means it will be very crowded.
There are people everywhere which makes it quite difficult to walk around.
In certain places you have to really fight your way through ( especially in Times Square and the Rockefeller Centre).
This applies to New Year’s Eve parties but also to all the main attractions and restaurants during that week.
While this will not prevent you from enjoying the trip, it’s still something you need to be aware of as it can be surprising, especially if you don’t live in a big city.
4. Stay near the location of your New Year’s Eve Party
Transport can be a bit of an issue on New Year’s Eve in New York because everything is completely packed.
While taking the subway is often the best option, it’s still very busy. Taxis are Ubers are often worse as they have to sit in traffic and are way more expensive that night.
For this reason I would highly recommend staying near the location of your New Year’s Eve party so you can easily walk back.
Obviously this is not always possible or convenient for the rest of your trip but if you can, it will safe you time, money and hassle getting back to your accommodation.
5. Plan for a higher budget than usual
New York City is expensive all year round and it gets even more expensive at Christmas time and for New Year’s Eve.
Most New year’s eve parties start at about 100 / 150 dollars but are often more. You need to take this into consideration to avoid any bad surprises. Ultimately, I still think it’s worth it as it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience but if you book your trip to New York expecting to spend 50 bucks on New Year’s Eve, you’ll be disappointed.
As a general thing you’re also notice that everything else is more expensive especially accommodation in Manhattan.
6. Book everything in advance
This is a very important tip!
Since New York is so busy at this time of year, everything gets booked up quite early which means that you won’t get a chance to visit the main attractions and go to a restaurant without a booking.
This is particularly true if you’re traveling with family or a group but it also applies to couples.
To avoid any disappointment make sure you book as much as you can in advance including all the main attractions such as the Empire State building, the top of Rock or your Broadway show.
It’s also important to book restaurants especially if it’s a place you really want to go to or somewhere particularly popular to start with.
Then if you can’t book in advance, don’t overly worry, you will be able to find places to eat too but you won’t have as many options, might have to get a take away and no matter what, stand in line for a long time.
7. Get a New York Go City Pass
The New York Go City pass is a great thing to get all year round.
It will save you a lot of money on all the main attractions as they are quite expensive if booked individually so bundling them up makes it a lot cheaper.
You can either get an unlimited pass or a pass for a certain number of attractions which is useful for the most expensive ones.
But the reason I love the Go City pass so much at this time of the year is that it allows you to cancel and reschedule your bookings up to an hour before your booking.
You see, because everything is so busy, it will take you a lot longer to get to the attractions. Also the weather is unpredictable and having to stick to a set time and day can be annoying as you can’t know what the weather will be like too much in advance.
It’s not much of an issue for the museums but it really is for the observation decks. There is no point in going to the Top of the Rock or Empire State Building if you can’t see a thing.
Having a Go City Pass you will allow you to change your bookings which will give you more freedom and the possibility to go a better time weather wise.
I had to reschedule my visit to the Empire State Building and Top of the Rock several times last year because it was too foggy and I was so happy to be able to do so as I managed to get nice views from both eventually.
8. Dress warm
New York City in December is cold.
The weather is also quite predictable and can be quite rainy (or even snowy sometimes).
For this reason you need to dress appropriately. I highly recommend packing layers, a scarf, a beanie and gloves.
If you’re not sure what to pack for New York in December, check out my guide which includes a free packing list.
9. Wear comfortable shoes
These are great on cobblestones because they have a thick sole and a tiny bit of heel that protects your feet.
If you’ve never been to New York before let me tell you something: it’s a lot bigger than you think!
While it’s true that you will be taking public transport and potentially a taxi as well, you will also walk a lot and walking on concrete all day is quite tiring.
For this reason you need to wear comfortable shoes. Obviously this is New York so in terms of fashion you don’t really want to go with some big hiking shoes but comfortable sneakers or Chelsea boots would be ideal.
I absolutely loved my Timberlands when I visited Tokyo and I think they are the best kind of shoes you can get. Also, you can wear them with anything!
I also like wearing my Timberland boots in winter in New York as they are very comfortable and waterproof. Also, they look super cute with a dress and tights.
10. Don’t carry a big bag
This bag is particularly practical because you can fit a lot of items in without carrying around too much. It's also very secure.
As a general thing you don’t really want to be carrying a big backpack during the day because you will be walking a lot but this tip is particularly true for New Year’s Eve.
A lot of the parties don’t allow big bags. Also, for safety reasons, if you decide to go to Times Square, you won’t be allowed with a big backpack, so make sure to only carry a small bag with your essentials otherwise you’ll have to go back to your accommodation to drop off the bag and that would be a shame.
I hope this article was useful and that you have a better idea of what to expect for New Years, even New York.
Have fun and enjoy!
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