When it comes to New Year's Eve celebrations, the ball drop in New York City is the iconic, if somewhat obvious, choice. But what about other lesser-known celebrations around the country? Could it be that there are other, equally fun destinations for New Year's Eve outside the confines of Times Square. Look no further than our six picks for alternative NYE parties.
Honolulu, Hawaii
Summer is always in season in Honolulu and, while Hawaii maintains its beachy vibe, they do know how to throw a New Year's celebration big-city style. The celebrations, which take place around Waikiki Beach and the Aloha Tower Marketplace are known for their family-friendly vibe and feature carnival rides, food trucks, a variety of stages with different entertainment options and a beer garden. The night is capped off with a spectacular fireworks display and you can recover from your hangover with a day on the beach. Beat that, NYC.
Las Vegas
For some reason, Vegas' choreographed fireworks display is not as well known as NYC's ball drop, but it's pretty amazing show. Essentially, what happens is that, casinos all plan their fireworks celebration for midnight and, instead of just lighting up the sky all at once, the light shows are planned out and coordinated for a spectacular presentation. Add to this clubs throughout the city filled with amazing entertainment, performances from A-list stars and appearances from A-list celebrities and you have a pretty stellar evening on your hands.
New Orleans
New Orleans may be known for Mardis Gras, but the city's fame for throwing one of the world's best street parties definitely transcends to other celebrations - like New Year's. Head to Jackson Square where you will find the city's largest gathering, a fireworks display and - what else - the fleur de lis drop - at midnight.
Orlando
Home to Universal Orlando and Disney World, which know how to do it up just about every day of the year, it's not hard to see how Orlando could be a central hub for New Year's celebrations. All of the Disney parks (with the exception of Animal Kingdom) have something going on for New Year's Eve and even some of the resorts. Same goes for Universal Orlando. Universal CityWalk will also have its own celebration. LegoLand has its famous Kid's New Year's Eve with its Lego Brick drop at "kid standard time" (7 p.m.). SeaWorld also has a celebration as does many other resorts in the area.
Miami
It's safe to say that you can't to go wrong heading to Miami for New Year's Eve. This is a city that knows how to party and there's no lack of events at hotels and clubs that line South Beach and pop up everywhere else. Some notable live events include New Year's Eve with the Roots at the Adrienne Arsht Center and Pitbull's Worldwide VIP Food & Wine Party, which culminates with Pitbull's New Year's Revolution live.
Chicago
Chicago's Navy Pier is another family-friendly destination for NYE celebrations. There are rides, live entertainment, a fireworks display synchronized to music and all of this along the shores of beautiful Lake Michigan. If you want to escape some of the mayhem, head out for a dinner cruise or hit up one of the many hotels in the city throwing New Year's Eve celebrations.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
