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Florida City Is The #1 Place To Celebrate New Year’s Eve

Author Daniel Morabito
Orlando, Florida, USA Downtown Drone Skyline Aerial

When you think about New Year’s Eve, Times Square in New York is probably the first thing that comes to mind. This year, there’s a new number one spot to ring in the New Year and it’s not what you’d think. According to Wallet Hub, one Florida city is the BEST place to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

Cassandra Happe, analyst for Wallethub said, “When choosing which city to spend New Year’s in, it’s important to consider a variety of factors, from the activities offered to how big the crowds will be to what weather you can expect. The biggest concern has to be the cost. Hotels and restaurants may hike their prices significantly for the holiday, which puts an extra strain on people’s wallets after they have already been hit hard by inflation.”

How did Wallethub determine the best place to celebrate New Year’s Eve?

Wallethub took 100 of the most populated U.S. cities and compared them across three different variables. 1) Entertainment & Food, 2) Costs, and 3) Safety & Accessibility were the three key dimensions.

They took these cities and analyzed them using 26 different metrics. Each metric has a different weight to it. Some of the metrics used for this list were New Year’s Eve Popularity, Legality of Fireworks, Availability of Luxury Shopping & Gourmet Food, Music Venues per Capita and General Fun

Wallethub used the weighted scores of each metric to determine the total score. Cities only within the city proper were considered. Cities in the metro surrounding area were not included.

Which Cities are the Best Places to celebrate New Year’s Eve?

  1. Orlando, FL: 71.88 total score 
  2. San Diego, CA: 69.70 total score.
  3. New York, NY: 68.10 total score.
  4. Las Vegas, NV: 67.71 total score.
  5. Atlanta. GA: 67.03 total score.
  6. Miami, FL: 66.50 total score.
  7. Los Angeles, CA: 66.23 total score.
  8. Chicago IL: 65.81 total score.
  9. Denver, CO: 64.86 total score.
  10. Washington, DC: 63.22 total score.

Orlando, home of Mickey Mouse and theme parks, ranks number one as the best place to celebrate New Year’s Eve. They also rank number one for entertainment & food as well as affordable restaurants rated 4.5+ stars. Orlando has some of the longest fireworks shows in the USA. You can also legally buy fireworks,

Other Florida cities that rank on this list are Tampa at #24, Jacksonville at #31 and St. Petersburg at #37.

To see Wallethub’s full list and analysis, click here.

Originally from the Midwest and moved down to Tampa Bay after college. When Daniel is not working on Beasley Content, you can find him fishing or skateboarding. Daniel enjoys writing about local restaurants across the Tampa Bay area, Florida lottery stories, and concert reviews/photos.

7 New Year's Eve Celebrations Happening In Pinellas

It’s time to say goodbye to 2023! This year is finally over and it’s time to celebrate another trip around the sun. If you’re one of those people who enjoys a night out on New Year’s Eve, then we have the best celebrations in Pinellas for you to choose from.

There was a lot of crazy stuff that happened in 2023. AI was on the rise, OceanGate memes took over the internet, Barbenheimer was on everyone’s mind over the summer, and we all fought Ticketmaster to get tickets to our favorite shows. And that’s just the half of it. Some of you may be excited to hit the refresh button at midnight and start a new journey. Well, if you can’t wait to kiss 2023 goodbye, we have the best event guide in Pinellas to help you out. Looking for something to do across the bridge? Here are the best 7 spots to watch Tampa fireworks on New Year’s Eve.

New Year’s Eve is the ultimate night out on the town. Whether you’re just looking for a firework show at midnight, or want to dance the entire night away, we have all the options for you. From rooftops to beach bars, there are a lot of celebrations for you to choose from. A few of these events are ticketed, so make sure you get yours before they sell out. And make sure that no matter what you plan, you have a safe way of getting there and home.

[Source: Visit St. Pete/Clearwater]

  • Enchant St. Pete

    Experience the magic of Enchant in St. Pete on New Year’s Eve! December 31st will be the last day to see the beautiful lights. Click here to get your tickets.

  • Tradewinds Island Resorts

    Toast By The Coast NYE Party is happening again at Tradewinds Island Resorts on St. Pete Beach! Ring in the New Year with live music, a photo booth, a full liquor open bar and an all-you-can-eat chef’s carvery with a pasta bar, hors d’oeuvres, coffee and dessert table. At midnight, guests will greet 2024 with a glass of champagne and a balloon drop! Kids are even invited too! Tradewinds is also hosting Glitter & Glow New Year’s Eve Kids celebration for an additional fee, which includes dinner, crafts, games, a glow party and more.

    Click here for more info. 

  • Safety Harbor Resort & Spa

    Celebrate the end of 2023 at the Safety Harbor Resort & Spa. Ring in the New Year with champagne, hors d’oeuvres, a dinner buffet, a gourmet dessert bar, a three-hour open bar, a live band, champagne toast at midnight, photos, NYE party favors and much more. Click here to purchase tickets.

  • St. Pete Pier

    Celebrate New Year’s Eve 2023 and ring in 2024 on the St. Pete Pier! The event is free and open to the public, and will have DJS, food trucks, bars and more. The events kick off at 8pm. While you’re there you can pass the time with some Putt the Pier: Holiday Edition

     

     

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    A post shared by St. Pete Pier (@stpetepier)

  • The Saint Downtown St. Pete

    Step inside The Saint and confess your 2023 sins away. The St. Petersburg speakeasy is hosting a Happy Hour and Main NYE event! Tickets include party favors, champagne toast, and more!

     

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    A post shared by The Saint (@thesaintstpete)

  • Yacht StarShip Clearwater VIP Cruise

    Say “Bon Voyage” to 2023! Ring in the new year on Yacht StarShip’s VIP New Year’s Eve Celebration Cruise in Clearwater. Your countdown to midnight includes: a 3-hour cruise, open premium bar with upgraded champagne and souvenir wine glass, souvenir boarding photo, 4-course seated meal, party favors, DJ entertainment and a champagne toast at midnight! Click here for more info.

  • The Canopy At The Birchwood

    End 2023 with a bang at The Birchwood! Dress to impress for their disco NYE celebration. Tickets include: exclusive access to both The Grand Ballroom and Birchwood Canopy. Tickets include an  open bar, cocktail-style reception, gourmet food stations, live band, DJ entertainment, and a midnight champagne toast.

     

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    A post shared by The Birchwood (@thebirchwood)

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Author Daniel Morabito
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