For many, New Year’s Eve is a time to celebrate and enjoy some festivities with family and friends. According to a survey by WalletHub in 2021, 24% of Americans planned to attend a public event. These events can be found in many major cities throughout the U.S., from New York to Los Angeles. If you’d like to join the Americans looking to enjoy one of these events in person, take a look at four celebrations you can experience this year.
Watch the Ball Drop in New York City
With broadcasts on CNN, the festivities in Times Square can be watched around the world. The celebration has been a New York tradition since 1907. This year, Times Square is planning a new spin on this holiday classic. For the 2023 ball, 192 Waterford Crystal triangles are being used to introduce a new “Gift of Love” design in the New Year’s Ball. This design will join the other eight found on previous versions of the ball as it is dropped from the roof of One Times Square. This year, the Times Square Ball will include live performances by KT Tunstall and Journey. Want to be able to soak in the experience in person? Fortunately, you can stay at plenty of resorts if you’d like to spend New Year’s Eve in the Big Apple.
Westgate New York Grand Central
If you want a resort close to the excitement in Times Square, consider Westgate New York Grand Central. This resort is only a mile away from the festivities, so you’ll have easy access to Times Square. In the meantime, you can enjoy a midtown resort that’s home to the Tudor City Marketplace and Tavern. This restaurant’s menu offers sandwiches and salads along with an extensive list of drinks. Accommodations include one and two-bedroom suites. The one-bedroom suite comes with a queen or king-sized bed and a full private bathroom. Meanwhile, the two-bedroom suite comes with either two queen-sized beds and a queen-sized sleeper sofa or a king-sized bed, queen-sized bed, and king murphy bed.
Join the French Quarter Festivities in New Orleans
From Mardi Gras to Jazz Fest, New Orleans is known for its revels. New Year’s Eve is no exception, especially in Jackson Square. Nestled in the heart of the French Quarter, Jackson Square is home to the Fleur De Lis drop. This symbol of New Orleans drops down a 25-foot pole that sits atop Jax Brewery. Afterward, fireworks light up the sky above the Mississippi river. As a bonus, admission to Jackson Square is completely free. If you want to save some money while going out this New Year, then New Orleans is worth considering. The French Quarter is also part of the Allstate Sugar Bowl New Year’s Eve parade route. This Mardi Gras-style parade is filled with floats, bands, and dancers. 2023 also marks the first year where guests will be able to purchase a spot onboard a parade float. “We have fans coming in from areas that may not get to see Mardi Gras or to participate in Mardi Gras,” said Jeff Hundley, the CEO of the Allstate Sugar Bowl. “So we’ve made it available for fans to purchase a spot on a float.”
Holiday Inn Club Vacations New Orleans Resort
Just a block away from the French Quarter lies the Holiday Inn Club Vacations New Orleans Resort. This resort features a fitness center with bikes, weights, and cross trainers to help you keep up with your routines even when you’re away from home. There’s also a rooftop heated dipping pool and terrace for open-air fun. You can relax in a one- or two-bedroom villa when you’re not exploring the city. When you’re ready to rest, the one-bedroom villa features a king-sized bed, queen-sized sleeper sofa, and a full bathroom. Meanwhile, the two-bedroom villa comes with two queen-sized beds, a pullout queen-sized sleeper sofa, and a full bathroom.
Family Fun and Speakeasy Spectacles in Los Angeles
Los Angeles is home to not one, but two major New Year’s celebrations. Grand Park is filled with food trucks and live music. Plus, the park makes for a good family-friendly event since it’s alcohol-free. While you will have to pay for food and drinks, entry to the park itself is totally free. As a result, if you just want to watch the ball drop with a crowd, celebrating at Grand Park can save you some money. For something a bit more adult-oriented, check out Prohibition at the historic Union Station. Prohibition is a Roaring 1920s-themed event with burlesque dancers, DJs, live jazz music, and an open bar featuring champagne, wine, beer, and specialty cocktails. This year, Prohibition will feature live performances by the alternative pop duo Neil Frances.
The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa
Staying in Los Angeles for New Year’s Eve may sound exciting, but for many, the prospect of dealing with LA traffic too often may be less appealing. A study by INRIX in 2021 found that Los Angeles was the sixth most congested urban area in the United States. If you’d like to reduce how often you deal with the traffic on your trip, consider staying at the Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa. This resort is located in Anaheim, so you can relax away from the big city and make a day trip to LA at your convenience. Accommodations include a deluxe studio, one, two, and three-bedroom villa. The one-bedroom villa offers a king-sized bed, queen-sized sleeper sofa, and single pull-down bed, while the two-bedroom adds an extra queen-sized bed. Lastly, the three-bedroom villa adds an additional two queen-sized beds to bring the total up to four.
Enjoy the Peach Drop in Atlanta
After a three-year hiatus, Atlanta plans to bring back an old New Year’s tradition: the Peach Drop. Since 1989, the city has hosted this celebration to commemorate the start of the New Year. Locals and tourists alike would visit Underground Atlanta to watch as the over 800-pound peach was dropped from a special tower in the tourist district. All the while, there would be live performances, food, and drinks for guests to enjoy while waiting for the countdown to the New Year.
Margaritaville Vacation Club Atlanta
Located in the heart of downtown Atlanta, the Margaritaville Vacation Club overlooks the Centennial Olympic Park. Additionally, the resort is just half a mile away from Underground Atlanta. As a result, guests not only have easy access to a park with an aquarium, zoo, and history museum, but they’re also able to reach the site of the Peach Bowl quickly. For accommodations, Margaritaville offers studio, one, two, and three-bedroom suites. The studio and one-bedroom suites have a king-sized bed and sleeper sofa, while the two and three-bedroom suites add one and two queen-sized beds, respectively. All suites also feature a full kitchen.
Buy a Timeshare and Travel to a New Year’s Celebration
If you’d like to make ringing in the New Year at a major celebration an annual tradition, consider buying a timeshare near one of them. Timeshares allow you to go back to a beloved destination each year. Plus, vacation ownership can help save you money over time if you’re planning on going back each year. New Year’s Eve is a time to make memories, why not make them somewhere new?
