Spending New Year's Eve in New York is just as loud, lively and
loco as you see it on TV! In fact, some might even argue that it's even more intense in person. The entire city practically turns into one huge party as they welcome the new year. And while it's undeniably exciting, all those people, loud music, and more can get pretty hectic. It's even possible that you might get lost in the crowd too. That wouldn't be a great start to a new year now, would it? To ensure that nothing goes wrong during your New Year's celebrations in New York, follow these helpful tips!
UPDATE: Due to the Omicron variant of Covid-19, many of the events listed in this article have been canceled. Please be advised.
Plan Your Night Out Beforehand
Although New York is all about spontaneity, it's not exactly the case for New Year's Eve. As much as you want to throw your fate to the wind and just go with the flow, you're better off planning this special night right. It's easy to think that welcoming the new year in the Big Apple is only about partying, jumping around, and having all kinds of lively fun. But there's more to it than that. You can opt for a more private and peaceful New Year's Eve celebration too and there are actually many ways to do it. As long as you've planned ahead, you'll be fine.
Book in Advance
In line with planning your New York New Year's Eve celebrations ahead, you'd be wise to book in advance too! Don't think that just because this holiday is pretty busy that many hotspots would accept walk-ins! On the contrary, many famous restaurants,
first-class bars, and other trendy hangouts tend to require reservations than welcome new customers. And if you don't want to end up spending the entire night on the street, you'd do well to book a table, buy tickets, or anything else that will help you reserve a spot on New Year's Eve.
Source: Flickr.com/ Dimitri Rodriguez
Seeing The Ball Drop Once is Enough
Yes, there's no denying that spending New Year's Eve in New York is defined by the
Ball Drop at Times Square. It's been the city's famous tradition since 1907, more than a century ago. And in fact, this particular celebration is so renowned that it's even televised all around the world. Surely, you can't miss it when you're already here, right? Well, if you've seen it in real life once, that's actually enough. This isn't to say that going to this event every year isn't fun and exciting—it is!—but if you want to do something new or you're just not into squeezing yourself into crowds of tourists and locals alike, missing it a few times won't hurt!
Always Have Your Phone With You
If you do decide to go to the Ball Drop this year—or to any other crowded place in New York City for that matter—make sure to always have your phone with you. Well, you have to get a local SIM card first in order to use it here but when you have that out of the way, then keep your phone with you at all times. As already mentioned, there's no telling what may happen during this crazy night and in case anyone gets lost and separated, at least you'll know to contact them and vice versa. On that note, you'll also need to keep your phone fully charged so bringing along a power bank is a good idea too!
Dress to Impress and Appropriately
It's a holiday! Of course you'll dress to the nines! It's only natural, isn't it? Wouldn't you want to dress to impress to welcome the new year? It doesn't even matter whether you're wearing
designer clothes or the best bargains from
vintage shops, as long as you look your best, you're good to go. What does matter, however, is that you're appropriately dressed. If you plan to go to a party, dressing formally is the only way to go. If you plan to go out and have some fun, donning a more casual look may be more suitable. And if you know that you'll be standing and walking all night long, make sure to wear or bring along some comfy flats!
Drink Moderately
Speaking of dressing, or in this case, behaving appropriately on New Year's Eve, try to drink as moderately as you can. You wouldn't want to be drunk just as the clock strikes twelve, would you? And it's not exactly a great start to the new year if you're passed out on a street in New York so early in the morning, is it? Moreover, who knows what sort of trouble you can get into if you're too intoxicated to act on good judgment? That in of itself might already lead to a lot of problems! It's true that many New Year's Eve celebrations throughout the different districts of this city can get pretty wild, but it's up to you to behave yourself and act appropriately.
Know Where The Free Spots Are
Have too many troubles with your
living costs to go celebrate New Year's Eve in New York? Not to worry! Though the Big Apple is a notoriously expensive city, there are still a few places you can get to without having to pay a single cent. And the best part is that many of them will remain open during this holiday. The best example of this is the famous Brooklyn Bridge. If you thought it was already an incredible spot to begin with, wait until you watch New Year's Eve fireworks here! It's nothing like you've ever seen before!
You Can Always Stay at Home
If you went to New York just to celebrate
the holidays, particularly New Year's Eve, then, by all means, go out and have some fun. But if you've relocated to the city and have been living here for a long time already, it won't hurt to just stay in and welcome the new year peacefully. You can prepare your own feast, light up your own fireworks (as long as it's legal!), and just watch the iconic Ball Drop on TV. Once you see how crowded and tight Times Square is while you're relaxing in your own home, you'll thank your lucky stars that you decided not to go out on this holiday!
You may be extremely excited to celebrate New Year's Eve in New York, arguably the best place to do so, but you'll need to prepare beforehand. You never know how things may go on this hectic night but as long as you follow these tips, you'll be fine!
If you don't want to party outside in New York, spending time in your own
luxury home isn't a bad idea too!
