The holidays are quite literally at our heels, but if you’ve still got no clue where you’ll be spending your time when the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, let’s just hope it’s in NYC!
After WalletHub robbed us of the title of best U.S. city to celebrate New Year’s Eve in 2023, dropping us to a meager third place, NYC is back on top for ringing in 2025. It comes as no surprise to us, since we’re already the best city in America and obviously home to the iconic NYE ball drop viewed by billions each year. For timing and how to watch this year’s celebration, be sure to check out our ultimate New Year’s Eve in Times Square guide.
As in years past, WalletHub analyzed 100 of the country’s biggest cities across 26 key indicators to determine their official ranking. Indicators varied by three main dimensions: food and entertainment; costs; safety and accessibility. From there, each city was assigned a score out of 100. New York received a total score of 68.7, followed by Orlando, Florida in second with 68.03 and San Diego, California rounding out third place with a score of 67.58.
Beyond the ball drop, New York is home to some of the best food in the country, in addition to a selection of incredible nightlife and music venues, making it a wonderful place to spend New Year’s Eve, even for those not willing to face the crowd in Times Square.
“Celebrating New Year’s Eve in the right city can turn the holiday into a truly magical experience. The best cities for New Year’s celebrations have clear skies and some of the best fireworks displays around. The top cities also offer an abundance of highly-rated, affordable dining options, along with a vibrant nightlife and plenty of activities to make your transition into the new year a memorable one,” said WalletHub Analyst, Chip Lupo.
You can explore the full ranking on WalletHub.