10 Best Places in the U.S. to Celebrate New Year’s Eve

The Times Square New Year’s Eve ball-drop and party is back! The celebration went virtual last year, but the city is welcoming people again to join in the street party–though due to Omicron, it’s been scaled back. Only fully vaccinated people will be allowed to attend and those who aren’t able to get vaccinated due to disability will need to provide a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours. Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve is also part of the plan. 

Those who can’t attend can watch the live broadcast on television or the internet. Check out the list of parties happening in Times Square here.

Ain’t no party like a Vegas party! Travel to the city this year and see the Strip glittering more than usual. 

ARIA Resort & Casino’s festive lobby display is all about chocolate with a 6-foot gingerbread man, trees made with macarons, and sugar-filled candy canes. At the Bellagio’s botanical garden, a 42-foot fir is lit up with 7,000 LED lights. Kids and adults will love Enchant, a Christmas light maze and market that’s running until January 2, 2022. 

At The Cosmopolitan, you can watch Maroon 5 performing live and watch the fireworks from the Ice Rink. The Venetian Resort has planned a variety of dining experiences for New Year’s Eve; Plaza Hotel & Casino has a special fireworks viewing party and stay package; ABSINTHE is opening the Green Fairy Garden to the public after 10 p.m. Bruno Mars, Cirque du Soleil, Lizzo, Rupaul’s Drag Race, and Farrell Dillon are other events to be excited about.

Nevada has a state mask mandate that requires everyone, regardless of vaccine status, to wear masks indoors. You can check more information here.

Watch fireworks over the Bay from a cruise, attend the New Year’s Eve International Ball at Press Club, or go bar hopping to the most popular pubs and venues—San Francisco is planning to raise the roof this New Year’s Eve. There are tons of live shows, events, parties, and culinary experiences to choose from, and if you’re in the city, you won’t be too far from the action. 

San Francisco requires everyone 12 and above to show proof of vaccination to enter restaurants, bars, gyms, and clubs. Masks are required in public spaces for even those who are fully vaccinated. Learn more here.

Austin’s New Year celebration went virtual last year with eight local bands performing in iconic city venues. This year, there are multiple performances and bashes scheduled for the evening. 

There’s a live DJ until 2 a.m. at The Belmont; cocktail bar The Roosevelt Room is hosting a ‘20s New Year’s Eve; Lenoir is taking it up a notch with a 10-course menu with wine pairings; and arcade bar Cidercade has all-you-can-eat pizza, midnight toast, arcade games, and confetti cannons planned. 

Music lovers will find local artists playing in spots around town, too. You can attend singer Bob Schneider’s New Year’s Eve Party at The Paramount Theatre, dress up for the NYE 1981 – You Make My Dreams (Come True) at Hotel Vegas, or cheer for Austin-based band SPOON at ACL Live with a complimentary champagne toast and live countdown.

New Year’s Eve is a big deal in Music City. After hush-hush celebrations without any audience last year, the city is back with the New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash. The five-hour event will be broadcast live on CBS and revelers at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park have a treat with a lineup of performances, fireworks, and Music Note Drop. It’s free to attend, but visitors will require proof of vaccination or a negative test result. Headliners include Dierks Bentley, Zac Brown Band, and Sam Hunt.

You can also head to Assembly Food Hall where Skydeck on Broadway will have Lady A, Riley Green, and Carly Pearce entertaining the crowds (tickets required). 

There are tons of parties happening around town—Grand Hyatt Nashville, The Pool Club, Franklin Theatre, and Hard Rock Cafe are a few of the hosts to these grand events. You can always see holiday light displays at Wilson County Fairgrounds and Cheekwood Estate & Gardens. Check out the full load of holiday harmony events happening in the city here.

Some businesses may require people to wear a mask or show proof of vaccination in Nashville. Read the latest guidelines here.

There are going to be fireworks along the 16th Street Mall; a black-tie party with six hours of open bar at Mile High Station; a NYE special bar crawl raking revelers to a range of parties; open bar, live DJ, and ball drop on 66-foot LED screen at McGregor Square Plaza; and a family-friendly holiday light display at Hudson Gardens & Events Center and Denver Zoo. These are just a few things that Denver has planned for locals and visitors this year, and you can pick your favorite here.

A public order requires everyone 2 and above to wear face coverings indoors. It is in effect till January 3, 2022.

The walkable city will be brimming with events on the last day of the year. First Night Boston 2022 has been a tradition since 1975 and it celebrates the city’s culture with musical performances, ice sculptures, parades, and fireworks. Say goodbye to 2021 on a New Year’s Eve Cruise, watch the fireworks over the harbor at midnight, scroll along the waterfront to marvel at creative ice sculptures, or attend one of the dozens of parties being hosted in the city—there will be no dearth of free and ticketed festivities this season. 

The city of Boston requires everyone to wear masks indoors.