Orlando ranked best city to celebrate New Year’s Eve, overtaking New York City
ORLANDO, Fla. – A new study by WalletHub found that Orlando is the best city to celebrate New Year’s Eve, topping New York City’s famous Times Square event during the holiday.
The study rated cities based on three categories: entertainment and food, cost and safety, and accessibility.
Orlando scored highest overall, with a total rating of 71.88, followed by San Diego, California at 69.70 and New York City at 68.10.
“Orlando, FL is the best city for ringing in the new year – and it’s also one of the most frequently visited during the holiday,” the study said. “Whether you want to experience the holiday at a breathtaking destination like Disney World or just at a house or hotel, Orlando has you covered.”
“The city ranks first when it comes to nightlife options and affordable restaurants rated 4.5+ stars, so you can enjoy some fun and a good meal before 2024 arrives,” it said.
WalletHub financial writer Adam McCann said that although New York City’s Times Square remains a popular destination for the holiday, concerns with “extremely expensive” trips to the Big Apple have motivated travelers to look elsewhere.
WalletHub analyst Cassandra Happe added that the “biggest concern” anyone should consider when traveling for New Years Eve is 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,” Happe said.
In the category rankings, Orlando sits in first place for Entertainment and Food, 66th for Cost and 74th for Safety and Accessibility. This compares to New York’s sixth place, 91st place, and 19th place, respectively.
Along with Orlando, the other Florida cities that made Wallet Hub’s list included Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville and Hialeah.
Miami finished sixth overall, behind Atlanta. The city also came in second on the Entertainment and Food score.
According to Nerd Wallet, Manhattan is 138% more expensive to live in than Orlando. Specifically, Manhattan costs roughly 20% more for transportation, 34% more for food and 31% more for entertainment compared to the central Florida city.
