NYE in NYC

[De Ould Spud]

Has anyone been in Times Square for New Years Eve? Thinking about it for Dec 2014, but advice on previous experiences would be appreciated....

 

[gozzy]

I was there for NYE in 2008.

It was great to be honest. But if you want to be up front and center when they drop the ball then you will have to get to Times Square in the late afternoon at the latest.

Even then you won't be able to sit afaik, as the bleechers are reserved for the great and the good only.

If you have the bobs, book a hotel in or very near Times Square but expect to pay thousands of dollars for the privilege.

There's always great craic going on in the surrounding streets anyway, and the fireworks can be seen from any vantage point.

 

[raZor]

I was there in 2007, hotel wasn't too extortionate, the Best Western on 48th street, small but modern an clean room off Times Square. We didn't fancy staying in Times Square all afternoon, so booked dinner in a local restaurant (hate to be cliché but an Irish bar), left at 11:50 and merged into the queue of people behind the barriers for Times Square itself, as soon as the Ball falls police knock down the barriers and everyone merges into the Square itself.

Ticker tap, fireworks, people dancing in the street the whole kaboodle.

The barman (who was from Blackrock) had our drinks waiting for us then when we got back to the bar.

If you're staying anywhere close to Times Square the hotels normally provide free donuts for the police, I also presume they expect them to be taken by guests!

 

[De Ould Spud]

Appreciated people!

The more I read about it, the keener I am to get over there again (last time was in 2000 in Yonkers for a few days)....

Thinking about staying pretty much in Midtown, but are there any other places/haunts that either of you would recommend that would not necessarily be in any travel guides?

 

[gozzy]

Check out these guys

I used this site recently and it was well worth it.

 

[raZor]

Brass Monkey in the Meatpacking District is a pretty cool laid back bar, without the usual high prices and posing. Great rooftop section also.

This is going to sound incredibly vague but there's a bar that's located in a residential tower, it has no name other than being called after the street it's on (52nd and ???), I'll have a google when I'm home from work later and see if I can track it down. The rooftop bar looks directly at the Empire State, unreal at night time.

Edit - 230 and Fifth is the gaff.

 

[Eoin]

Just sorting a trip now, not NYE oct/nov

Never been before, 10th avenue/w49th street

Decent enough location?

Yeah, that's a perfect location for a first timer, not too far from Central Park, Times Square, broadway etc

Easy to hop on the subway downtown as well.

 

[Eoin]

Did you check for Newark as well as JFK?

 

[thegillabbeygowl]

http://www.skyscanner.ie/

Here you go.
This is what I use for booking flights.

If you select the whole month it will give you the cheapest options.
Then click on the days you want and then the direct and non direct flights come up.
Or just put in the dates you want to fly.

 

[mayday]

Just sorting a trip now, not NYE oct/nov

Never been before, 10th avenue/w49th street

Decent enough location?

Uh oh. Otherwise known as aids street.