Orlando, Miami Top List of Best Places to Celebrate New Year's Eve

Break out those streamers and pop the champagne -- three Florida cities are among the top places to be when the ball drops on New Year’s Eve.

According to a WalletHub analysis, Orlando is the best place in the country to watch the ball drop and ring in the new year.

The study ranked 100 cities across the nation for celebrating #NYE2017 based on 20 key indicators of an “epic” New Year’s Eve. Categories included New Year’s Eve popularity, the number of New Year’s Eve festivals, performances and galas and the number of nightlife options per capita.

Other categories ranked cities based on how many pennies partiers could save on the last night of 2016. The average price of a New Year’s Eve party ticket, average beverage and meal prices and the cost of a three-star hotel on New Year’s Eve were all factored into the rankings.

Orlando had the highest rating among all 100 cities listed, placing at Number 2 for the “Entertainment and Food” category. Central Florida’s largest city also scored big points for the costs associated with celebrating the big night.

Orlando tied with five other cities for the most nightlife options per capita and tied with Miami for the most restaurants per capita. 

Miami also ranked in the top ten of the Best Places for New Year’s Eve in 2016, coming in at No. 7 on the list. 

The Magic City is famous for its wild nightlife and its bountiful dining options. South Beach nightclubs undoubtedly had an effect on the South Florida city’s ranking since it scored in the top 10 for “Entertainment and Food” on the list.

Shelling out cold, hard cash for Louis Vuitton and Chanel are some Miamians favorite pasttimes and the city ranked No. 1 with San Francisco for best luxury shopping. Orlando came in at No. 4 in this category.

Both cities tended to fall behind in terms of safety and accessibility, which included cities’ walkability ratings, traffic congestion and neighborhood security. 

Orlando came in at No. 82 in this category, while Miami ranked No. 48 in this category. 

A West Coast Florida city -- Tampa -- came in at number 13 on the list. Jacksonville, St. Petersburg, and Hialeah also ranked further down the list. 

Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Council for Community and Economic Research and other national data centers. 

Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.