The Best Places To Be On New Year's Eve

When all the Christmas presents have been opened and the Christmas feast has turned into a fridge full of leftovers, you know New Years is right around the corner. Whether or not you were able to go home for the holidays, New Years is a good time for parties. This also gives you an opportunity to travel and experience new things. That in mind, we have put together a list of the best places to spend the new years in the world. See what the world has to offer and welcome 2014 with a bang!

New York

Simply at the top of the list, one of the most famous New Year’s celebrations in the world is the New York Times Square Ball. Every year, the Times Square Time Ball located on the roof of One Times Square building descends at 11:59pm on December 31^st, 141 feet in exactly 60 seconds and rests exactly at midnight on top of the iconic Times Square signalling the start of the new year. This traditional ball drop actually began in 1907 when The New York Times’ owner Adolph Ochs wanted to market his newspaper’s headquarters the One Times Square building for the New Years. The newspaper’s head electrician suggested the time ball idea after seeing a similar presentation in a nearby building. It has since been a national spectacle to witness the time ball drop in Times Square which has now also turned into an event with broadcasts all over the world.

Scotland

New Years for the Scots is a very big deal. The festivities arranged for Hogmanay (The Scottish word for the last day of the year) is extravagant and the celebration lasts well until the morning of January 1^st making the city of Edinburgh one of the best places to celebrate the New Years. You can expect nothing less from the country where the most famous New Year song “Auld Lang Syne” originated from. In Stonehaven the fireball ceremony is an excellent parade to watch. Each year, locals light balls of old newspaper, sticks, rags and other light flammable materials tied to a chain of non flammable rope which they will swing as they walk to the harbour, any fireballs that are still lit by the time they reach the end of the harbour will be cast into the water. In Edinburgh, the famous street party and torchlight parade is one of the best New Year’s parties in the world.

Sydney

December 31^st is summertime in Australia unlike most places in the world; people won’t be freezing out while partying when you’re in Sydney. There’s also an amazing fireworks display over the Sydney Harbour and a stunning backdrop for the iconic Sydney Opera House. There is also an amazing special lit vessels parade around the Sydney Harbour before midnight. If you like being ahead of the curve, then kicking of the New Year in Sydney a few hours ahead of the rest of the world and one of the first cities to enter the New Year would be perfect.

Rio De Janeiro

Definitely one of the best places to be for the New Years is Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Why party in a crowded club or street when you can go to the beach and watch fireworks right off the coast? Brazil gets 2 million visitors from all over the world each year for the amazing fireworks display on Copacabana Beach. Festivities start around 8pm with samba music playing all over the city. It is traditional in Brazil to wear white to have good luck for the New Year, but it might not be a good idea with all the champagne spraying and heavy partying you will experience right on the coasts of Rio.

Hong Kong

The Chinese may have a different calendar for the New Year, but in Hong Kong, one of Asia’s best cultural melting pots, New Years can be celebrated twice a year! Renowned for the most amazing fireworks display in the world, Hong Kong doesn’t hold back on festivities for December 31^st even though they will be spending New Years again in just a month’s time. Hong Kong is host to the Asian version of the Times Square time ball. The Hong Kong Times Square shopping mall pays homage to its namesake, Times Square New York with a replica of the Time Ball which also drops to mark the New Year. There’s also the spectacular sparkling countdown lit on Victoria Harbour. You can party on the streets, on rooftop buildings or even on a boat right on the harbour and enjoy the dazzling display of fireworks perfect to kick off the year.

Iceland

Iceland offers a lot of celebrations for the New Years. Possibly the most unique one is to take the Super Jeep Tour from December 29 to January 3 to Hveravellir hot spring and see the northern lights.

Spend the New Years on a hot spring while watching the Aurora Borealis that definitely beats all the fireworks anywhere in the world offers. If you want a more common celebration, Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital doesn’t disappoint when it comes to New Year’s Eve parties. The locals start the festivities with bonfires that symbolize burning off the troubles you had for the previous year. Fantastic fireworks display that rivals the northern lights are also lit over the whole city.

Toronto, Canada

The Niagara Falls lit up with lights and fireworks is one of the most amazing sights to behold for New Year's day and in Toronto, you can witness that exactly. Their New Year’s fest is called the “Winter Festival of Lights” which features more than 3 million lights plus a great fireworks display for the Niagara Falls. The party then head to the Nathan Phillips Square where a concert, fireworks display and public countdown turn the city alive and bounding to welcome the New Year.

Orlando, Florida

Orlando is probably the best place to spend the New Years if you have children. There’s a wide choice of child friendly parties like Disney World, Universal Studios, Downtown Disney, Universal City Walk and Sea World. Each of these places have their own special festivities like concerts, parades and cruises all of which are wholesome yet spectacular entertainment for you and your family. Orlando turns into a magical city for children and adults to welcome the New Year.