Buffalo named one of the best places in U.S. for New Year’s Eve, study finds

Buffalo, N.Y. — You don’t have to brave busy Times Square to find a stellar way to ring in 2025.

Instead, Revelers can head to Upstate New York, home to one of the country’s top-rated New Year’s Eve spots.

Buffalo has been named one of the best places in the United States to celebrate New Year’s Eve in a new study by WalletHub, a personal finance company. The City of Good Neighbors ranked 13th on the list, making the top 20 alongside big cities like Orlando and Chicago.

Here’s how WalletHub said it created its ranking:

The company looked at three factors in the 100 biggest U.S. cities: available entertainment and food; safety and accessibility; and costliness. Different metrics — like the legality of fireworks, Google search interest and nightlife options — were also weighed.

There is plenty to do in Buffalo on Dec. 31, from a “Germany-style” celebration at Hofbrauhaus Buffalo to a dance party at The Merry Shelley.

But the city’s biggest event is indisputably the Buffalo New Year’s Eve Ball Drop & Fireworks Celebration — one of the Empire State’s largest ball drops outside of Times Square in New York City.

The lively celebration takes place in Roosevelt Plaza outside the iconic Electric Tower in downtown Buffalo. It features gasp-worthy fireworks, a ceremonial ball drop and live music .

The 37th-annual Buffalo New Year’s Eve Ball Drop and Fireworks Celebration starts at 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 31 and peaks at midnight.

The city plans to release more details about the yearly ball drop on Dec. 27.

“Planning is well underway, and we look forward to announcing more details about the event in the days to come,” Mayor Christopher P. Scanlon said in a news release. “For now, we just want to make sure this longstanding holiday favorite is on everyone’s radar and encourage people to bring their friends and family to downtown Buffalo on New Year’s Eve to ring in 2025.”

Here are the top 20 U.S. cities for New Year’s Eve celebrations, according to WalletHub:

1. New York City
2. Orlando, Florida
3. San Diego, California
4. Las Vegas, Nevada
5. Chicago, Illinois
6. Atlanta, Georgia
7. Miami, Florida
8. San Francisco, California
9. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
10. Seattle, Washington
11. Denver, Colorado
12. Los Angeles, California
13. Buffalo, New York
14. Virginia Beach, Virginia
15. Anaheim, California
16. Reno, Nevada
17. Louisville, Kentucky
18. Birmingham, Alabama
19. Boston, Massachusetts
20. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania