Looking to spend New Year’s Eve in The Big Apple?
Millions do every December 31st, but enduring the crowds and craziness of Times Square sure didn’t appeal to us.
There are numerous clubs with parties and bands all over town, fancy restaurants with special dinners and enormous price tags, hotels with rot-gut champagne packages, cruises on the rivers, and even a lung-busting midnight fun run through Central Park.
But we found a fast growing new tradition for our New York New Year revelry – walking across The Brooklyn Bridge. Both free of charge AND priceless.
We began our crossing at about a quarter past eleven, which gave us enough time for a stroll across the bridge and then get back to the middle in time for the countdown to midnight.
The views of the Manhattan skyline, the river, The Statue of Liberty, and the other bridges would make for a fantastic walk on any day or night of the year, but since we had the chance, why not on the eve of a new year?
With about ten minutes left until the big moment, we crowded our way to the center of the bridge. It was packed with revelers, which was not a bad thing since the wind had picked up and the temperature dropped down.
We gladly shared our body heat and excited smiles.
Just before midnight a the countdown began, 3…, 2…, 1… HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Hugs and greetings were exchanged between strangers and loved ones alike while fireworks brightly exploded in several locations around the city. Champagne corks popped and toasts were offered as everyone celebrated.
Awesome!
What an amazing article! Keep it up
My son spent two years celebrating New Years off the bridge. According to him the only way to see the lights and one year celebrating overlooking Central Park. He is now in LA. My Dad was a Brooklynite – the only one of 8 siblings to leave the area. I so enjoyed my visit when Luke graduated from AADA. This was a blast to watch and read. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you. We are so glad to share this.
Ahh, looks like a blast!
What amazing experiences you two are gathering in your travels! Thanks for posting this, It was fun to watch.
Great article! I made the pilgrimage to Times Square on New Year’s Eve in my early 20’s. We lived just across the river so it wasn’t so far to go as it is now! I was young and and the young don’t need to pee quite as often as those of us on the other side of fifty!
I always say everyone should do New Year’s Eve in New York at least once in their lives. Of course, i it was a different experience in the early 70’s than it probably is now. Your walk across Brooklyn Bridge seems equally thrilling to me now. Thanks for sharing the idea. I intend to pass it along to my kids who talk every year about making their journey to the Big Apple ~ though there’s will be longer!
I do think that this year was one of the warmer New Year’s Eves on record. We required a bottle of Blackberry Brandy on our night and even then it was far from warm! Thanks for sharing your experiences ~ I felt like I was there!
Thanks Dorothy! It was a blast and highly recommended! -Veronica