The 8th Day of Patmas

On the 8th Day of Patmas, I give to you…8 premier New Years Eve destinations!

I know, Christmas hasn’t even passed yet…but New Years Eve is the best part of the holiday season! So, today, we’ll look a little ahead. Below are some of the greatest places to experience a New Years Eve celebration. A few of them I’ve been to before and can vouch for. The others I desperately want to do at some point in my life.

French Quarter, New Orleans

I’ve rung in the New Year here once, and it was epic. New Orleans is ranked by pretty much everyone as the #1 place in the United States to ring in the New Year, and I have to say, its pretty awesome. The booze is cheap, and the place is packed with college kids (with the Bowl game participants and fans in town, its just a huge college party!). Wander down to Jackson Square at midnight to watch the Fleur de Lei drop, followed by fireworks shot off from barges in the middle of the Mississippi River. Nowhere parties like New Orleans does, and they do New Years right.

Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro

As something memorable, a New Year's Eve beach party in Brazil is hard to beat. Beautiful women, fireworks, a carnival atmosphere, an incredible setting on the most famous beach in the world, and you have all the ingredients you need to have the most incredible New Year’s experience of your life. Known locally as "Reveillon," the entire beach turns into an all-day party, with several musical stages, dancing, and everyone dressed in white (it’s tradition). Over two million people turn up along the four kilometers of sand, making this the ultimate New Year’s party, which you simply mustn’t miss.

Flowers, perfumes and candles, some put on little boats, are prepared. People make a New Year's wish, and the offerings are sent into the water. "If the tide takes it [out to sea], the wish is supposed to come true," Reid said. About 3 million people go the beach each New Year's Eve, which is summertime for the Southern Hemisphere. Fireworks light up the sky at midnight.

Rio de Janeiro is consistently rated as the #1 place in the entire world to ring in the New Year, and thus is somewhere I will most certainly have to go one year. You know, when I can afford it.

The Strip, Las Vegas

Of all the places to ring in the New Year, I probably have the most experience doing it Vegas-style! I’ve been three times, and every single time has been an absolute blast. Vegas closes down the Strip to cars on New Years Eve (starting around 6, usually…one lane at a time). By 8, it is only open to foot traffic…and good thing too, as its packed! You can drink anywhere in the street, as long as its not in glass. The hotels will usually close down to anyone except keyed guests just before midnight, as to help guests get back to their rooms. At midnight, the entire strip shoots off fireworks from the tops of hotels. It really is a sight to behold. Between that, and all the clubs, and the gambling, and the scantily clad women…New Years in Vegas is amazing.

The Brandenburg Gate, Berlin

Over a million people gather for this overwhelming celebration, with a massive fireworks display, music, dancing, light shows, international food stands, and beer tents . Behind the Brandenburg Gate is the 1.2 mile-long "Party Mile." The name says it all. Strasse des 17th Juni (17th June Street) turns into one huge open-air disco, replete with international DJs, laser and light shows and performing artists. It’s also open-ended, so no matter how big a party animal you are, there will be someone there to party with. Sounds like a German variation of New Years in Vegas. I love New Years in Vegas, so I’m totally down!

Waikiki Beach, Honolulu

This is probably the one New Years celebration in the US that I haven’t been to that I really want to go to. I mean, I already love Hawaii. But Hawaii with a New Years celebration thrown in on Waikiki Beach, and fireworks being shot off over the perfect blue Hawaiian waters? Count me in! Honolulu’s Aloha Tower Marketplace hold a big block party with live music and DJs across seven different stages. The fireworks show over Waikiki is huge, and then, from what I hear, everyone continues to shoot off fireworks and firecrackers for hours on the beach afterwards. This really sounds like an amazing time to me…and one I’ll have to do at some point. Maybe next year? Guess I better start practicing how to say Happy New Year in Hawaii: Hau’oli Makahiki Hou!

Sydney Harbor, Sydney

As one of the first major cities to celebrate New Year's Eve, Sydney ensures that the rest of the world has a tough act to follow. With a midnight fireworks display witnessed all around the world, the "Harbour of Light" parade and plenty of drinking establishments combine to make this a world famous event. It starts at 1 p.m., with the first firing of the harbor cannon, and goes on into the early hours of January 1st. Over a million people are expected to attend every year, and given it is summer in Sydney, you won’t have to wrap up to stay warm.

I’ve long wanted to ring in the New Year in Sydney. I’ve long watched the fireworks celebration on television, and it looks amazing. And being as it would be summer, and super warm…sounds like a winner to me!

Times Square, New York City

Of course, this is the most famous New Year's Eve event in the world. The big ball descending in Times Square is watched by a million people in the flesh, and a billion more around the world. Star-studded musical performances, pyrotechnics and myriad bars and clubs in close proximity make this as big a party as they come. It is so firmly etched into popular culture that many people feel it is something which has to be experienced at least once in your life. Times Square is always throbbing with energy, and on New Year's Eve it could power the entire Eastern seaboard.

I’ve never really had any overwhelming desire to go to NYC to ring in the New Year. Its crowded, its cold…to see the ball drop you have to get their hours early, and you cannot then leave. Sounds awful to me. But, it is a classic, so maybe someday…

London Eye fireworks display, London

Almost one million people attend this firework display every year, which was watched by millions more via television globally. As the main event in a city which has hundreds of New Year's celebrations to choose from, the London Eye is a must see. With so many people gathering in one place after a few hours of drinking, you can guarantee an electric atmosphere. I do love fireworks, so this would appeal to me!