If you are planning New Year's Eve in New York City, searching for the best way to watch the Ball Drop in Times Square, New Year's Eve parties in NYC, or New Year's Eve dinner packages near Times Square, our number one recommendation is this: have your plans set in stone before you trek into Times Square. New Year's Eve in Times Square is not a night for improvising.
New Year's Eve is definitely one of the most secure days in New York City. Think of the secure Times Square area as a box — roughly from Fifth Avenue over to about Ninth Avenue, and from 42nd Street up toward Central Park, roughly to 57th Street. That box is filled with tourists, security checkpoints, street closures, and crowds celebrating New Year's Eve in New York City. Once you are in it, moving freely, finding a restroom, or finding food and beverage on the spot is very difficult.
That is why having a restaurant reservation at a restaurant inside that box is a smart way to hedge your New Year's Eve experience. Many Times Square restaurants offer New Year's Eve dinner packages ranging from about $100 to $300 per person. At minimum, a reservation gives you a home base during the New Year's Eve crowds — your restroom, your food and beverage, and a place to actually enjoy the space instead of standing in the Times Square crush for hours.
For those with a larger budget who want the best Ball Drop views in New York City, Truly New York has some of the most incredible vantage points to watch the Ball Drop. We highly encourage you to consider our New Year's Eve event at Bowtie Bar at the Renaissance Hotel Times Square, or join us at M Social for our Ball Drop event there as well. Both are fantastic New Year's Eve in Times Square experiences.
Bowtie Bar at the Renaissance and M Social range from about $800 to about $2,000 per person, depending on the intended experience and hospitality package. What those New Year's Eve tickets offer is direct sight lines to the Ball Drop — our guarantee of getting you out of the crowds, out of the hustle and bustle, while still having the greatest possible view and the greatest possible New Year's Eve experience in New York City.
So decide your New Year's Eve in NYC in advance: a restaurant dinner package inside the Times Square box for a home base, or a premium Truly New York Ball Drop party at Bowtie Bar or M Social for a direct view, full hospitality, food, beverage, and a restroom all night. Set it in stone before December 31, arrive early, and ring in the New Year in New York City with a view — not in a crush.
