How we spent NYE in NYC just steps from the ball, without being stuck in the crowds.

I could never imagine anywhere more exciting to ring in the New Year than Times Square, but I have always been intimidated by the idea of venturing through those insane crowds seen on TV. Haven’t we all heard the horror stories? I distinctly remember one of my high school teachers talking about people wearing adult diapers due to lack of bathroom access and being virtually stuck for hours wherever you land in the packed streets. That rumored scenario is going to be a “no” for me now that I am in my 30’s and carry ibuprofen on me at all times. We visit NYC at least once a year during Christmas time, but NYE in the Big Apple was a first for the both of us.

After the trauma of working through the pandemic in the ER, the fragility of life and renewed appreciation of living free motivated me to research and book a room on a whim in July of 2021! One of the best parts about being married to Seth is knowing that I can make these impulsive decisions on my own and he’ll be on board when he sees how excited I am, after the fact. One thing to know about me is I get a little anxious feeling like I am stuck in a situation or really crammed in a crowd, and at this point in 2021 we were still living very cautiously in our day to day lives. Crowd aversion was optimal for many reasons.

I am going to review our hotel location, tips, and overall experience since I had NO CLUE what to expect when I started planning. I felt that searching for hotels with a view of the action was a little overwhelming with much uncertainty. Would our view of the ball be obstructed? Would we be trapped in OR out of our hotel from the crowds that gather early in the day? Would the streets around us be blocked off? Could my nervous bladder handle this? Honestly, we almost cancelled our room with a view to opt for a cheaper one and avoid being disappointed when our free cancellation deadline was approaching. We both felt that just being surrounded by all the amazing energy in close proximity to the excitement would be enough adventure for us as first-timers. I must say, we were both SO amazed by our room for the price and so grateful we took the gamble! Please note that our experience could be modified by changes in city protocols or event related logistics in the future. The rest of this blog will only discuss New Year’s Eve specifics. (See my separate post about Christmas in NYC for more fun things to do during your visit if you love the holidays as much as I do!)

We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn New York-Times Square Central (link for hotel on Orbitz) on West 42nd St. after researching the best hotels for watching the ball drop and comparing prices. Please pay attention to the location if you go for this booking – there are several Hilton Garden Inn hotels in Times Square. I booked the “partial Times Square view” room which was the best available at that time via Orbitz for around $725/night including taxes and our Orbitz member discount. If you really want to budget your trip and are willing to forfeit a guaranteed view of Times Square, you would still have an amazing time booking the standard room given the hotel perks I will explain shortly. The standard queen bed room would have saved us close to $300/night. For those aiming to splurge (because you totally deserve it) there is also a “Times Square view” room if you book early enough, but prepare to pay $700+/night more than the “partial view” room depending on your length of stay. Pay attention to room specifics as a “city view” room is not a guaranteed view of Times Square, and keep in mind my pricing is from my 2021 booking 5 months in advance. I always like to price check, and Orbitz was by far the best deal for us – thanks Orbucks!

At check-in, we were given “guest passes” which was the sweetest surprise of this experience. I will explain what this means in more detail below, but first let’s enjoy a picture of the view from our room so you can see why we were NOT disappointed!

Wherever you stay, it is important to research road closures and security protocols. Roads accessing Times Square closed as early as 4 a.m. on Friday. The street directly in front of our hotel was a cross-town access for emergency vehicles which made it extremely convenient for coming and going all day by foot since it was closed down early Friday morning. Accessing the nearly empty sidewalks and streets surrounding our hotel (with our guest pass lanyards) allowed us to go explore, eat out for dinner, and grab snacks during the day and night. Do not leave your guest pass when you go out, because it will be checked by friendly but strict police officers!! We were able to go between our room and the small crowd of other hotel guests celebrating on the sidewalk of our hotel. When we needed a break, we could go up to the warm room and open our window to hear all the excitement from Times Square while we watched the dazzling ball and refilled our drinks. It was very special for me to Facetime my 11 year old daughter who was watching the ball drop on TV with her Dad’s family – cool mom award! We both felt kind of guilty being inside this sacred little bubble of freedom when we saw the unbelievable sea of people behind the barricades all around us as we walked around the block. If feeling safe is important to you, this is your perfect spot! Not only were the access roads barricaded, but the street in front of the hotel parked NYPD’s most elite Mounted Units – the infamous Clydesdale horses! I was smitten with them!

I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t share some food tips with you. I travel for the food, mostly, and I always make sure to have reservations in advance for New York City as a backup option. We like to be spontaneous, but getting reservations can be difficult on a normal night in this city. I had made reservations for a fancy NYE fixed menu dinner and cancelled the day prior since we wanted to spend more time in the room we splurged on for this event. Lucky for us, we found a little culinary jewel that was a 7 minute walk from our hotel. I was worried about access to restaurants with all the unfamiliar pattern of road barricades, police, and crowds, but this journey to food was smooth. Café China on West 37th street really hit the spot! This unassuming yet very chic Sichuan restaurant boasted a unique ambiance and good service. We would both describe the food and menu to be deliciously authentic without intimidating our Americanized palates. Seth is the tough critic between us, and he was impressed. For a midtown location, the prices were very reasonable as well.

Let’s finish this post with one last relevant topic near and dear to my heart… snacks. It was so cool to have a quick-access sanctuary in our hotel room that was truly another extension of the NYE celebration outside. We tuned in to the NYE ball drop broadcast with our drinks and snacks for a majority of the night, all cozy and relaxed. There was one food cart on the sidewalk of our hotel with some overpriced chips and soda that could be appreciated in a pinch. The hotel lobby also had a small supply of drinks and chips. A 3 minute walk led us to Simit Sarayi on 6th Ave, a Turkish bakery with to-go coffee and desserts. Their tasty cake slices were the perfect addition to our adult beverages being chilled in the room. We purchased vodka and wine early in our trip to make sure we were not deprived of celebratory spirits on New Year’s Eve, which I recommend if you plan on a more intimate celebration in your hotel room.

I hope this read has helped someone overcome their hesitation to celebrate NYE in Times Square, New York City! It has been fun to re-live this special trip with my husband. We have been on some really amazing trips around the world, but there is something about this city that keeps calling me back. The feelings of life and endless possibilities are so palpable in NYC, and it never gets old for me as a habitual tourist. I hope you will share your experiences and feedback with us should you ever go in the future! See comments section/contact form below. – Amanda

• Hilton Garden Inn New York-Times Square Central
• Café China
• Simit Sarayi