Where We Went on New Year’s Eve

In Spain, people eat grapes at midnight. In Colombia, revelers run around the block with their suitcases. In Japan, monks ring a bell 108 times. 

And in America? Rev dug into Lyft data to learn how people rang in the New Year across the United States. 

For one, unlike Christmas, when people clearly like to stay put, December 31 is a top day for going out. Historically, more people take Lyft rides on New Year’s Eve than any other day in the months of December or January.

This Year’s Top NYE Cities

But which cities are most likely to go out on New Year’s Eve? To find out, we looked at each U.S. city’s total ridership and then found the percentage that went out on NYE. Leading the pack is Buffalo, New York, with 4.3% of all riders in the city going out on NYE; second up is the iconic NYE hot spot, New York, New York, with 3.8% of riders; and third is Minneapolis, Minnesota, with 3.5% of riders.

Looking directly at the top cities in our data, we notice a correlation: Cities where temperatures are lowest in January tend to have the greatest percentage of riders out on NYE. Perhaps riders in cities with cold winters perceive New Year’s as one of the few events worth venturing out for…

Top Venues to Ring in 2024

So now that we know the top cities to be in for NYE, what about the top venues? For those curious, we found the most popular place in each of these top locations where riders went after 5 p.m. on the 31st and before 7 a.m. on the 1st. Unsurprisingly, the #1 category of locale was bars and restaurants (receiving 44% of riders), followed by hotels (10%), and entertainment/clubs (8%). 

• The hottest spot to spend NYE in Buffalo, New York, was the Rec Room, a live music venue featuring arcade basketball hoops and tunes by local DJ Biacco.  
• Meanwhile in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the most popular NYE location was The Armory, a bar conveniently located just 0.2 miles from the U.S. Bank Stadium, where a (highly attended, according to our data) Packers vs. Vikings game wrapped earlier that night. 
• People in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania gathered at Penn’s Landing to watch not one, but two sets of fireworks light up the Delaware River waterfront. 
• Folks in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, headed to Trinity Three Irish Pubs, a two-dance-floor bar located in the heart of downtown. 
• Those in Columbus, Ohio, spent their confetti-covered evening at the sprawling complex of Standard Hall for a glamorously themed event, Midnight in Hollywood. 
• The top spot in Baltimore, Maryland, was Power Plant Live, an entertainment venue that generally features eight bars but, for NYE only, had a secret ninth one open. 
• And Charlotte, North Carolina, partied at The Gin Mill, which featured live music, a DJ, and a kitchen open until 11pm. 
• At the same time, Chicago, Illinois, celebrated at Radius, an old steel factory that has been converted into a spacious music venue, with a set by house band Gorgon City. 
• Residents of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, traveled four miles, on average, to spend the evening at PAve Bar, a two-story venue that featured a free photo booth for NYE. 
• And to nobody’s surprise, the people in New York, New York, were most likely to celebrate at Times Square, the location of the iconic ball drop. Fun fact: This year, on average, people stayed in Times Square until around 1:43 a.m., almost an hour later than they did for NYE last year (12:55 a.m.). 

How Late We Stayed Out

Ever wonder how late people stay out on New Year’s? Well, if you live in Lexington, Kentucky, the answer is not late at all. The city boasted the highest percentage of folks calling for a ride between midnight and 12:10 a.m. on January 1, 2024 (4%). However, the plot below shows that, across the U.S., riders generally stay out an extra hour on New Year’s Eve, departing their locales around 1:07 a.m.

And the city that stayed out latest? Miami, Florida, where 51% of late-night rides occurred after 3 a.m.! It’s not too surprising to us — a previous Lyft data dive revealed that students at the University of Miami were the U.S. students most likely to leave a bar after 2 a.m.

Cities Most Likely to Be Hungover After NYE

For those who do stay out until the wee hours, the morning after can be tough. Based on the fraction of rides under 1 mile on January 1 (relative to the rest of the year), Lyft data suggests the following cities are most likely to be nursing a hangover…

The list is led by Virginia Beach, Virginia, where riders are 32% more likely to take a Lyft under a mile on January 1, relative to all other days of the year. Next up? Phoenix, Arizona, with a 30% increase. In third comes Indianapolis, Indiana, where they are up against not just headaches but chilly temperatures!

Likelihood to Go to the Gym After NYE

Speaking of activity, how about that classic resolution to go to the gym in the new year? Well, only .03% of Lyft rides across the country were to the gym on January 1, 2024. We’ll start tomorrow…

Thanks for reading, and Happy New Year!

~ Rev Staff