If you’re reading this, then 2011 was the year of, “I’ll get to it later.” Make 2012 the year of now. As Arthur Miller said, the word now is “like a bomb through the window, and it ticks.” Choose from one of these eight New Year’s celebrations—from a fireworks show in the mountains to a champagne jazz cruise on the Hudson River to a Moulin-Rougey party at a winery and a bike ride through the city—and don’t look back.
1. The Sporty Celebration | Hunter Mountain | Catskills, NY
If you can’t beat the cold, join it. After a day of living 2011 to the fullest on the slopes, head down to Hunter Mountain’s main bar for rewarding eats and live entertainment by the Shackadelics and DJ Frankieokie, followed by a tailgate-style shindig, and a big fireworks show. Festivities run from 4-9pm.
Out of Manhattan Directions: There are multiple options for easy travel to and from Hunter Mountain. Paragon Sports will charter skiers and snowboarders from the shop to the mountain for $42. You can purchase an $84 dollar pass, which will include your lift ticket. Visit Hunter Mountain’s Bus Lines page for specific information on various other pick-up and drop-off points in New York City.
2. The Prix-Fixe Celebration | iCi Restaurant | Fort Greene, NY
Top off 2011 with an eco smorgasbord, where a $75 per person feast promises plates like ricotta cavatelli with mushroom ragu, olive oil poached yellowfin tuna bruschetta, and smoked duck breast. Sip champagne with your baked apple custard or sticky toffee cake and make a New Year’s resolution to lighten your carbon footprint. Reservations are recommended.
Out of Manhattan Directions: R/Q/B/D train to DeKalb Avenue; C train to Clinton/Washington
3. The Wine Away 2011 Celebration | Brooklyn Winery | Williamsburg, NY
Don’t settle for Yellow Tail at a random party and discover Brooklyn’s first wine-making center instead. Put on your best “fin-de-siècle” attire and head to this memorable 1890s Parisian-style fete, where for $200, you’ll meet magicians, eyeball burlesque dancers, and enjoy delicious drinks (think French wine, absinthe cocktails, craft beers) in a Moulin Rouge-inspired space.
Out of Manhattan Directions: Take the L Train to the Bedford Ave. stop (First stop in Brooklyn). Exit on either Bedford or Driggs and walk north to North 8th St. Walk east on North 8th St. and it is on the north side of the street at 213 North 8th St. The trip takes less than 10 minutes from Union Square.
4. The Romantic Seaside Celebration | Hyatt Regency Newport Hotel & Spa | Newport, RI
Escape to Goat Island in Newport for a romantic New Year’s Eve getaway, which includes one night in a deluxe room, breakfast and dinner for two at the hotel’s Aspire Restaurant, a welcome gift, and admission to A-Bar with a champagne toast at midnight. From $299.
Out of Manhattan Directions: Consult offManhattan’s public transportation guide to Providence.
5. The Low-Key Celebration | Gigi’s Trattoria | Hudson Valley, NY
Slip into the countryside just north of New York City for a sumptuous sustainable dinner. Offerings include Hudson Valley foie gras, house smoked scallops, sablefish, and slow roasted suckling pig with porcini mushrooms. Confetti will be thrown at midnight. $100 with wine pairings. Read the full menu here.
Out of Manhattan Directions: Rhinebeck is easily accessible from New York City by trains out of New York Penn Station or Grand Central Station. From Penn Station, Amtrak will take you to Rhinecliff, a small town outside of Rhinebeck. MetroNorth will take you to Poughkeepsie, and Rhinebeck is less than a 20-minute cab ride from there.
6. The All Out But Worth It Celebration | The Chelsea | Altantic City, NJ
Wear your best pin stripes and pin-up attire for The Chelsea Hotel’s New Year’s Eve bash spread across four party spaces. Enjoy a top shelf open bar, hors d’oeuvres, great DJs, and the live-out-loud crowds of the Jersey Shore. $285 all-access pass.
Out of Manhattan Directions: Consult offManhattan’s public transportation guide to Atlantic City.
7. The Cruise into 2012 Celebration | Classic Harbor Line | NYC
Ring in the New Year with a party aboard the 1920s style Manhattan boat. After a one-hour on board champagne class, enjoy breathtaking views of the city (including Battery Park, South Street Seaport, Governors Island, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Brooklyn, Queens, Roosevelt Island) while sipping on drinks and eating hors d’oeuvres, while a live jazz trio serenades the four-hour trip, with a break for the boom boom of fireworks, of course. $350
8. The Last Wild Ride of 2011 Celebration | Time’s Up | NYC
If one of your resolutions is to get fit in 2012, this is a good place to start, with a festive bike ride through NYC ending with fireworks at Belvedere Castle in Central Park at 11:45pm. Bring the bells, booze, and whistles, forget the dressy get-up and say “cheers!” with the grassroots environmental organization, Time’s Up.
Photo: Ed.ward
