It's officially time to say goodbye and good riddance to 2017. Before embarking on a slew of new adventures, why not end the year on a high note with a quick getaway? These 10 last-minute trips for New Year's are guaranteed to help you start 2018 on the right foot (a sip of champagne is not required, but highly encouraged).
It's always cozy to watch the ball drop from the comfort of your couch, but there are plenty of experiences waiting for you outside of your hometown. In fact, there are particular locations that many travelers have been buzzing about for their Dec. 31 trips. Kayak rounded up the top 10 trending New Year's Eve destinations picked by fans and the list will definitely have you booking a ticket in no time flat.
Curious about where you and your SO should share a midnight kiss? Here are Kayak's top 10 NYE locations on travelers' radars:
- Guadalajara, Mexico
- Kingston, Jamaica
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Lisbon, Portugal
- Barcelona, Spain
- Paris, France
- Madrid, Spain
- Montréal, Canada
- Athens, Greece
These places are all a little different, but equally as exciting. From nightclubs to plazas, fireworks displays and everything in between, each spot has a lot to offer. "The 10 destinations on the list are the ones seeing the greatest increase in New Year's Eve searches year-over-year. Overall, we continue to see warm weather destinations make the top trending New Year’s Eve lists as people look to escape the cold before going back to work and reality," Kayla Inserra, Kayak's PR manager for North America tells Elite Daily. "Europe also continues to be a hotspot for New Year’s Eve travelers."
Though you might not have considered booking a vacation so soon after the holidays, there's definitely a lot to enjoy about a end-of-the-year journey. "The better question… why not?" Inserra says. "On a serious note, Kayak data actually shows that New Year's Eve travel continues to be a trend, with a 5 percent uptick in searches year over year. And, since New Year's Eve falls over the weekend this year, there’s no better time to hop aboard the bandwagon!" Hey, if you don't take those vacation days, you're only hurting yourself, right?
So now that we've piqued your interest, here's how to get to these lovely destinations for the most bang for your buck. First thing's first, book accordingly, whether that means the airport or the destination in general. Major airports will most likely be super crowded, but a city's smaller, lesser-known airport might not only mean less people but less damage to your credit card. If everyone you know is headed toward Cancun, make your way toward Mexico City or Guadalajara — you'll be original and uncover new places and your own traditions.
Step two: Take advantage of technology. Using Kayak's app will help you navigate what works for you price wise, especially considering you can set alerts according to your budget. In between selfies and tweets, use an app to help you score a better and less expensive vacation. What's not to "like" about that?
Step three: Plan wisely. "We see prices start to fluctuate in the beginning of December for New Year’s Eve travel," Inserra tells Elite Daily. "Those who book after December 26 can expect flight prices to increase by at least 9 percent each day. For the budget conscious traveler, we’ve found that flying on the day of the holiday is usually cheaper, but if you don’t want to fly on New Year’s Eve, your next best bet for affordable airfare is to leave the day before New Year’s Eve." Take a look at your calendar and guide yourself from there.
Grab a LBD, loved ones, a little bubbly, and prepare for an awesome start to 2018, no matter where you go.
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