New Year's ideas for D.C., Philly, or Baltimore

November 27, 2012 4:26 PM

Any ideas for ways to celebrate New Year's eve in the Washington, D.C., Baltimore, MD, or Philadelphia, PA area? Willing to travel further, but not interested in NY. Must have a location/event that is hotel accessible.
posted by Coffee Bean to food & drink (7 answers total)

What are you looking for? A giant warehouse dance party? Romantic dinner/dancing for two? A masked ball? A jam band campfire thing? Just you? Your family? A group of friends? Are you 25 or 65?
posted by greta simone at 4:41 PM on November 27, 2012

My husband and I are in our late 20's with no children. We are looking for something that is fun, full of energy, and possibly a little different from what you would do on a normal going out night. We like adventures, dancing, good food, parties, theater, comedy, and just the odd events that give us something to add to our life experience list. You could say we aren't afraid to try something new.

I would like to hear about as many ideas as possible in order to choose the right one for us. An added bonus are events/outings for New Year's day in the same area.
posted by Coffee Bean at 5:45 PM on November 27, 2012

White Dog Cafe is a funky, wonderful restaurant in University City (i.e. western Philly). On NYE, they have a terrific dinner, but specifically make your reservation for the piano bar. They have a guy who plays pop songs, Broadway tunes, and various standards and everyone gets progressively drunker and it's just a big, boisterous sing-a-long.

Spend the night a block up the road at The Inn At Penn, and then on New Year's Day, wander back down to White Dog for their New Year's Day pajama brunch, where diners and staff alike wear PJs and the rooms are still strewn with confetti and streamers. There's another sing-along in the piano bar, but if you're terribly hung over you might want to skip that room.

If the weather's not too cold or miserable, you can then wander downtown for the legendary and inimitable Mummer's Parade.

I've done this NYE a couple of times, and it's just so very much fun.
posted by shiu mai baby at 7:26 PM on November 27, 2012

All of those cities should have First Night programs you could look in to if you don't mind being alcohol-free.
posted by maryr at 7:34 PM on November 27, 2012

I haven't been to their New Year's Eve party, but the International Club in DC does a big shindig with lots of dancing and drinks. It's in a hotel, near a lot of other hotels (and the zoo!) I know that the POV bar at the W Hotel has done New Year's Eve celebrations in the past, but I don't see a listing for this year-- it might be worth a call to check on this, as the view is pretty incredible.

In Philly on New Year's day, definitely the Mummers. I've been to events where they've performed and it's definitely a unique show. Uwishunu has a great roundup of Philly events, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art's party on the 30th and the Laurel Hill’s Cemetary's General Meade's birthday celebration ("Party like it's 1866.") It's probably worth pointing out that Philly and the surrounding areas believe in many, many fireworks, which is very exciting if you're used to DC's more restrained, sadly explosion-less celebrations.
posted by jetlagaddict at 8:58 PM on November 27, 2012

Hey! I'd like to hear about a jam band campfire thing! I spend the summer at such things, but haven't heard of a NYE event.

If not that, I'll likely be at the Black Cat swing dancing to Peaches O'Dell and Her Orchestra. The dress code is completely flexible--there will be hipsters in t-shirts and fancy folks (including me) in tuxedos and evening wear. It's fun and upbeat and not-too-crowded, close to hotels and eateries, or cab-able from anywhere in the city.
posted by MrMoonPie at 6:03 AM on November 28, 2012

I'd say Philly, so you can see the Mummers Parade on New Year's Day.

We stayed at the Sofitel downtown and had an excellent experience there, although you might want to find a place on the route where you can watch from your room, while enjoying room service.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 6:41 AM on November 28, 2012