New Years 2011/2012

[BonnieShels]

Decided to get this in train early this time because I always leave it last minute...

Anyone got any decent ideas of where to go for about a week to 10 days from the 28th December 2011 onwards.

So far me and the missus have mentioned Chicago and LV as potentials but I fear that Chicago will be beyond bitter I've done Ottawa and Toronto for New Years in the past so I can only guess that Chicago would be similar.

Any ideas would be welcome.

[A face]

Go to Christmas Island for it .... the first place on earth to welcome in the New Year (as far as i know anyway)

[theworm2345]

Decided to get this in train early this time because I always leave it last minute...

Anyone got any decent ideas of where to go for about a week to 10 days from the 28th December 2011 onwards.

So far me and the missus have mentioned Chicago and LV as potentials but I fear that Chicago will be beyond bitter I've done Ottawa and Toronto for New Years in the past so I can only guess that Chicago would be similar.

Any ideas would be welcome.
It was 55 degrees Fahrenheit here on New Year's Eve last week. Even if it were 0 degrees still no better place to be though.

[BonnieShels]

Go to Christmas Island for it .... the first place on earth to welcome in the New Year (as far as i know anyway)

Would live to but unfortunately The finances most certainly not allow this. Maybe when I'm Taoiseach.:...

The worm, its top of the list alright. What for a on there for NYE?

[theworm2345]

The worm, its top of the list alright. What for a on there for NYE?
Same as anywhere else for NYE...drinking (there is no dearth of places people go for bar hopping, two in particular to stand out though). If you're looking for a calmer evening, there are also plenty of people in Millenium Park and around Navy Pier to watch the fireworks at midnight. The trains run for free too so its easy to get around (not so easy to get a cab though, not that you'd need on if staying downtown). I'm probably not the best guy to ask as I was working this past New Years Eve (was on the train home when it struck midnight and had to get up early to go back), out of town the previous one, and celebrated the one before that with a bunch of people from high school I hadn't seen since graduation...however I can't recall meeting anyone in Chicago who didn't enjoy their New Year's Eve. I doubt it will be 50 degrees again any time soon but the cold isn't really that bad.

[BonnieShels]

think I'm going to Cuba or Chile/Argentina... Stoopid gf. Bet ya I'll end up in Tanzania yet.

[brendy_éire]

Not as exotic as other places mentioned, but we went to Edinburgh for NYE 2010, and thought it was great. The place was full of foreigners, with loads of gigs/events on all day, and plenty of stuff on 1st as well.
I reckon we'll go back this year too.

[BonnieShels]

Was stranded in Edinburgh at the start of December. Never want to set foot in the place again til I'm the far side of 30.

[BonnieShels]

Same as anywhere else for NYE...drinking (there is no dearth of places people go for bar hopping, two in particular to stand out though). If you're looking for a calmer evening, there are also plenty of people in Millenium Park and around Navy Pier to watch the fireworks at midnight. The trains run for free too so its easy to get around (not so easy to get a cab though, not that you'd need on if staying downtown). I'm probably not the best guy to ask as I was working this past New Years Eve (was on the train home when it struck midnight and had to get up early to go back), out of town the previous one, and celebrated the one before that with a bunch of people from high school I hadn't seen since graduation...however I can't recall meeting anyone in Chicago who didn't enjoy their New Year's Eve. I doubt it will be 50 degrees again any time soon but the cold isn't really that bad.

Well ye shower... all this talk of Lake Shore Drive has me panging for Chicago. going to the Travel agent tomorrow for a chin-wag.

Recommend any hotels or any particular area to stay in?

[BonnieShels]

Boston and Chicago are working out the same cashmoney-wise. And so far everyone I've talked to has been pro-Chicago however I've a couple of questions for the Chicagoans on here:

1. What sort of cold is it? I've done Toronto and Ontario and that was fine over the same time period. But cold in Ireland Is desperate.

2. Is winter a shut down period?

3. Is the LSD an option in the snow?

4. What goes on outside Chicago?

Cheers lads.

[SkStu]

1) Like Toronto. A bit colder maybe cos of the wind.
2) In terms of nightlife/shopping etc? No! Its not quite new york/times square for New Years but it is always a buzz.
3) I think so...
4) Not sure... Milwaukee?!

regarding a hotel, when we were last there, the Missus and I stayed in Hotel Rafaello (http://www.chicagoraffaello.com/)right beside the John Hancock building. Beautiful 4 star hotel for really reasonable prices in an amazing location...

[BonnieShels]

Thanks dude for that... now if some blooming Chicagoans would like to help out it would be great. Nothing seems to happen December...

[theworm2345]

regarding a hotel, when we were last there, the Missus and I stayed in Hotel Rafaello (http://www.chicagoraffaello.com/)right beside the John Hancock building. Beautiful 4 star hotel for really reasonable prices in an amazing location...
Two doors down from where my grandparents live!


Boston and Chicago are working out the same cashmoney-wise. And so far everyone I've talked to has been pro-Chicago however I've a couple of questions for the Chicagoans on here:

1. What sort of cold is it? I've done Toronto and Ontario and that was fine over the same time period. But cold in Ireland Is desperate.

2. Is winter a shut down period?

3. Is the LSD an option in the snow?

4. What goes on outside Chicago?

Cheers lads.
1.) It is colder than Ireland (at least than when I was there in November) but I'm guessing no colder than Toronto. As I mentioned though it was 55 degree Fahrenheit here last New Years Eve. If SkStu is referring to "the wind" due to our nickname I wouldn't worry about it, Windy City does not refer to the gales that blow through, though if you are staying by the lake as Stu was there will be some harsh gusts.

2.) No, winter is not a shut down period. Since the blizzard of '98 the only time there was a citywide closing of anything was last winter when we had a massive blizzard with like two feet of snow. In 2008 I was working at UPS and it was -17 Fahrenheit with -35 windchill and we along with everyone else were still working.

3.) As mentioned above, the only time I remember Lake Shore Drive being closed in recent memory was in the massive blizzard last year. Its usually less crowded in the winter though not as enjoyable a drive...they do a very good job plowing in Chicago especially on the major roads.

4.) I'm not a fan of the suburbs to begin with and especially in the winter I can't see any reason to go out there. As Stu mentioned there is Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Springfield (if you like history), etc.

[BonnieShels]

Two doors down from where my grandparents live!


1.) It is colder than Ireland (at least than when I was there in November) but I'm guessing no colder than Toronto. As I mentioned though it was 55 degree Fahrenheit here last New Years Eve. If SkStu is referring to "the wind" due to our nickname I wouldn't worry about it, Windy City does not refer to the gales that blow through, though if you are staying by the lake as Stu was there will be some harsh gusts.

2.) No, winter is not a shut down period. Since the blizzard of '98 the only time there was a citywide closing of anything was last winter when we had a massive blizzard with like two feet of snow. In 2008 I was working at UPS and it was -17 Fahrenheit with -35 windchill and we along with everyone else were still working.

3.) As mentioned above, the only time I remember Lake Shore Drive being closed in recent memory was in the massive blizzard last year. Its usually less crowded in the winter though not as enjoyable a drive...they do a very good job plowing in Chicago especially on the major roads.

4.) I'm not a fan of the suburbs to begin with and especially in the winter I can't see any reason to go out there. As Stu mentioned there is Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Springfield (if you like history), etc.

Cheers dude.

What I was mentioning about shut down period is that there is precious little on the net about what's going on in town for NYE except for glitzy glam parties. EUGH!

If it's like Toronto weather wise then it's fine. -3 in Ireland's is so much worse than what I experienced in Toronto, Ottawa etc simply because if the dampness of the air here!

any recommendations for NYE etc there...

[theworm2345]

Well ye shower... all this talk of Lake Shore Drive has me panging for Chicago. going to the Travel agent tomorrow for a chin-wag.

Recommend any hotels or any particular area to stay in?
I would definitely stay downtown, either in Streeterville, River North, the Gold Coast, or in the Loop. Though those places would of course be more expensive than a place in other parts of the city or on the outskirts, there are some reasonably priced places and then of course the places like the Ritz, the (famous) Palmer House, and Trump Tower if you want to go fancy. Off the top of my head there is the W (you could have a room overlooking LSD and the lake), Doubletree, Rafaello, Affinia (I know some of the bellboys there), Embassy Suites, InterContinental, Allerton, Hilton, the Westin, the Ritz, and of course the Drake. All of these are only steps from the Magnificent Mile. Doubletree has some great cookies though I don't know how they're rooms are priced. Really it depends on what you're in to. If you want to go to the museums I'd recommed staying in the Loop for easy access to the Museum Campus and if you just want to go to bars I'd stay in Gold Coast for easy access to the bars there (thats probably the most popular area in Chicago for bar hopping).


Cheers dude.

What I was mentioning about shut down period is that there is precious little on the net about what's going on in town for NYE except for glitzy glam parties. EUGH!

If it's like Toronto weather wise then it's fine. -3 in Ireland's is so much worse than what I experienced in Toronto, Ottawa etc simply because if the dampness of the air here!

any recommendations for NYE etc there...
Like I said in Post 5 I haven't had a great deal of experience with it, but all the tourists I met on New Years Day at work said they had a great time. Again, it also depends on what you're in to.