New Year’s Eve is one of the most celebrated nights of the year.
Many may be wondering how everyone is planning to party this year? If that’s you and you need some holiday ideas, we’ve got you covered with this New Year’s Eve night out, or in, guide.
You may be thinking that New Year’s Eve is for the younger set, the freshly 21 young adults who will rush to Atlantic City and enjoy the open bars at the clubs all night. While that is certainly a great way to get your party on, this year there are plenty of opportunities to stay local and have a great night.
With so many terrific local spots around, it’s no wonder that people don’t need to venture too far from home this year. Alexa Leone of Ventnor plans on heading out for a nice dinner with her family before relaxing at home with a 30-pack of Bud Light she purchased from Circle Liquor Store in Somers Point.
If you want something a little bit more exciting than dinner out, house parties might be the key. House parties are a great way to have fun with all your favorite people without the hassle of lines, busy crowds and getting to and from bars or restaurants.
If you plan on house partying it up this holiday, make sure you have plenty of food and booze. Philly Pretzel Co. at 501 New Road in Somers Point offers the party favorite, large rivet trays for $38. Bake Works at 1205 Tilton Road in Northfield has all the goodies and desserts you and your guests could ever need. Hit up the Dollar Tree in any town to get all the decorations needed to turn your house into a 2024 shrine.
If you don’t want the hassle of getting your home all set up and stocked, try a simple pre-game and have the best of both worlds. That’s what Margate resident Katie Gallagher is doing this year.
A pre-game then a quick ride over to Somers Point’s Bay Avenue, where Gallagher will have her bar hopping down the block all night. From Caroline’s to Charlie’s then Gregory’s as the last stop, her night is sure to be interesting.
Gregory’s Restaurant and Bar located at 900 Shore Road will have a DJ spinning tunes from 9 p.m. until right before the ball drops. You can dance out all night and then countdown to midnight with the whole bar alongside you. The loud tunes make for the perfect last stop on a potential Somers Point bar crawl, which was exactly Gallagher’s plan.
Maybe before all the drinking, stop into the Anchorage Tavern at 823 Bay Ave. for some New Year’s Eve dinner specials — reservations and walk-ins welcome. This local favorite joint is offering appetizers ranging from $17.95 to $18.95 with options such as Angelcakes, Crabby Scallops and Joe’s Crabs.
To top it off, there are four special dinner items to really get you nice and full before a night full of booze. The Anchorage is offering Veal and Crab, Chilean Sea Bass and Scallops, Stuffed Tail and a Filet and Lobster Newburg. Head to their Instagram to see details on these exciting specialty dishes designed to make a local’s New Year’s Eve night go right.
The large bar that is the focal point of the Anchorage will be cranking with celebrating customers all night while live music from DJ Scott plays. A champagne toast is planned at midnight.
Tracey Fitzgerald said she and her husband are excited for their first New Year’s Eve as owners.
“Families come, have fun, have a nice dinner, stay for music and toast to the new year together,” she said.
Another New Year’s Eve dinner spot is the Deauville Inn at 201 Willard Road in Strathmere. Everyone’s favorite spot for summer day drinks is turning up the heat with its very own five-course prix fixe dining experience that offers a classy take for New Year’s Eve.
Deauville’s dinner is $85 per person with an option of $40 more for an added five-course wine pairing. Reservations are needed for this fine dining experience and can be set for either 4 or 8 p.m. If you want to have a classy night out, a romantic dinner date or just a good experience to ring in the new year, Deauville’s got you covered.
All this talk of food has us forgetting about the booze, but Yesterday’s Creekside Tavern at 316 Roosevelt Blvd. in Marmora sure has not. With no cover charge and live music, Yesterday’s might be just the bar spot you are looking for.
The Company Live, a singing group out of Mullica Hill, will be performing live to kick off the new year festivities at Yesterday’s. Along with singing and dancing to the live tunes, the bar is also offering a balloon drop and champagne toast at midnight.
In case you want a little bit of everything — dinner, drinks at the bar and a house party — Somers Point Brewing Co. is calling your name. Since New Year’s Eve falls on a Sunday, this popular brewery will be open from 1 to 7 p.m., making it perfect for pre-drinks to a dinner or a party. Head in and try their newest holiday beer, the Gretel’s Kettle-Gingerbread Ale.
Now that you have plenty of options to choose from, whatever you decide to do this holiday we hope it’s the best way start to your new year.
But most importantly we hope everyone stays safe and the first step to that is to not drink and drive.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety revealed that, “Jan. 1 is the deadliest day on average alcohol-related crashes in the United States.”
With that statistic looming, its important to remember the John R. Elliott HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers, in which many local bars and restaurants participate.
The campaign urges everyone to be safe this holiday saying, “Designated drivers are the true HEROs of the evening, helping to keep us all safe.”
Uber and Lyft are great options if no one in your party is sober and easily accessible all around this area.
By DELANEY CRAWFORD/Special to the Sentinel