New Year’s Eve celebrations come in all sorts of shapes and sizes at bed and breakfasts. Some inns cater a cozy, quiet, affair while others deck the halls, pop multiple bottles of champagne, and turn up the music. Here are some bed and breakfasts ready and willing to help you ring in the New Year in style.
Candlelit Affair. The Candlelight-Inn in North Wildwood, New Jersey, offers a weekend of calm and quiet in a charming Queen Anne Victorian. Enjoy a traditional candlelight breakfast on the morning of New Year’s Eve. Later sip tea, nibble on an assortment of hors d’oeuvres and sweets as the clock nears midnight. Complimentary champagne is provided for you to share in the privacy of your room or out in the hot tub under the stars. The next day, brunch marks the start of a new calendar page. A two night minimum stay is required; mention BnBFinder and receive a third night stay at half price.
Rustic Celebration. Tucked in the Ozark Mountains near Branson, Missouri, is a sprawling 10,000 sq. ft. log bed and breakfast offering a colorful New Year’s display. At the stroke of midnight, step onto the deck at the White River Lodge, cozy-up by the outdoor fireplace and watch spectacular fireworks above the lake. There’s also an outdoor hot tub. If you’d rather stay indoors, the inn features large windows, its own movie theater with projection TV, billiards table and fitness room with sauna. A late breakfast is served on January 1st. Stay at the inn any day between December 25th and January 1st and save $10 per night off the regular rate. You may also save an additional 10% on two or more nights as part of an “End of Decade Special.”
Wine and Dine. Dust off your evening dress, grab a black tie, and head over to the Palladio Restaurant at Barboursville Winery in Orange, Virginia, for a five-course feast, live music, and award-winning local wines. The New Year’s Eve dinner includes risotto and salt crusted fish, among other chef-prepared dishes. Naturally, each course is paired with a Barboursville wine. After dinner return to your starting point at the Holladay House Bed and Breakfast for a sparkling wine toast. The next morning, a late gourmet breakfast will be served at the inn. Details for more wineries, art galleries, and Civil War battlefields are available from the innkeeper. The inn itself, a Federal-style 1830s home, is a historic Main Street landmark.
Loud & Festive. For a big time party, head to Jackson Square in New Orleans where the French Quarter is packed with revelers eager to count down the seconds to 2011. Don’t expect your run of the mill, ball drop. In ‘Nawlins it’s a lighted ball or gumbo pot or “Baby Bacchus,” that drops from a perch atop Jax Brewery, followed by fireworks over the Mississippi River. After, head to Bourbon Street and party till the early morning hours or hop on a streetcar, back to Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast for a trip back in time. The 1891 Thomas Sully mansion offers turn-of-the-century charm to match its historic location. It also offers insider connections – the innkeepers often help guests secure “hard to get” reservations into local restaurants and cultural events.
Regardless of your party-style and budget, bed and breakfasts offer a wide array of ways to celebrate the New Year. Whether you’re looking to get out of town or save on airfare and stay within driving distance, a one or two night getaway is a value-packed way to start 2011 feeling refreshed and reinvigorated.
To find the right New Year’s getaway for you, visit the New Year’s specials page.
