Cheapflights.com Reveals Best Spots in U.S. for a Midnight Smooch on New Year's Eve

BOSTON, MA--(Marketwired - Dec 15, 2015) - Fireworks, parties, concerts, the Times Square ball drop ... all ways Americans may be ringing in 2016. And they all culminate with the countdown to 2016 followed by the traditional New Year's Eve kiss. Did you know according to English and German folklore, the first person you kiss in the New Year sets the tone for the rest of the year? The travel experts at Cheapflights.com, the online leader in finding and publishing travel deals, think that where you choose to mark that special moment is just as important and they're here to help with their Top 16 places in the U.S. for a New Year's Eve kiss.

From warm weather destinations to snow-covered, cozy fun, from family-friendly ideas to romantically charged settings, this list has got you covered. Below are eight of the 16 best spots in the U.S. to welcome 2016 with the traditional New Year's Eve kiss.

• Atop the Seattle Great Wheel, Seattle, Washington - Standing 175 feet tall, the Seattle Great Wheel is the largest observation wheel on the West Coast. Perched 40 feet beyond the end of a pier over Elliott Bay, the wheel has 42 fully enclosed gondolas that seat up to eight adults on two bench seats. The Seattle Great Wheel is hosting a special Midnight Ride on New Year's Eve, which affords a partial view of the Space Needle fireworks. Each $55 ticket includes a midnight ride (three full rotations of the wheel), champagne toast, photo booth photo op, party favors and a memorable way to share a smooch while soaring above Seattle.
• In front of the Fountains of Bellagio, Las Vegas, Nevada - One of the most iconic shows on the Las Vegas Strip is the Fountains of Bellagio at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino. Designed by Los Angeles-based design firm WET, the water, music and light show has been mesmerizing passersby since 1998 with its flashy lights, dancing water and a rotating playlist of 30 rock, opera, classical and Broadway tunes. Why not pucker up in front of 1,200 powerful sprays of water that soar up to 460 feet?
• Wollman Rink in Central Park, New York, New York - While you won't be able to kiss on the ice at the stroke of midnight, Wollman Rink in Central Park is the perfect backdrop for a quiet New Year's Eve kiss. Bonus: Your magical moment will include midnight fireworks courtesy of New York Road Runners' Midnight Run, a four-mile run through Central Park.
• On the beach in the Florida Keys - The southernmost city in the continental U.S. has dozens of quirky options for ringing in the New Year, from a conch shell drop at Sloppy Joe's Bar to the descent of a super-sized red high-heel shoe carrying drag queen Sushi at the Bourbon St. Pub/New Orleans House on Duval Street to the lowering of a pirate wench from atop a tall ship's mast at the Schooner Wharf Bar. However, a more intimate way to kiss 2015 goodbye is on the private beach beneath fireworks at Cheeca Lodge & Spa, a 27-acre oceanfront 212-room estate in Islamorada in the Upper Keys.
• At Fan Pier in Boston, Massachusetts - Located along picturesque Boston Harbor, Fan Pier affords an uncrowded spot to smooch your sweetie while taking in the annual midnight fireworks display. Fan Pier is part of Boston's "new waterfront" and features trendy galleries, shops and restaurants -- perfect for window shopping during the countdown to midnight.
• Beneath the stars in Death Valley, California - The quintessential backdrop for a romantic moment, stargazing and dreaming of the year ahead is a magical way to start the New Year. Located between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, in the heart of Death Valley National Park, Furnace Creek Resort is a true American oasis featuring two destination experiences: the luxurious, historic, four-diamond Inn at Furnace Creek and the family-friendly Ranch at Furnace Creek. The resort is the largest (one of only 12) gold-tier-certified International Dark Sky Parks in the U.S., where stargazers can actually see the Milky Way with the naked eye in between stealing kisses before and after midnight.
• On a Mississippi steamboat cruise, St. Louis, Missouri - The Gateway Arch Riverboats, replica 19th-century paddle-wheel riverboats Becky Thatcher and Tom Sawyer, transport riders back in time to when steamboats ruled the mighty Mississippi and fueled the nation's westward expansion. For 50 years, the boats have offered the best view of St. Louis and the Gateway Arch. They also provide a stunning backdrop for sharing kisses. A special four-hour New Year's Eve Cruise departs at 9 p.m. and includes a full sit-down dinner, open bar, party favors, dancing, a live DJ and a celebratory champagne toast as the clock strikes midnight.
• In the hot springs of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico - Ease your way into 2016 by soaking in the hot springs of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. Formerly called Hot Springs, N.M., the town was renamed after the popular mid-20th century game show "Truth or Consequences." Whether you soak for an hour or book a night at a hotel with in-room private hot springs baths, the odorless thermal springs are some of the most heavily mineralized water in the U.S., a truly therapeutic way to say hello to 2016. Ahhh, amore!

Rounding out our extensive list of top spots across the U.S. for a New Year's Eve smooch are: Après ski in Aspen, Colorado; On the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California; Along Canal Walk in Indianapolis, Indiana; Overlooking the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana; On an island: Mackinac Island, Michigan; By the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C.; In a teepee at the Wigwam Village in San Bernardino, California; Atop One World Observatory in New York City. To read about these and Cheapflights.com's complete Top 16 places in the U.S. for a New Year's Eve kiss, visit http://www.cheapflights.com/news/top-16-places-in-the-us-for-a-new-years-eve-kiss/.

About Cheapflights.com, part of the Momondo Group
Founded in 1996, Cheapflights is a leading global flight comparison and deals publishing platform. It is now a market leader in the UK, U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand generating over $3 billion in global downstream revenue for its partners as it expands into numerous other territories. More than 120 million users visit its websites and apps each year, receiving more than two billion search results a month from across 900,000 routes. The 10 million strong opt-in subscribers to the Cheapflights newsletter receive the best deals from over 120 travel businesses - for whom it has driven more than $65 million in revenue this year. Together, the Cheapflights platforms generate enough bookings for its partners to fill a Boeing 747 every five minutes.

In 2011, Cheapflights became part of the privately owned online travel search and inspiration network, Momondo Group.

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