Guide To Spending New Year's Eve 2015 In Baltimore

Baltimore is a happening party town - possibly the largest in the Mid-Atlantic region. No time of year is this more apparent than New Years Eve when the regular party crowd are joined by those irregulars and out-of-towners, all eager to ring in the New Year. This could make for a crowded mess if you don't know where you are going or what you are doing. But worry not, gentle reader: we are here to help. Check out this list and find yourself armed with knowledge to have a safe and enjoyable New Years Eve in Charm City.

NYE Live!

Possibly the best way to prepare yourself for a New Years Eve Party in Baltimore is to head on over to the Baltimore's New Year's Eve Party website and grab a couple of tickets. For the price of the ticket, you get all-inclusive access to close to a dozen bars and venues around Inner Harbor Baltimore from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. with live DJ's and dancing, a big-screen live-feed screening of the ball dropping in NYC, a champagne toast at midnight, gourmet buffets, party favors and more — all with a primo view of the midnight fireworks.

Baltimore New Year's Eve Fireworks 

The coup de grace of New Year's Eve in Baltimore is, of course, the fireworks display which rockets over the Inner Harbor each year. This light show seems to get more awe-inspiring each and every year. Of course, the question becomes "where is the best spot to view this spectacle?" Well, you could join the crowd at the Inner Harbor, of course; however this tends to be a crowded venue, and you'll want to get there pretty early if you want to get a good spot.

A better idea might be Federal Hill Park, which has a great view of the Harbor, but gives you some elbow room and a little distance from the crowds of the city proper. If you're willing to spend some money, Spirit Cruises offers a surprisingly affordable dinner cruise on the Bay right under the reflective lights of the fireworks. The cruise includes refreshments, a live DJ and dancing.

Nevermore Masquerade Ball

Baltimore was once the humble home of author and poet Edgar Allan Poe. Poe's humble life and death has become one of the more celebrated aspects of modern Baltimore. In recognition of this, the Radisson North Baltimore Hotel holds an annual masquerade ball to honor Poe, who once wrote a story about such a ball. Join the celebration and enjoy premium and specialty bars open all night, a variety of buffets, the obligatory midnight toast, ten different party zones, dozens of bands, performers, comedians, party favors — and its biggest brag is the largest midnight balloon drop in Baltimore.

Related:  Baltimore's Best Guided Tours (Even For Locals)

Dining Out On New Years

A number of Baltimore restaurants are offering New Years specials or parties that are not to be missed. Check a few of these out:

• The Blue Moon is offering a special four-course dinner for New Years Eve
• The Rowhouse Grill is offering a three-course Pre-Fixe with wine pairings for New Years Eve
• Sam's On The Waterfront will be hosting a blowout party with DJ, dancing, a four-course Pre-Fixe dinner and a champagne toast at midnight.
• Waterfront Kitchen, which has a direct view of the fireworks, has a five-course tasting menu and a cocktail party following the fireworks.

All of these events require reservations, so if any of them grab your interest, make sure you contact the restaurant soon — spaces are filling up quickly!

Transportation And Accessibility

The City of Baltimore is more than eager to have all of those tourist and sight-seer dollars pour into the economy from New Years Eve celebrators. Consequently, they provide plenty of opportunity and options to get into the city in order view the fireworks and enjoy the festivities. The MTA Metro Sub is one highly recommended way to make your way into the city, as it is affordable, handicap accessible and services are being extended to one hour after the New Years Eve festivities. Click on the link to visit the website, or call 410-539-5000, 1-866-RIDEMTA (toll-free) or TTY 410-539-3497.

You could also check out the Charm City Circulator, which runs several routes through the city, and is completely free on New Years Eve. If you choose to drive, recommended parking would be the Marina Garage, Water Street Garage, 30 Light Street Garage, Hyatt Garage, Lockwood Garage or The Gallery Garage.

Related: Guide To Baltimore's Public Transportation

Joel Furches is a freelance writer and researcher for The Examiner and Logos Software, and also manages his own catalog of writing on Hub Pages. Joel is on the board of directors for Ratio Christi. He has a bachelors in Psychology and a Masters in Education.