Philadelphia and the Countryside - Press Room

Last-minute hotel booking is a New Year’s Eve norm, and gophila.com, Philadelphia’s official visitor Web site, is offering some tips on how to get the December deed done for the festive, four-day weekend, which features the New Year’s Eve fireworks show at Penn’s Landing and the beloved Mummers Parade along Broad Street on January 1.

Here are some hotel tips:

• First, plan your day and night, then book your stay. Book a room along the waterfront or in Old City for the New Year’s Eve fireworks show at Penn’s Landing or make a reservation at a hotel on or near Broad Street so you can secure a front-row seat for the Mummers Parade on New Year’s Day. gophila.com offers a convenient “My Trip” feature, and it’s also a great resource for holiday happenings.
• Search for the best hotel deals online. Many hotels are offering lower rates to patrons who book two nights instead of one. For example, the rate drops from $309 to $264 per night at The Westin and from $229 to $169 at the Courtyard by Marriott. A great special offer, available exclusively on gophila.com/holidays, gives visitors making reservations a $50 gift toward their one-night or multiple-night stay valued at $150 or more at select hotels. Visitors can simply type in the code “holidays” to take advantage of this offer.
• Look for hotel packages. They offer great value. Ring in the New Year at your hotel, many of which are hosting parties on the big night. At least four Philadelphia hotels are selling special New Year’s packages on gophila.com. Available at the Radisson Plaza-Warwick Hotel, Doubletree Hotel, Park Hyatt and The Rittenhouse, the packages include everything from romantic dinners for two with champagne and strawberries to tickets to the annual Mummers’ Fancy Brigade Finale on January 1. (You can also book these packages by calling the hotels directly.)

Here are a few more reasons why Philly’s More Fun this New Year’s Eve and Day:

• The midnight fireworks show at Penn’s Landing, presented by the City of Philadelphia, continues the tradition of ringing in the year with a colorful spectacle in the sky. Columbus Boulevard & Market Street, (215) 928-8801, www.pennslandingcorp.com
• Enjoy live music, family activities and food at the Blue Cross RiverRink’s New Year’s Eve Party on Ice, complete with a fantastic view of the fireworks. Columbus Boulevard & Market Street, (215) 925-7465, www.riverrink.com
• Or, catch the fireworks from the forward or portside decks of the Battleship New Jersey. Open at 10:30 p.m., the ship offers music, food and bar service. 62 Battleship Place, Camden, NJ, (866) 877-6262, ext. 108, www.battleshipnewjersey.org
• Wake up on New Year’s Day with the Mummers Parade, a day-long affair in which 15,000 clowns, musicians and dancers strut up Broad Street, leaving a trail of glitter, feathers and fun. www.phillymummers.com

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) makes Philadelphia and The Countryside® a premier destination through marketing and image building that increases business and promotes the region’s vitality. For more information about travel to Philadelphia, visit www.gophila.com or call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Independence National Historical Park, at (800) 537-7676.

Contact(s):

• Cara Schneider, (215) 599-0789