Don’t let the above comment dissuade you. Yes it will be spendy and yes it will be crazy out there, but it’s all part of the fun. I’d stay away from the touristy areas, or notoriously young areas, so no Faneuil Hall, no Broadway in Southie, etc. But any established bars that already have solid, more local clientele are gonna be a blast. Think Lucky’s, Silvertone, JM Curley’s, stuff like that. And stand alone bars are gonna be less crazy than areas where people can bar hop easily and less competitive for those Ubers.

My favorite NYE was at a dingy pub in South London one year because we didn’t plan well and didn’t want to spend the big bucks. We had THE BEST TIME with the local Rastafarians and it was the highlight of my trip. Would never have found that place or those people otherwise.