Best U.S. Cities For Celebrating St. Patrick's Day: NYC Shockingly Misses Top 5 -

WASHINGTON — It’s time to raise a pint as millions of Americans start their annual St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Parades will roll down city streets, bagpipers will be marching, and there will be pub crawls galore across the United States. Not all cities are created equal, though, when it comes to hosting festivities.

According to a survey by WalletHub of 200 of the largest U.S. cities — measuring 15 key metrics of St. Patty’s Day fun — there are plenty of places where you can both wear green and save some green at the same time. The metrics ranged from the number of Irish pubs and restaurants per capita to the cost of a three-star hotel on St. Patrick’s Day and even the local weather forecast.

“St. Patrick’s Day celebrates the Irish, but it’s become a beloved cultural holiday for millions of Americans regardless of their ancestry,” says Cassandra Happe, a WalletHub analyst, in a media release. “The best cities for St. Patrick’s Day combine rich traditions with tasty and affordable food, safe conditions to celebrate, and good weather. Celebrating in one of these cities will increase your chances of having a memorable holiday, as long as you don’t overdo it.”

The Chicago River is dyed green in Chicago for St. Patrick's Day — The Chicago River is dyed green in Chicago for St. Patrick’s Day (Photo by Big Joe on Shutterstock)

St. Patrick’s Day In New York? Fuhgeddaboudit!

Despite being home to the country’s oldest and largest St. Patrick’s Day parade, New York City actually missed the top five cities on WalletHub’s 2024 list of places to party. As you might expect, NYC was let down by the cost of celebrating as well as the historically poor weather every March in the Big Apple. Knocking New York out of the top five were two surprising destinations for an Irish extravaganza — Reno, Nevada and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!

To no one’s surprise, Boston tops the list of the best cities for St. Patty’s Day celebrations. The city is renowned for its massive St. Patrick’s Day parade, attracting about a million visitors annually. With one of the oldest parade traditions in the country, dating back to 1724, Boston also boasts a significant number of Irish pubs and restaurants per capita, making it a festive and affordable place to celebrate.

Not to be outdone, Chicago takes second place, especially famous for its unique tradition of turning the Chicago River green. The city’s St. Patrick’s Day parade is among the oldest in the nation, and with a high density of Irish pubs and restaurants, it’s a prime location for holiday revelers.

Ranking third, Savannah, Georgia welcomes half-million visitors each St. Patrick’s Day to enjoy its historic parade and Celtic Cross Ceremony. It’s also the top city for bar density, catering to the holiday’s association with drinking.

When it comes to cities lacking the luck of the Irish, the worst cities to celebrate the holiday include Pomona, California; Grand Prairie, Texas; Arlington, Texas; Paterson, New Jersey; and Bellevue, Washington.

Best Places to Go for St. Patrick’s Day

Overall Rank	City	Total Score	St. Patrick’s Day Traditions Rank	Costs Rank	Safety & Accessibility Rank	St. Patrick’s Day Weather Rank
1	Boston, MA	68.05	1	132	96	131
2	Chicago, IL	63.93	3	54	48	194
3	Savannah, GA	63.92	38	28	6	5
4	Reno, NV	63.91	10	78	39	47
5	Pittsburgh, PA	63.31	7	111	11	103
6	New York, NY	61.83	5	120	68	132
7	Worcester, MA	61.31	12	76	56	127
8	Buffalo, NY	61.03	6	129	59	155
9	Tampa, FL	60.71	13	178	34	11
10	Santa Rosa, CA	60.44	20	88	36	102
11	Naperville, IL	59.84	15	40	38	175
12	Philadelphia, PA	59.81	2	191	99	114
13	Knoxville, TN	59.39	24	71	159	19
14	Columbia, SC	59.21	49	52	124	1
15	Fort Lauderdale, FL	58.68	9	182	114	12
16	Henderson, NV	58.61	44	56	67	42
17	Syracuse, NY	58.05	26	116	7	150
18	Las Vegas, NV	57.75	43	85	16	56
19	New Orleans, LA	57.61	35	7	128	104
20	Madison, WI	57.32	32	1	90	185
21	Dayton, OH	57.17	8	101	170	138
22	St. Paul, MN	56.35	28	25	93	174
23	Boise, ID	56.31	65	67	1	146
24	Cleveland, OH	56.3	11	124	176	141
25	Fort Wayne, IN	56.25	57	48	5	138
26	Virginia Beach, VA	56.24	85	75	26	19
27	Minneapolis, MN	56.19	19	44	122	197
28	San Francisco, CA	56.15	16	174	109	53
29	Modesto, CA	55.95	127	20	19	41
30	Cincinnati, OH	55.64	34	81	51	127
31	Orlando, FL	55.59	30	141	150	15
31	St. Petersburg, FL	55.59	14	193	163	18
33	Providence, RI	55.43	29	135	43	130
34	Richmond, VA	55.32	41	140	22	108
35	Lincoln, NE	55.1	90	4	3	190
36	Rochester, NY	55.08	17	130	152	158
37	Grand Rapids, MI	54.85	70	9	29	159
38	Milwaukee, WI	54.8	42	15	115	172
39	Fort Collins, CO	54.76	83	57	8	82
40	Seattle, WA	54.72	4	198	80	171
41	Fresno, CA	54.55	68	10	179	79
42	Vancouver, WA	54.35	18	171	116	119
43	Overland Park, KS	54.25	27	35	151	187
44	Cedar Rapids, IA	54.1	39	30	77	182
45	Raleigh, NC	54.07	79	102	20	19
46	Des Moines, IA	54.02	40	19	47	198
47	Alexandria, VA	54.02	21	165	108	132
48	New Haven, CT	53.73	54	117	21	120
49	Louisville, KY	53.48	53	109	15	120
50	Atlanta, GA	53.46	52	133	131	5
51	Wichita, KS	53.41	74	8	155	81
52	Huntsville, AL	53.21	69	72	49	56
53	Lexington, KY	53.2	76	51	30	64
54	Toledo, OH	52.75	48	82	85	151
55	Omaha, NE	52.53	50	33	57	195
56	Tulsa, OK	52.45	55	45	167	107
57	Kansas City, MO	52.28	36	5	184	191
58	Olathe, KS	52.27	59	11	133	187
59	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	52.25	150	22	18	84
60	Akron, OH	52.23	56	21	156	114
61	Lubbock, TX	52.08	137	18	40	96
62	Warren, MI	51.99	101	2	135	156
63	Fayetteville, NC	51.85	140	42	141	2
64	Colorado Springs, CO	51.79	51	137	107	55
65	Salt Lake City, UT	51.75	60	103	160	37
66	Cary, NC	51.38	128	59	37	19
67	Thousand Oaks, CA	51.32	72	63	117	84
68	Denver, CO	51.3	37	153	84	166
69	Clarksville, TN	51.15	96	31	69	161
70	Washington, DC	51.11	45	176	35	132
71	Rockford, IL	50.97	67	14	106	175
72	Scottsdale, AZ	50.74	58	179	23	108
73	Springfield, MO	50.36	64	12	91	191
74	Hampton, VA	50.32	163	89	31	19
75	Charlotte, NC	50.14	98	74	113	2
76	Gilbert, AZ	50.04	89	184	12	84
77	Jacksonville, FL	49.95	62	172	129	10
78	Nashville, TN	49.8	87	99	50	84
79	Yonkers, NY	49.77	23	196	147	132
80	Waco, TX	49.76	129	70	25	164
81	Columbus, OH	49.73	63	94	123	114
82	Arlington, VA	49.7	22	190	172	147
83	Chesapeake, VA	49.52	112	128	86	29
84	Mobile, AL	49.48	94	105	46	43
85	Killeen, TX	49.46	167	65	9	79
86	Huntington Beach, CA	49.21	80	164	52	56
87	Oceanside, CA	49.19	99	119	94	56
88	San Diego, CA	48.98	71	181	27	56
89	Amarillo, TX	48.91	119	34	137	127
90	Baltimore, MD	48.9	81	91	110	114
91	Tallahassee, FL	48.84	124	87	100	12
92	Newport News, VA	48.82	146	121	104	19
93	Cape Coral, FL	48.8	102	148	45	33
94	Riverside, CA	48.69	157	36	75	64
95	Sterling Heights, MI	48.62	145	3	126	156
96	Tacoma, WA	48.61	25	175	162	183
97	Columbus, GA	48.58	168	32	62	2
98	Oxnard, CA	48.48	143	115	17	64
99	Austin, TX	48.4	77	90	111	161
100	Portland, OR	48.34	33	189	166	137
101	Lakewood, CO	48.31	47	86	187	178
102	Durham, NC	47.79	138	73	87	5
103	El Paso, TX	47.63	148	37	55	96
104	Jersey City, NJ	47.32	82	169	28	132
105	Chattanooga, TN	47.27	139	27	101	19
106	Augusta, GA	47.25	144	47	119	12
107	Port St. Lucie, FL	47.19	78	177	175	19
108	Sioux Falls, SD	47.07	61	108	44	199
109	Spokane, WA	46.82	46	183	118	170
110	Indianapolis, IN	46.77	75	134	112	160
111	Salinas, CA	46.65	195	24	13	34
112	Winston-Salem, NC	46.54	154	84	143	5
113	Montgomery, AL	46.45	176	61	102	29
114	St. Louis, MO	46.39	31	80	200	200
115	Corpus Christi, TX	46.26	141	46	65	104
116	Birmingham, AL	46.05	106	39	196	29
117	Joliet, IL	45.96	93	50	161	181
118	Tucson, AZ	45.76	88	160	138	108
119	Frisco, TX	45.75	108	127	169	63
120	Ontario, CA	45.51	188	22	64	64
121	Phoenix, AZ	45.49	91	168	82	96
122	Stockton, CA	45.39	182	60	58	54
123	Honolulu, HI	45.37	95	199	4	52
124	Orange, CA	45.25	130	112	148	84
125	Shreveport, LA	45.23	162	16	120	161
126	Sunnyvale, CA	44.98	160	55	63	46
127	Pembroke Pines, FL	44.92	147	154	83	15
128	Norfolk, VA	44.78	97	157	171	29
129	Tempe, AZ	44.62	86	173	127	108
130	North Las Vegas, NV	44.61	175	17	60	56
131	Peoria, AZ	44.45	66	197	145	120
132	Kansas City, KS	44.44	84	5	199	191
133	Eugene, OR	44.23	73	195	74	143
134	Elk Grove, CA	44.05	152	123	154	50
135	Hollywood, FL	44.05	100	170	168	27
136	Sacramento, CA	43.98	103	150	153	48
137	Torrance, CA	43.87	126	151	139	96
138	San Jose, CA	43.66	164	131	72	36
139	Aurora, CO	43.62	153	62	88	144
140	McAllen, TX	43.61	184	26	180	34
141	Bridgeport, CT	43.56	115	98	81	120
142	Salem, OR	43.46	118	158	76	140
143	Hialeah, FL	43.43	198	167	2	27
144	Pasadena, CA	43.41	132	125	136	64
145	Aurora, IL	43.4	117	118	41	175
146	Chula Vista, CA	43.31	180	159	32	49
147	Oklahoma City, OK	43.31	105	64	140	180
148	Irvine, CA	43.17	161	146	54	108
149	Corona, CA	43.14	174	53	92	56
150	Santa Ana, CA	42.83	187	112	42	64
151	Mesa, AZ	42.75	131	184	61	84
152	Irving, TX	42.57	116	93	195	118
153	Miami, FL	42.48	159	136	14	43
154	Fort Worth, TX	42.25	104	106	178	149
155	Fremont, CA	42.24	181	100	142	39
156	Long Beach, CA	42.24	120	187	78	64
157	Santa Clarita, CA	42.23	110	149	174	64
158	San Antonio, TX	42.04	109	92	191	104
159	Anaheim, CA	42.04	166	146	103	84
160	Fontana, CA	42.01	194	43	70	84
161	Little Rock, AR	42.01	92	79	182	196
162	Los Angeles, CA	41.93	122	166	121	64
163	Baton Rouge, LA	41.91	121	13	192	167
164	Oakland, CA	41.8	135	145	183	50
165	Laredo, TX	41.66	200	66	33	37
166	San Bernardino, CA	41.64	189	68	125	64
167	Chandler, AZ	41.45	114	184	79	84
168	Glendale, CA	41.4	170	125	97	84
169	Greensboro, NC	41.34	169	152	89	5
170	Pasadena, TX	41.21	185	96	132	64
171	West Valley City, UT	41.15	183	103	134	43
172	Bakersfield, CA	40.95	173	58	71	84
173	Springfield, MA	40.91	133	161	95	120
174	Escondido, CA	40.81	165	192	10	64
175	McKinney, TX	40.79	111	138	164	152
176	Plano, TX	40.7	150	83	149	152
177	Detroit, MI	40.48	149	29	189	141
178	Newark, NJ	40.43	125	180	66	147
179	Garland, TX	40.16	171	97	73	185
180	Albuquerque, NM	39.75	142	162	158	96
181	Dallas, TX	38.88	123	144	188	152
182	Hayward, CA	38.78	190	142	165	40
183	Moreno Valley, CA	38.59	196	68	157	96
184	Fullerton, CA	38.58	156	109	177	64
185	Miramar, FL	38.57	197	154	98	15
186	Lancaster, CA	38.35	179	139	144	108
187	Brownsville, TX	38.25	199	38	24	82
188	Houston, TX	38.18	113	122	193	184
189	Glendale, AZ	37.89	136	194	185	64
190	Anchorage, AK	37.54	107	200	53	145
191	Palmdale, CA	37.47	192	143	130	84
192	Jackson, MS	36.83	155	41	198	167
193	Memphis, TN	36.62	134	49	197	189
194	Mesquite, TX	36.17	178	77	190	164
195	Garden Grove, CA	36.09	177	112	194	120
196	Pomona, CA	35.87	193	156	105	64
197	Grand Prairie, TX	34.84	186	107	173	169
198	Arlington, TX	32.93	172	95	186	173
199	Paterson, NJ	32.74	191	163	181	120
200	Bellevue, WA	31.3	158	188	146	179

Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.

“Apart from cities with historically large populations descended from Irish immigrants (like Boston or Chicago), St. Patrick’s Day is popular because it breaks up the tedium of late winter, provides an excuse to party, particularly in public, and is a distraction during the long hiatus between the Valentine’s Day holiday and Memorial Day. Americans love holidays,” explains Alexis McCrossen, history professor at Southern Methodist University.

This year, Americans are expected to spend a whopping $7.2 billion on St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

Methodology

In order to determine the best places to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, WalletHub compared 200 of the most populated U.S. cities across four key dimensions: 1) St. Patrick’s Day Traditions, 2) Costs, 3) Safety & Accessibility and 4) St. Patrick’s Day Weather.

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Tags: drinking, Irish, parades, partying, St. Patrick’s Day, united states