Sometimes we parents just need a to take a little adults-only vacation and leave the kids in the trusting care of their loving grandparents. New Year's Eve seems perfectly suited to a quick adults-only getaway. On the other hand, it's a also a great time to get your entire family together to ring in the new year. Whether or not you need a break from the kids or want to ring in the new year, family style, you're probably asking yourself "isn't it too late? And where should we go?"

Luckily, priceline.com knows the pain of our last-minute indecision and is here to help with their 6th annual list of top 50 destinations for ringing in the New Year. For the 5th year in a row, Las Vegas is the #1 destination for New Year's revelers. Typically, the list is top-heavy with east- and west-coast locations, but Chicago does weigh in at number 21, so we midwesterners have that going for us.

Another thing we've got going for us is slightly cheaper hotel rates this year. According to priceline.com, the average published rate for a 3-star or higher hotel in the U.S. for New Year's 2009 is $129, which is slightly less than last year's average published rate of $132. "With room rates in many cities still under pressure, a New Year's getaway is an exceptional value," said priceline.com's in-house travel expert Brian Ek.

For family-friendly fun, four destinations on priceline.com's list stand out: #21, Chicago's Millennium Park/Loop/Grant Park area; #12, Orlando Disney's Maingate;  #49, Orange County, Disneyland/Orange/Garden Grove; and #50, Orange County, Disneyland/Anaheim.

To compile the list, priceline.com looked at a sampling of more than 30,000 Name Your Own Price® hotel room booking requests made by priceline.com customers for the New Year's holiday. Because the survey is based on actual booking requests, and not on consumer preference polls or votes, priceline.com believes its annual survey is one of the more accurate predictors of New Year's travel trends. Also, by focusing on hotels instead of airline tickets, the priceline.com survey is able to include the travel intentions of consumers who will drive to their destination.

"This year, a handful of cities and destinations were the big winners in the sweepstakes for New Year's revelers," said Ek. "The Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area captured 7 spots on the list, while New York City and Los Angeles/Orange County each took 6 spots, and Las Vegas was named 4 times. The growing strength of New Orleans as a tourist destination was also evident by being named to the #5 and #8 spots on the list."

Priceline.com's Top 50 New Year's Destinations

1. Las Vegas, Strip Vicinity South
2. New York City, Chelsea Area
3. New York City, Times Square/Theater District
4. Miami, South Beach/Ocean Drive
5. New Orleans, Downtown
6. New York City, Empire State Building Area
7. Atlanta, Downtown
8. New Orleans, French Quarter
9. Orlando, Sea World/International Drive/Convention Center
10. Fort Lauderdale, Beach Area
11. Las Vegas, Strip Vicinity North
12. Orlando, Disney Maingate
13. Key West
14. Orlando, Lake Buena Vista/Downtown Disney
15. Maui, Wailea/Makena
16. Oahu, Waikiki Beach
17. San Francisco, Union Square West/Nob Hill
18. New York City, Madison Square Garden/Convention Area
19. Fort Lauderdale, Downtown
20. Puerto Rico, San Juan
21. Chicago, Millennium Park/Loop/Grant Park Area
22. Las Vegas, Near Las Vegas Strip East
23. Chicago, North Michigan Ave./River North Area
24. Oahu, Waikiki Marina Area
25. San Antonio, Riverwalk Area
26. Fort Lauderdale, Ft. Lauderdale/Airport North
27. Miami, South Beach/Collins Ave. Oceanfront
28. Toronto, Downtown Toronto South
29. Newark, Meadowlands/Jersey City
30. Sydney, City Centre
31. Boston, Harbor Front/Aquarium
32. New York City, Midtown East
33. Los Angeles, Central L.A./Hollywood
34. Atlanta, Midtown
35. Miami, Miami Beach
36. Los Angeles, Central L.A./Beverly Hills/West Hollywood
37. San Diego, Downtown & Harbor Island
38. Paris, Eiffel Tower/Port de Versailles/Montparnasse
39. Seattle, Downtown/Pike Place
40. Rome, Central City
41. Los Angeles, San Gabriel Valley/Pasadena
42. Boston, Copley Square/Theater District
43. New York City, Downtown/SoHo/Financial District
44. Las Vegas, Convention Center
45. Miami, Coral Gables/Coconut Grove
46. Los Angeles, Central L.A./Airport
47. Amsterdam, City Centre & Museum Quarter
48. Miami, Downtown
49. Orange County, Disneyland/Orange/Garden Grove
50. Orange County, Disneyland/Anaheim

Are you planning a quick getaway to celebrate the New Year? If so, where are you going? Are you including the entire family or planning an adults-only escape from the kids? Share your plans by leaving a comment below!

Happy New Year's to all!

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