According to discount travel site Hotwire.com, the most popular city to ring in 2007 is Chicago, for the third consecutive year, followed by Atlanta and Orlando. New Orleans and San Francisco round out the top five most popular cities this year, while traditional New Year's Eve destination New York City falls to the tenth spot.

"Low prices on four-star hotels plus great entertainment choices make big cities like Chicago a favorite destination for ringing in the New Year," said Barbara Messing, vice president and travel expert at Hotwire. "For travelers looking to celebrate the New Year in warmer spots without breaking the bank, cities like Atlanta, New Orleans or Phoenix are also great places to celebrate the last minutes of 2006."

The top ten destinations for New Year's Eve 2006, according to hotel bookings on Hotwire.com, include (2005 rankings in parentheses): 1. Chicago, Illinois (1) 2. Atlanta, Georgia (6) 3. Orlando, Florida (2) 4. New Orleans, Louisiana 5. San Francisco, California (4) 6. Las Vegas, Nevada (5) 7. Los Angeles, California (8) 8. Phoenix, Arizona (3) 9. Orange County, California 10. New York City, New York (7)

Added Messing, "New Year's Eve is a great time of year to enjoy a new city while prices are low and spirits are high. We're seeing four-star hotels in many popular U.S. cities for around $100 per night." Below are examples of hotel rates recently booked on Hotwire for New Year's Eve weekend (December 28 - January 2)*: * $72 / night 4-star hotel, Las Vegas -- North Strip * $72 / night 4-star hotel, New Orleans -- Downtown * $73 / night 4-star hotel, Atlanta -- Marietta -- Vinings * $84 / night 4-star hotel, Chicago -- Northbrook * $103 / night 4-star hotel, Phoenix -- Scottsdale * $109 / night 4-star hotel, San Francisco -- Union Square West

The discount travel experts at Hotwire recommend booking travel now to land the best travel deals for New Year's Eve weekend. For more information, visit www.hotwire.com.

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