In New York City, the iconic Times Square New Year's Eve numbers arrived on Wednesday.

Ludington's New Year's Eve Ball Drop, in its 15th year, according to the website, has claimed the top spot in the 2024 USA Today's 10Best rankings, beating out the massive celebration in New York City's Times Square.

The annual New Year's Eve celebration in Michigan is known for its walkability, and features an outdoor beer garden, DJ, fireworks and a ball drop with 6,000 LED lights against the backdrop of downtown Ludington.

The Ludington New Year's Eve Ball Drop, also known as "West Michigan's largest New Year's Eve Ball," is a 90-minute drive from Grand Rapids and about 3.5 hours from Detroit.

In addition to enjoying the Lake Michigan city's downtown eateries, many stores will be open until midnight.

Ludington's main street shuts down to car traffic at 9 p.m., so thousands spill onto the street. At the stroke of midnight, look skyward to watch the ball drop, followed by confetti and a fireworks display over the rooftops of downtown.

The event is free, though drinks and merchandise are available for purchase.

Following the street party, partygoers can run in the Ludington's Resolution 5K at 11 a.m. Jan. 1 through downtown. Register online or on race day for $35.

What are the top 10 Best New Year's Eve Drop locations?

The top 10 destinations to bring in the new year include:

Who does the rankings?

The USA Today 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards highlights the very best travel, food, drink and lifestyle. The panel includes industry experts who nominate their favorite attractions across a range of categories. Editors then vet the nominations and set a final list of nominees to be presented to the voting public.