The Chicago River on St. Patrick’s Day
Whether you are in Dublin, Ireland, or Dublin, Ohio, celebrating St. Patrick’s Day has become more than just an Irish tradition — it’s a day-long (and sometimes week-long) jamboree that everyone celebrates. Check out how you can be Irish for a day in Boston, Chicago or New York:
Boston. Perhaps one of the most Irish-centric cities in the country, Boston has long been the place to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Though it has made strides in recent years to tame down its raucous parade, Beantown still throws quite the party. The South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade starts at 1 p.m. March 18, but you can expect festivities leading up to the event. Stick close to the Irish pubs by staying at Four-Star XV Beacon, where you can book the Luck O’ the Irish package and get 17 percent off of your room from March 11 to 18. On St. Patrick’s Day, head to The Purple Shamrock, where the festivities begin at 8 a.m., or The Kinsale for a helping of corned beef and cabbage and a pint of Guinness.
Chicago. Kick off St. Paddy’s Day on March 17 at Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago. Groups should try to reserve one of the Four-Star hotel’s 17th-floor skyboxes, where you can nosh on traditional black and white pudding and get a nice view of the legendary dyeing of the Chicago River. After the river has transformed into a vibrant green and you’ve finished breakfast, make your way to Grant Park for the noontime parade. Then continue the revelry at nearby Kitty O’Sheas, which will have a huge celebration. If Kitty O’Sheas is too packed (and don’t be surprised if it is), opt for Lizzie McNeill’s, where you can hear traditional bagpipe music and relax in the beer tent.
New York City. With its very own St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York is an obvious St. Patrick’s Day hot spot. Book a room at the Five-Star Peninsula New York, which overlooks one of the largest parades in the country. While the street below you teems with holiday festivities, you’ll have a front row seat to the action — minus all the fuss. The parade kicks off at 11 a.m. at 44th Street and winds its way up Fifth Avenue, past the American Irish Historical Society on 83rd, and finishes up on 86th. Mosey on over to McFadden’s, at 42nd and Second Avenue, for one of the most authentic Irish atmospheres in the city.
Photo courtesy of iStock/Steve Greer
