13 FL Cities Rank Among Nation's Best To Celebrate St. Patrick's Day

FLORIDA — With St. Patrick's Day rapidly approaching Sunday, 13 Florida cities could be added to your itinerary as they were named among the best places to celebrate the popular Irish holiday.

Personal-finance website WalletHub released on March 6 its 2024 Best Cities to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day, with Tampa peaking at No. 9 among the top 200. Additionally, Tampa ranked No. 3 for most Irish pubs and restaurants per capita.

The cities on the best list were scored out of 100 points based on their rankings in the following categories: St. Patrick's Day traditions, St. Patrick's Day weather, safety and accessibility and costs.

“St. Patrick’s Day celebrates the Irish, but it’s become a beloved cultural holiday for millions of Americans regardless of their ancestry," WalletHub analyst Cassandra Happe said in a news 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.”

See how Florida cities fared on the top 200 list:

• Tampa, rank No. 9, total score of 60.71
• Fort Lauderdale, No. 15, total score of 58.68
• Orlando, No. 31, total score of 55.59
• St. Petersburg, No. 31, total score of 55.59
• Jacksonville, No. 77, total score of 49.95
• Tallahassee, No. 91, total score of 48.84
• Cape Coral, No. 93, total score of 48.8
• Port St. Lucie, No. 107, total score of 47.19
• Pembroke Pines, No. 127, total score of 44.92
• Hollywood, No. 135, total score of 44.05
• Hialeah, No. 143, total score of 43.43
• Miami, No. 153, total score of 42.48
• Miramar, No. 185, total score of 38.57

St. Patrick's Day is traditionally observed on March 17 in recognition of the missionary Saint Patrick, the primary patron saint of Ireland who was born in Great Britain.

Those who celebrate the Irish holiday usually paint the town green, a color that "originated as a symbol of rebellious Irish nationalism," the History Channel said. A myth states that people who wear green become invisible to leprechauns while anyone caught not wearing green may be subject to the leprechaun's pinch.

Though modern-day St. Augustine, Florida, was home to the earliest recorded St. Patrick's parade in 1601, New York's parade is deemed the oldest and largest as it travels over a mile up Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.

>> See WalletHub's full report here.