9 places to escape the crowds on New Year's Eve

While most of the world celebrates New Year’s Eve with noisemakers and bottles of Champagne, there are some people who would rather spend the last hours of 2022 with a good book, some quiet reflection, and zero other people. (We see you.) But just because you crave solitude doesn’t mean you have to be stuck at home—plenty of destinations let you relax far away from your living room sofa.

Whether you’re hoping to stretch out on a tropical beach or cozy up in a cabin, here are nine of the best places to escape the crowds on New Year's Eve and beyond.

Late December marks the start of prime whale watching season on the Baja peninsula, with thousands of humpbacks and grays migrating down to the Sea of Cortez to mate and give birth. You can take a guided tour to see the majestic mammals in action—plus tons of other sea life, like turtles and manta rays—all while enjoying lovely weather in the 60s and 70s. And while southern resort cities like Cabo San Lucas are party central on NYE, you’ll find a slower pace in smaller towns a bit further afield—like La Ribera on the eastern coast and Todos Santos on the Pacific side—plus some incredible hotels, including a Four Seasons outpost and Paradero Todos Santos.

If you want the exact opposite of Times Square on New Year’s Eve, you can’t do much better than a silent retreat in California—specifically at the Esalen Institute, a Big Sur wellness center founded in 1962. The spot offers all-inclusive workshops year round (with accommodations, meals, and classes), including a seven-day New Year Meditation Retreat from December 29 to January 5. This particular workshop puts an emphasis on “noble silence,” with designated no-talking periods each day, as well as guided meditations that will help you focus on your goals for the year ahead.

If you’ve always felt a little jealous of Kate Winslet’s cottage (and remoteness) in The Holiday, you may want to consider a winter trip to the Cotswolds, an impossibly charming region in southern England. The area is defined by its cobblestoned villages and quintessentially British inns, where you can cozy up on New Year’s Eve with a farm-to-table dinner, cup of tea, and in-room fireplace—and even a spa treatment or two. Want something a bit more sophisticated? Many hotels, including the Lygon Arms and The Greenway Hotel and Spa, host formal dinners, so you can toast the new year in your black tie best.

Already itching to escape the cold weather? Plan a winter trip to the British Virgin Islands, where temperatures rarely dip below the mid-70s throughout December and January. The territory has more than 60 isles to choose from, but we suggest going with a private island resort if you really want to get off the grid. Splurge on one of Richard Branson’s properties—Necker Island and Moskito Island—to get a taste of a billionaire’s vacation, with private villas and on-call butlers. You can’t really escape the popping bottles of Champagne here, but you can have yours delivered on a floating tray in your private infinity pool.

Sedona is a popular destination for wellness travel, but you can find an even more secluded brand of health in the nearby city of Carefree, AZ. This town more than lives up to its name thanks to Civana Wellness Resort & Spa, a Sonoran Desert property that will help you kickstart your New Year’s resolutions. Aside from a 22,000-square-foot spa, the retreat is offering curated holiday programming during the “season of presence” that features a daily line-up of complimentary, health-focused classes that includes everything from desert hikes to sound baths and aerial yoga. Let’s just say guests won’t have to worry about any Champagne-induced hangovers when they wake up on January 1.

The Maldives is where desert island fantasies come to life, with blindingly white sands, peaceful waters perfect for snorkeling, and some of the most luxurious overwater villas in the world. Even the big name-brand properties—Waldorf Astoria, St. Regis, etc.—offer seclusion with private villas and plenty of tropical land to explore. Of course, you can always opt for next-level (as in, below sea level) solitude at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, where guests with big pockets can book a glass-walled suite located 16 feet underwater. (Just know the Conrad has a NYE party, so don't expect complete quietude.)

Iceland has become synonymous with overtourism in the past decade, but you can still have the remote, soul-searching vacation of your dreams if you visit in the winter—and know where to stay. Fly into Reykjavik and do the obligatory Blue Lagoon soak and Hallgrímskirkja selfies, then rent a car and head north. The Diamond Circle is one of the best driving routes in the country (and far less crowded than the Golden Circle), passing some of northern Iceland’s most beautiful waterfalls and geothermal features. And though you’ll have limited daylight hours in the winter, that only increases your odds of spotting the elusive northern lights. Just be sure to check the weather, as it can be unpredictable in winter months and lead to road closures.

Home to steamy onsens, minimalist hotels, and ski resorts galore, landlocked Nagano is one of Japan’s most magical cities come wintertime (it hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics, after all). Take the 90-minute train ride from Tokyo and bask in the relative calm of the snow-covered mountains and vast farmlands. For even more relaxation, tack on a night at a guesthouse in the quiet town of Yamanouchi (about a 45-minute drive from central Nagano), where you can witness the uncanny sight of snow monkeys bathing in hot springs at Jigokudani Monkey Park.

Yellowstone closes many of its entrances and roads to cars beginning in mid-December, which naturally thins out the massive crowds you’ll encounter in the summer months. So while it takes a bit of extra effort to get into the park this time of year—the best option is to take a guided snowmobile or snowcoach tour—you’ll be rewarded with one of the most incredible and serene winter landscapes in the country: think frozen lakes, thermal features billowing with steam, and fields of fluffy snow punctuated by the occasional bison herd. Stay at the in-park Old Faithful Snow Lodge so you can fully experience the winter glory. The accommodations are simple but cozy, and you can book excursions like snowshoe tours and photo safaris through the hotel.