12 cities that go all in on New Year’s Eve

Updated October 30, 2024

New Year’s Eve traditions change from culture to culture—wear all white, eat 12 grapes—but no matter where you are, December 31 is a time for celebration and togetherness. More often than not, that means it’s a great excuse for a raucous party. From fireworks on Copacabana Beach to a dazzlingly multicultural display in Sydney Harbour to the brave-the-crowds spectacle of Times Square, these are the 11 best places to ring in the new year.

Party on: The Scots’ call the last day of the year Hogmanay and traditions center around fire (torchlight processions, fireworks, bonfires), black buns (a pastry-covered fruitcake), whisky toasts, and a round of “Auld Lang Syne” (which originated in Scotland). In Edinburgh, it’s marked by a three-day bash, with concerts and disco parties in the West Princes Street Gardens and a dramatic fireworks display over Edinburgh Castle. Find yourself with a hangover on January 1? Don your wackiest outfit, follow the crowds to South Queensferry (a 20-minute train ride out of the city), and join the annual Loony Dook, a polar plunge into the bracing Firth of Forth.

While you’re here: Warm up at the National Museum of Scotland, which counts the remains of Dolly the cloned sheep among its exhibits, or the National Galleries Scotland: Portrait, where familiar faces include Tilda Swinton.

Where to stay: Virgin Hotels Edinburgh hosts a Hogmanay Ball with a four-course dinner, a piper, a cèilidh (a Gaelic folk gathering), and a live band.

Party on: Sydney Harbour and its twin icons—the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge—are the backdrop for an elaborate midnight fireworks display. The evening kicks off at 7:30 p.m. with a smoking ceremony, a ritual of purification and unity led by Aboriginal leaders, and continues with projections on the bridge’s pylons and an illuminated boat parade. While there are a few ticketed areas (that tend to sell out quickly), the night’s organizers have a handy list of other vantage points, with key info like opening times and whether alcohol is prohibited, sold onsite, or BYOB.

While you’re here: As Sydney heads into its hottest month of the year, it’s an ideal time to cool off at the Bondi Iceberg Club, perhaps the most beautiful swimming pool in the world—and it only costs about $6 for adults and $4 for kids.

Where to stay: The posh Park Hyatt Sydney gets extra marks for its in-the-thick-of-it location. While the boardwalk out front is perfect for fireworks-spotting, many guests won’t have to leave their own balconies to catch the show.

Party on: The River Thames is the centerpiece of London’s New Year’s Eve festivities, with fireworks being set off in Westminster near the London Eye and Big Ben, which famously chimes out 12 times at midnight to (literally) ring in the new year. Since 2014, the British capital has sold tickets to riverfront viewing areas, at a cost of £20 to £50 depending on the location. For a different angle on the fireworks display, consider booking a river cruise, like the Mercury Clipper. The price tags can be hefty, but many itineraries include dinner and bubbly.

While you’re here: Holiday season in the U.K. means pantomimes and slapstick-filled musical comedies—they’re a treat for any age. In 2024, they’ll run the gamut from Sensory Cinders, a Cinderella story for people with learning disabilities at @sohoplace, to an all-drag Peter Pan at the Phoenix Theater.

Where to stay: Sea Containers London sets aside rooms on its west side for special fireworks-viewing packages. Its innovative bar, Lyaness, is a fabulously cozy spot if you’d rather celebrate with a cocktail and great friends than jockey for position to see the show outside.

Party on: New Year’s Eve is one of the most raucous times of year in Rio—after Carnaval, of course. The party is called Reveillon, and involves a massive fireworks display just off Copacabana Beach. Revelers wear all white, a holdover of Afro-Brazilian traditions associated with the Candomblé and Umbanda religions. In Brazil, the color of your underwear on NYE holds symbolic significance (white means peace, blue means tranquility, red means passion, and so on), so consider carefully while you’re getting dressed. And know that there’s a chance other partygoers might actually see those undergarments—traditionally, beachside partiers hop in the water and jump over seven waves at midnight to bring good luck.

While you’re here: This being the Southern Hemisphere, December means the height of summer, so it’s peak blooming season at the Botanical Garden.

Where to stay: At the 101-year-old Copacabana Palace, A Belmond Hotel, ocean-facing rooms on higher floors offer a front-row view of the fireworks.

Party on: This southern Thai island is not for the faint of heart—or early risers. Every full moon, the beloved-by-backpackers beach community of Haad Rin hosts an all-night rave on the sand, fueled by DJ sets, fire shows, glow sticks, and bucketloads of neon paint. And the fun continues on New Year’s Eve, with a similar party-hard vibe, regardless of the moon phase.

While you’re here: Seek post-hangover enlightenment at one of the island’s many Buddhist temples, such as Wat Phu Khao Noi and Wat Chaloklum.

Where to stay: The Anantara Rasananda Koh Phangan Villas hosts a Full Moon Eclipse party, which pairs the usual raucousness with a live band, buffet, and flowing champagne.

Party on: The Czech capital is steeped in history at every turn, with some of the best-preserved architecture in Central Europe. After spending the daylight hours exploring the holiday markets in Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square, settle in for a New Year’s Eve classical concert at gorgeous venues such as the State Opera, the Klementinum, and Lobkowicz Palace at Prague Castle.

While you’re here: During the holiday season, Old Town is more crowded than usual, so go off-the-beaten-path in burgeoning neighborhoods across the river like Holešovice. Here, you’ll find cool-kid spots like DOX Centre for Contemporary Art, Cinema Bio Oko, and the Mama Shelter Prague hotel.

Where to stay: The Andaz Prague, by Hyatt, occupies the city’s gorgeous 1916 “Sugar Palace.” Its New Year's Eve festivities are appropriately sweet, with a party that includes a live DJ, dance floor, and ever-flowing cocktails and champagne.

Party on: Unsurprisingly, music plays a big role in NOLA’s NYE festivities, with events like Big Night New Orleans at The Fillmore and all-night concerts along Frenchmen Street. The city sets off fireworks over the Mississippi, and Jackson Square does its best one-night impersonation of Times Square with a “Fleur de Lis Drop” atop Jax Brewery.

While you’re here: Louisiana’s notoriously swampy weather is at its most bearable in December and January, making it a pleasant time to head out on an airboat ride without the high humidity and pesky mosquitoes.

Where to stay: The Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans plays host to the Vue Orleans, a 34th-floor observation deck that has hosted a New Year’s Eve party with eye-in-the-sky views of the fireworks along the river.

Party on: In the Bahamas, the post-Christmas season means Junkanoo, a carnival-like celebration with flashy costumes, elaborate masks, and plenty of dancing to thrumming beats (goatskin drums, cowbells, horns, and whistles). It takes place twice this time of year, on both Boxing Day and New Year’s. Parades tend to kick off after midnight and continue through the morning. If you want to learn more about the tradition, drop into the Bahamas Museum of Junkanoo or the Junkanoo World Museum & Arts Centre in Nassau.

While you’re here: Be sure to visit the Clifton Heritage National Park, where you can snorkel among reefs and underwater sculpture gardens (Fanta Sea Island Charters offers guided tours.) Look for the sunken plane wreck, which was used in the filming of a James Bond film in the ‘80s.

Where to stay: Throughout the winter, the Atlantis resort hosts its own weekly Junkanoo parades and festivals. The property also hosts a more traditional New Year’s Eve celebration, this year hosted by actor Adam Devine with special guest DJ Lil Jon.

Party on: Dubai has never been accused of doing anything halfway, and New Year’s Eve is no exception. As the world’s tallest structure, the Burj Khalifa stands more than 2,700 feet tall, making it an excellent canvas for fireworks that can be seen for miles around. In 2023, it officially broke the world record for the largest fireworks display with 479,651 shells set off in six minutes (that’s 1,332 fireworks per second). For the best views, buy a ticket to watch from Burj Park.

While you’re here: If turning the calendar page has you thinking ahead, visit the Museum of the Future, which occupies a stunning ring-shaped building and has exhibits on space travel, biodiversity, and new inventions.

Where to stay: One of the newest luxury stays in the UAE, Atlantis the Royal is ringing in 2025 with Lionel Richie. You can book extravagant, multi-course feasts at onsite restaurants like Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and La Mar by Gastón Acurio.

Party on: Lunar New Year is, of course, a major event in Taiwan but that doesn’t mean December 31 isn’t its own moment. People start gathering in front of Taipei City Hall early to get the best view of the fireworks display from Taipei 101 and catch hours of pop concerts from stars across Asia. Outdoorsy types can catch the fireworks from the hiking trail on Elephant Mountain, though it’s far from a secret and can get very crowded. The other three “beast” mountains—Lion, Leopard, and Tiger—tend to be quieter and offer their own unique views of Taipei 101.

While you’re here: The city is known for its clever adaptive reuses of historic buildings, which have been turned into “creative parks” filled with shops, cafes, and galleries. Among the finest for first-timers are Huashan 1914, housed in an old state-run brewery, and Songshan, in a tobacco plant from the Japanese colonial era.

Where to stay: Fireworks views don’t come much closer or grander than the ones from the aptly named Grand Hyatt Taipei, and Countdown Party packages include exclusive access to an outdoor terrace.

Party on: The V&A Waterfront where you’ll find the night’s celebration, with a free event that includes fireworks, live music, and DJs. (If you’re an out-of-towner, it’s an excellent introduction to South African music.) Keep an eye on Time Out Market Cape Town, a buzzy food hall that usually hosts its own New Year’s Eve party, too.

While you’re here: Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden hosts a summer concert series that has previously attracted the likes of the Goo Goo Dolls.

Where to stay: The historic (and quite pink) Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel, makes for a lovely stay throughout the year, but it pulls out all the stops for the holidays with decadent tasting menus and lots of sparkling wine.

Party on: If you want to avoid the scrum of Times Square, you’ve got options. There are fireworks displays throughout the city, including above Central Park, Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza, and the Statue of Liberty. While you can see the show above Lady Liberty from viewpoints along the New York and New Jersey waterfronts, the best seat in the house is one on a boat: Options include the iconic Circle Line Cruises and the snazzier Classic Harbor Line, with sailings aboard 1920s-inspired yachts.

While you’re here: Check out Life and Trust, an immersive theater experience set on six floors of a skyscraper in the Financial District; you’ll don a mask and wander through scenes of Gilded Age excess inspired by the Faust story.

Where to stay: You don’t have to spend hours waiting in Times Square to get the NYE experience. The New York Marriott Marquis advertises “ball-drop view” rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows that look out over the party.