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New York City is one of the best places to travel in December, and not just because of Christmas. There are tons of things to do in NYC for New Year's Eve. There's the ball that will be dropping—find our advice on where to watch it here. But Times Square, which is best avoided year-round, is especially treacherous terrain on New Year's Eve. The Ball Drop is visually splendid, sure, but its several seconds' drop doesn't lose its luster when watched on television from any number of more fabulous, comfortable parties happening around the city. Hotels are common hosts, with fabulous lounges and bars ready-made for a soirée. Exhilarating options also include a city cruise and a run through Central Park that gets going right when the clock strikes midnight. All of this to say, ringing in 2025 in the city can be done more ways than one. Read on to find the best New Year's Eve parties in New York City.
Bar Blondeau at the Wythe
When: December 31, 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Where: The Wythe, 80 Wythe Avenue
Price: Starting at $295 per person
How to book: Tickets available online
Six floors above Williamsburg's beloved French joint Le Crocodile (which is itself offering a four-course New Year's Eve pre-fixe feast priced at $163 per person that would pair conveniently well with the party upstairs) sits the chic-as-hell Bar Blondeau with its blond wood panelling and deep green upholstery. The $295 ticket, which includes gratuity, will get you an open bar, champagne station, raw bar with oysters and prawns, and all-you-can-grab access to passed hors d'oeuvres like au poivre sliders and fried chicken with caviar. With a live DJ and superb views of Manhattan, the Wythe has one of the best vantage points to ring in 2025.
City Cruises’s New Year’s Eve Dinner Cruise
When: December 31, 10:00 pm to 1:00 am (boarding time 9:00 pm)
Where: Pier 61, Chelsea Piers
Price: $630 for Silver Ticket, $730 for Gold Ticket, $800 for Platinum Ticket
How to book: Tickets available online
The glittering city skyline and a spectacular fireworks display (weather permitting) will be your backdrop on this three-hour cruise along the East and Hudson Rivers. Settle into the Bateaux, a class-enclosed boat, to enjoy a three-course dinner, an open bar, and a live band—plus those aforementioned views. Upgrade to a Gold ticket to get Champagne service and a keepsake flute, or a Platinum ticket for Champagne and an enviable window table. Tickets can be booked on City Experiences’s website.
The Peninsula New York New Year’s Eve Rooftop Party
When: December 31, 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
Where: The Peninsula New York, 700 Fifth Avenue
Price: $750 per guest; or $950 per guest with dinner, not including 20% gratuity
How to book: Tickets available online
Welcome the new year from 23 stories above Fifth Avenue at this long-running, black-tie New Year’s Eve event. For the occasion, the five-star Peninsula New York hotel’s glamorous Salon de Ning will be transformed into a Winter Wonderland–inspired party with live music and lighted dance floors that spill out onto a heated rooftop terrace. For $750 per person (not including tax or 20% gratuity), you’ll have access to a caviar bar, passed hors d’oeuvres, and an open bar serving specialty cocktails. If you’d like to splurge even more, grab a ticket that includes a five-course dinner in the hotel’s Clement restaurant for $950 per person. Book tickets for the rooftop party and dinner on the Peninsula’s website.
The Roxy Hotel presents New Year’s Eve
When: December 31, 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Where: The Roxy Hotel, 2 Avenue of the Americas
Price: Starting at $199 per person, with post-midnight night admission for $50
How to book: Tickets available online
Get transported back to the 1970s at the Roxy Hotel’s “New York, New York” bash—a Studio 54-themed party complete with DJ dance parties, an open bar, and a midnight countdown. Guests can also stroll through an exhibition of Dustin Pittman's photographs—he's famous for capturing the likes of Andy Warhol, Bianca Jagger, and Truman Capote. General admission tickets start at $199, but you can upgrade for premium atrium seating, table service, and stationed hors d’oeuvres for $400 per person; tickets can be purchased on the Roxy’s website.
New Years Eve Grand Fete at the Palm Court at the Plaza Hotel
When: December 31, 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Where: The Plaza Hotel, 768 Fifth Avenue
Price: Starting at $995 per person
How to book: Tickets available online
If you're really jonesing to do capital-N capital-Y New York, you might find dropping some big bucks worthwhile in order to spend a few hours within the storied walls of the Plaza Hotel. This is a black tie affair, and the OpenTable booking portal somberly reminds bookers to “dress to impress.” This means that tuxedos or floor-length gowns are not negotiable. Masquerade masks, meanwhile, are included in the price of admission and will be handed out to make sure everyone is on the same page. Also included? A grand buffet, live music and entertainment, and a complimentary midnight toast of Roederer Cristal—note that an open bar is not in the cards.
New Year’s Eve Dinner at The Carlyle
When: December 31, 5:00 p.m. (dinner) and/or 9:00 p.m. (gala)
Where: The Carlyle, 35 E 76th Street
Price: $170 per person for dinner; $895 per person for the black-tie gala
How to book: Reservations available online
The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel on the Upper West Side has long been a favorite hangout of travelers and locals alike. The grand hotel is worth visiting any time of year, but it also happens to be one of the best places to celebrate New Year’s Eve in New York. One option is to enjoy a three-course dinner at Dowling’s (the in-house restaurant), with prepaid reservations starting at $195 per person. Seatings begin at 5:00 p.m. and are limited to two hours.
And then there is the much more lavish (and expensive) option: a black-tie gala that includes a five-course dinner with live music, followed by dancing in the hotel’s Art Deco lobby. Tickets for the gala start at $895 per person and seatings begin at 9:00 p.m. Note that this event is currently sold out, but you can add your name to a waitlist and keep your fingers crossed.
NYRR Midnight Run
When: December 31, 11:59 p.m. to whenever you finish
Where: Central Park
Price: $70 registration fee
How to book: Register online
When you think New Year's Eve parties in New York City, you might not think of lacing up your running shoes and bracing the city in the middle of winter. But for those inclined to get a head start on their healthy resolutions, there’s a four-mile road race in Central Park that begins right at the stroke of midnight (fireworks included), right after a 2024 countdown starting at 11:59 p.m. The course will take you around the park’s inner loop, starting and ending at the 72nd Street Transverse—with sparkling cider at the halfway mark. The registration fee is $70, or $55 for NYRR members, and you can sign up online. (Note for runners: Be sure to pick up your bib at the NYRR RUNCENTER on W 57th St. before race day.)
This article has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
