Where To Ring In The New Year 2025
With all the world at our fingertips, it’s easier than ever to make the most of the holiday period and jet away for a New Year’s Eve to remember. Fireworks are the universal language of celebration, and you’ll see them wherever you go. Added to that, each destination brings its own unique quality to the merriment, whether that’s the romance of Paris, the lantern-lit sky of Thailand or the glitz of Dubai.
Where are the best places to go to ring in 2025? Here are our top choices for an incredible holiday with a built-in highlight.
Paris, France
The ‘City of Lights’ is evidentially a popular place to come for New Year’s Eve – according to the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau, the city boasts the highest number of foreign visitors in the world on New Year’s Eve, with around 3 million tourists visiting the French capital during the holiday season. Don’t make the mistake of ringing in the New Year at the Eiffel Tower – not only is it heavy with crowds, but it’s also the wrong place to be for fireworks. These take place on Champs-Élysées, so head there early and get comfortable.
If you want to do as the locals do, enjoy le réveillon for dinner – this is indulgent feast of the best Gallic delicacies like oysters, caviar, escargot and foie gras.
Los Angeles, USA
It’s said that there’s many central areas of Los Angeles, and never more true than on New Year’s Eve, when major festivities take place all over the capital of the west coast of the US. The star-studded city knows how to throw a party, and you’ll find both public and private ones happening everywhere. Visitors might want to start at NYELA – New Year’s Eve in Los Angeles – held at the iconic Grand Park. It’s a free event where you’ll find family-friendly live music, art installations, food trucks and a countdown to midnight. Or to enjoy the panorama of the city, head to the Griffith Observatory, where you can gaze at LA’s skyline as it lights up with fireworks instead.
Dubai
If guaranteed sunshine along with glitz and glamour is the perfect combo to start off your year, Dubai is a-calling. The big draw in the UAE, it offers miles of beautiful beaches, airconditioned malls and pristine amenities everywhere you go. The Burj Khalifa is the focal point for New Year’s Eve – as the world’s tallest skyscraper, it’s hard not to be! It’s here that you’ll find the main fireworks, but the whole city will be adorned with glorious lights come midnight.
If you prefer to keep the party going ‘all night long’, 80s legend Lionel Ritchie will be performing at the Atlantis, The Palm Hotel. Or to opt out of the buzz of Dubai’s nightlife and enter 2025 in a more relaxed fashion, you can organise a NYE celebration in the desert, with more intimate entertainment and fireworks to mark the occasion.
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Chiang Mai might not have the white-sand beaches Thailand is known for, but as a cultural hub that celebrates New Year’s Eve in style, it’s arguably one of the most alluring destinations. Head to Tha Phae Gate for midnight, where you’ll find Thai people gather with floating lanterns, ready to release to mark the new year. Whether you’re releasing one (buy one there for around £1) or watching the event, the gentle movement of hundreds of lanterns across the midnight sky is something to behold. Once they’re released, expect the cacophony of firecrackers and sparklers going off around you and horns honking. While it’s more relaxed and unofficial than the capital of Bangkok, it’s conducted in considered way with safety in mind. In all, it’s an emotive, memorable way to bring in 2025.
Vancouver, Canada
It’s a long way to travel especially for New Year’s Eve, but the winter wonderland of Vancouver is a great destination to explore outside of the big celebrations too. To ring in the New Year, head to the waterfront location of Canada Place to get the best view of the fireworks. Or do it the Canadian way, and head to Grouse Mountain for the annual New Year’s Eve Snowshoe Fondue event – especially if you like snowshoeing and fondue! There’s also a mega party at Science World. Expect two floors of DJs, live music and entertainers, with over 1000 gala attendees making this one of the most popular places to be for the countdown. To blow off the cobwebs, grab your big coat and walk along its many winter trails – that will get you feeling ready for all that 2025 has in store.
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