Best Places to Go for New Year's Eve
Here are Kindred's top choices for a New Year's Eve house swap.
New Year’s Eve is more than just champagne and sparklers—it’s a chance to wrap up the year and set the tone for the one ahead. In most major cities, you’ll find a range of public and private events, including spectacular fireworks displays. Here’s where to go for New Year’s Eve for a memorable night.
Best places to go for New Year’s Eve 2025
The cities on our list also happen to be Kindred’s top home swap destinations—so apply for membership and ring in 2025 like a local. In the meantime, let’s dive in.
We recommend booking your Kindred trip in advance to get the best selection of available homes to choose from!
New York City
We’ve all seen Dick Clark’s New Year’s Eve special (now hosted by Ryan Seacrest) on TV. New Yorkers gather in Times Square to watch the ball drop. If you want an iconic celebration, this one’s for you. Attendance is free, but the square starts filling up in the afternoon. There are also ticketed parties at private venues surrounding Times Square (and across the entire city).
NYC is one of the cities with the most Kindred homes, so once you’re a member, you’ll find a range of places for authentic stays and trustworthy swaps.
London
Like NYC and many other cities, London offers fireworks on New Year’s Eve. The world-famous event takes place in front of the London Eye and requires tickets. It sells out early, but luckily there’s a second ticket release as NYE approaches, and resale tickets are available on Ticketmaster. During the show, a custom soundtrack is played over loudspeakers along the banks of the Thames, and Big Ben chimes at midnight.
If you don’t have tickets to the main event, there are loads of other viewing parties and NYE events to choose from. You’ll likely need tickets regardless of the event you attend.
Paris
Contrary to popular belief, the Paris fireworks display isn’t at the Eiffel Tower. The show is at the Arc de Triomphe on the famous Champs Elysee, which is lined with twinkling lights in December. Tickets aren’t required, but it’s recommended to arrive early. Before midnight, a New Year’s Eve light display is projected onto the Arc de Triomphe.
If you’d like to skip the crowd and celebrate in your Kindred home or another Parisian venue, don’t forget to toast with Champagne at midnight.
Barcelona
If you’re going to Barcelona, you can take part in some of Catalalonia’s quirky New Year’s Eve traditions. The most famous one (also popular across Spain) is eating 12 grapes on the 12 strokes before midnight. If you eat all the grapes in time with the countdown, superstition says you’ll have a great new year. (Apparently, it’s harder than it sounds.)
Another tradition is wearing red underwear(!) on New Year’s Eve. The origins are unknown, but it’s supposed to be lucky.
Superstitions aside, many locals eat dinner with their families, toasting at midnight with Cava, before going out to bars and clubs in the early hours of the morning. Others head to Plaça Espanya around 11 pm to see fireworks and acrobatic human towers called Castellers.
Los Angeles
Many Angelinos watch fireworks over the Pacific Ocean in the waterfront neighborhood of Marina Del Ray, or at Angel's Point near Dodger Stadium. But if fireworks aren’t your thing, there’s plenty else to do across LA’s diverse neighborhoods.
If you’re after glitz and glamour, rub elbows with celebrities at Hollywood nightclubs and Beverly Hills restaurants. If contemporary art galleries are your thing, east LA neighborhoods Silver Lake and Echo Park are youthful, creative, and hip. For beachy, laid-back bars, Venice and Santa Monica are great choices.
Like NYC, Los Angeles has one of the largest concentrations of Kindred members, so availability is usually great.
Miami
Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Miami if you’re looking for mild weather and colorful neighborhoods. Miami Beach has popular nightclubs and pastel buildings, while the Wynwood Art District has bold street art and trendy galleries. The entire city is known for its incredible Cuban food, so don’t miss the opportunity to indulge.
On New Year’s Eve, many Miamians watch fireworks at Bayfront Park, by boat in Biscayne Bay, or on the rooftops of high-rise hotels and apartment buildings.
Mexico City
Mexico City is a vibrant city full of gourmet restaurants, leafy green neighborhoods, and historical art. On New Year’s Eve, it also offers a chance to celebrate local culture. A large street party happens at the Angel of Independence with music and fireworks, and tickets aren’t required.
CDMX also has quirky NYE traditions. Like in Spain, there’s a tradition with grapes. Locals eat 12 grapes at midnight, one for each month of the new year, and make a wish with each grape. Mexicans also eat lentils on NYE to attract economic prosperity.
There’s yet another underwear tradition, with different colors representing different goals—red for love, yellow for wealth, green for health, and more.
Finally, there’s a tradition of walking an empty suitcase around the block to attract new travel opportunities in the coming year. (Sounds like a tradition our members will love!)
Book your New Year’s Eve trip
Ready to book your trip? Apply to join Kindred and find the perfect place to go for New Year’s Eve.
