With all the festivity in the air, it’s always hard to believe that there is another holiday after Christmas! One that is celebrated around the world across continents and cultures–the day that marks the end of time gone by and the opportunity to start anew. Whether you decide to stay in and celebrate from the comfort of your couch with your family and closest friends, or go all out for a full blown party into the wee hours of the New Year, there is something special about knowing how many people around the world come together to witness the same moment in time.
Looking for a brand new destination to ring in the New Year with a fresh start? Here are some of the most popular places around the world to celebrate the New Year:
New York City – Times Square
As an American, it comes as no surprise that I have New York city listed here first. I’ve grown up watching the iconic ball drop in Times Square every year from a Los Angeles living room 3,000 miles away–it’s still the first image that comes to mind when I think of New Year’s Eve! Be prepared for crowds–literally a million people! This is only for the most committed New Year’s Eve revelers.
Sydney
Sydney Australia takes the cake for not only putting on the largest fireworks show in the world for New Year’s Eve, but also because it is the first major city to witness the New Year do to it’s location on the globe.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh celebrates the New Year with a three day festival referred to as Hogmanay, which means “last day of the year”! The festivities kickoff with a torchlit procession through the old town, New Year’s Eve includes a massive street party, concerts, and ceilidhs at various locations throughout the city, and finally New Year’s Day concludes with a “loony dook”–essentially a polar plunge that raises money for charity.
James Marvin Phelps | CC BY-NC 2.0
Las Vegas
Las Vegas, a city with a reputation for partying all year long, is a no brainer for this festive holiday. Thousands of revelers take to the infamous strip, which is shut down to all traffic so everyone can party in Vegas style.
Cape Town
Cape Town is another city with three days of New Year’s celebrations which includes a lively street party at the Victoria & Alfred waterfront. For an even more adventurous night out, scale Table Mountain for the best view of the fireworks! Bonus–you’d be celebrating the New Year in the southern hemisphere which means warm weather!
Paris
Champagne on the Champs-Élysées with a fireworks show over the lit up Eiffel Tower? What better way to ring in the Nouvelle Année!?
Börkur Sigurbjörnsson | (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Reykjavik
Looking for something a little more unique for your international New Year’s celebration? Reykjavik is a great option due to the new budget airline WOW, that connects the small island country to America and Europe. Iceland only has a small window of daylight by December, so it’s basically one night-long party on New Year’s Eve, starting with local bonfires where party-goers then head to town to enjoy Reykjavik’s famous nightlife!
How about you, where do you usually celebrate the New Year? Where would you like to travel to see the New Year?!
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