best places to celebrate new year

You may call it New Years Eve, but on Jost Van Dyke, its Old Years Night. The festivities on this tiny British Virgin Island take place at Foxys Tamarind Bar and other nightlife spots in Grand Harbor, and draw a crowd from around the Caribbean and, in fact, the world. One of the most raucous New Years parties in the region, Old Years Night celebrations actually consist of 48 hours of live music, drinking, and eating; the annual event attracts thousands of shirtless or bikini clad partygoers who stay up late and sometimes sleep on the beach.

New Years Eve at Walt Disney World is a dream come true for families traveling over the holiday. The theme park stays open until 1 am, but its packed with fun activities all day long. Leading up to the midnight fireworks show, there are Cirque du Soleil performances, dance parties, live entertainers, and confetti explosions to keep visitors of all ages entertained. Disneys Magic Kingdom is home to the Jingle Jungle Parade, while Epcot puts on an impressive lights and laser show just before midnight. Its also a plus that WDW is less crowded at this time of year than during peak months.

The City of Light lives up to its nickname on New Years Eve, when the Eiffel Tower becomes the site of a spectacular lightshow and fireworks display. Nearby, Parisians ring in the Nouvelle Ann

This atmospheric city is famous for its New Years Eve Grand Ball, hosted at Hofburg Palace, but theres more on offer than just throwback elegance. Viennas famous Christmas markets transform into New Years fairs, and hundreds of thousands of revelers crowd the Silvesterpfad (New Years Path) in the city center on New Years Eve. Fueled by mulled wine, the party starts at 2 pm and goes until well after midnight, with fireworks appearing over the Wiener Prater fair. On New Years Day, a huge crowd gathers outside the Rathaus (City Hall) to watch the Vienna Philharmonics New Years concert on a giant screen.

Impromptu street parties are easy to find in the Dutch capital on New Years Eve, but there are organized parties in just about every large public space, including Rembrandtplein, Nieuwmarkt, Museumplein and Dam Square. There are fireworks displays in multiple locations, best viewed from the citys bridges; after those are over, revelers head out to the clubs for drinks, live music, and dancing until the sun comes up.

With only four hours of daylight in late December, locals in the northernmost capital of the world are ready to party like no one else. New Years Eve kicks off with community bonfires (they symbolize burning away troubles from the past year) around which people sing, dance, and play music. Meanwhile, fireworks light up from every corner of the city thanks to fairly relaxed government restrictions. As midnight approaches, crowds gather around local landmarks like Perlan and Landakotskirkja church for the best views of the official fireworks display and of the city, after which they head to bars and clubs. Come 5 am, youll see many staving off hangovers with hot dogs or a trip to the hot springs.

With its world class nightlife scene, Miami is a no brainer for New Years celebrations, and the city offers celebrations both free and VIP, and everything in between. (Thats not to mention the average temperature of 75 degrees.) The festivities in downtowns Bayfront Park start at 8 pm and include dancing and fireworks at midnight; in South Beach, Lummus Park on Ocean Drive hosts a party from 9 pm to 2 am, which also includes live music and fireworks. For party people, Miamis glitzy hotels host exclusive events with big name acts, open bars, and private fireworks displays to boot.

New Years celebrations span three days in this vibrant South African city. On New Years Eve, the Victoria & Albert Waterfront hosts a concert and midnight fireworks display (smart revelers picnic and party on Table Mountain for unobstructed views of the fireworks), and the Victoria Falls New Years Carnival includes a carnival themed train and live music. On New Years Day and the day after, thousands head to local beaches, and the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival parades through downtown, with 10,000 performers dancing and singing in the streets, a tradition that dates back to the 19th century slave trade.

This bustling metropoliss locals and expats come together for New Years Eve festivities, the centerpiece of which is a massive gathering in Central World Square. The crowd numbers hundreds of thousands, and entertainment includes a spectacular light show, live concert, and video screens projecting celebrations from around the world. At midnight, of course, a series of fireworks displays illuminate the riverside. Afterward, the party continues at nightclubs and the lively beer gardens lining the streets.

This Hawaiian island offers a variety of New Years Eve activities in a gorgeous setting. In downtown Honolulu, the Aloha Tower New Years Eve party begins at 7 pm and goes until 2 am, featuring live music, dancing, and fireworks. Theres also a fireworks show at Waikiki Beach, which is a decidedly calmer affair. In West Oahu, Wet n Wild Hawaii hosts a daytime celebration for families, which concludes with fireworks after sunset.