Our incredible capital city provides plenty of exiting events on New Year’s Eve.
Although getting lucky with tickets to follow the big fireworks display on the Thames might be a tough task, there are plenty of other places to spend a fun-filled night in London.
Here are five ideas for your New Year’s Eve celebrations if you’re heading out in London.
A Traditional Ice Rink
Whether you are planning to celebrate the New Year with your kids or together with your loved one, welcoming the New Year at an ice rink is a magical idea. Plenty of ice rinks are scattered across London that will be open on New Year’s Eve, but two rinks are definitely worth a visit.
First, the Hampton Court ice rink is going to take your breath away, as the historic building looks beautiful as the night settles in. You can book tickets to an ice-skating session for New Year’s Eve and then get back home to enjoy fireworks and champagne.
The second option is to go to the Somerset House ice rink. It’s another stunning, historical location perfect for a romantic New Year’s Eve date or a fun way to spend the afternoon with the kids. As it is located right next to the Strand, you can stay at one of the nearby pubs afterwards and enjoy the big firework show they put on.
A Medieval Banquet
If you are looking for something quirky and different, then you should consider celebrating New Year with a medieval banquet. The capital’s best Medieval Banquet takes place at the historic Ivory Vaults in St. Katharine Docks. The restaurant is located between the Tower of London and Tower Bridge, allowing you to enjoy the fireworks at midnight if the weather is good.
The Medieval Banquet isn’t your everyday restaurant experience either. You’ll see performances by acrobats and sword fighters, with the live music making the show a spectacular experience. It’s a fun and exhilarating event and provides you with a great chance to play dress-up!
You can still find tickets for the event and the promise of free ale and wine is definitely a tempting bonus.
A Comedy Club
You’ll want to be laughing your way into the New Year, and celebrating the start of 2015 in a comedy club will guarantee that. London is famous for its great comedy scene and there are many special events taking place on New Year’s Eve.
VisitLondon.com has listed all the best special gigs taking place, and tells you how and where to book your tickets. You should definitely book as soon as possible, since these events generally sell quickly and you don’t want to be left out in the rain! If you don’t manage to snatch a ticket, then organise your own comedy club at home by renting comedy DVDs, setting off a few fireworks and eating delicious New Year’s Eve snacks.
A Pub
New Year’s Eve is definitely the right occasion to have a little party and London’s many pubs are perfect for this. If you are looking to be right in the centre of things on New Year’s Eve, then you want to find a nice pub near the Embankment. Waterloo’s many pubs are also great for catching the fireworks later on.
You’ll most likely need to get tickets, so check with a few pubs about prices and if they have tickets left.
If you aren’t in the mood for sharing your party with herds of people, you could just spend New Year’s Eve at your local pub. There’s nothing better than singing Auld Lang Syne with a bunch of friends!
The Thames
Above all, the Thames will offer some spectacular scenes and would definitely be our pick for watching the fireworks. You can still get tickets to Thames party and dinner cruises for New Year’s Eve. Make sure you book early, as this is – for a good reason – the most stunning location for spending New Year’s Eve and the places sell out fast.
Just practice taking night time firework photos, if possible, as the glimmering water will provide the best backdrop for stunning pictures. You’ll have the party of your lifetime and you’ll get fantastic photos to prove it!
If you prefer creating your own fireworks show, you can check our website for some of this year’s most popular fireworks. Let’s start the New Year in style!