Seasonal

New Year's Eve date ideas for going out, staying in or calling it early

By Wing Date Night · Published

New Year's Eve has a reputation for being expensive and overrated, mostly because people decide what to do on December 30th. The New Year's Eve date ideas below work because they're planned a little ahead: the good set menus and early shows sell out in November, and a night in only feels special if you treat it like one.

Pick the version of the night you actually want. A big night out, a long dinner at home, and an early countdown with the kids asleep by ten are all good ways to end the year.

Plan our next night out

Free to start · No card needed · Works solo

Two people sharing bread over pasta and wine at a candlelit table

A real Wing plan · River North, Chicago

Literary Whispers & Candlelit Plates

  1. 01after-words bookstoreBookstore5:30 PM
    9 min walk
  2. 02NonninaItalian dinner6:45 PM
    11 min walk
  3. 03Cafe CremerieGelato by the fireplace8:30 PM

Why Wing picked this

An unhurried, calm start that matches your preference for quiet, cultural places over noisy hotspots.

$140–200 · 3 stops · About 3 hours

Going out: book these in November

  1. A set menu, early seating

    Restaurants post their New Year's Eve menus in November. The early seating is usually cheaper and calmer than the 9 p.m. one, and you can still be somewhere else by midnight.

  2. An early comedy or concert show

    A 7 p.m. show often costs less than the late one and leaves room for a drink after. Buy tickets as soon as they're listed, since the good rooms sell out.

  3. Countdown somewhere with a view

    Find a rooftop bar, a hill or a waterfront with a view of the fireworks. Get there an hour early for a spot, and dress for standing outside.

  4. A downtown hotel so nobody drives

    Book a room within walking distance of dinner and the fireworks. Nobody has to drive, and getting home is an elevator ride.

A big night in

  1. Five courses, one an hour

    Start at 7 and serve one small course every hour: something salty, soup, a main, cheese, then dessert at midnight. Each course can be store-bought except one you make together.

  2. Best-of-the-year awards

    Give each other awards for the year: best meal, best decision, funniest disaster. Write them on cards and hand them out between courses.

  3. Fondue and a countdown movie

    Melt cheese or chocolate and watch a movie timed to end near midnight. Start it about two hours before so the credits roll into the countdown.

  4. Ring in a time zone east of you

    If midnight feels late, celebrate when it hits New York, London or Rio on a livestream. You still get the moment, and you're asleep at a reasonable hour.

With kids, or an early night

  1. Midnight at 9

    Many streaming services and channels run a kids' countdown at 9 p.m. Do the countdown together, put the kids to bed, then the rest of the night is yours.

  2. New Year's Day brunch instead

    Skip the expensive night and book brunch on January 1st, when a sitter is easier to find and nobody is tired. Start the year with a long, slow meal.

  3. Trade the night with friends

    Host another family's kids this year in exchange for them taking yours next year. One couple gets a free night out, and the kids get a sleepover.

Low-cost countdowns

  1. A potluck with two other couples

    Each couple brings one dish and one bottle. Rotate who hosts every year so nobody does all the cleaning.

  2. A free public countdown

    Many cities run free fireworks or a public countdown. Check transit schedules first, since late trains and buses get crowded after midnight.

  3. First sunrise of the year

    Skip midnight entirely, go to bed early, and walk somewhere with a view of the first sunrise. Bring coffee in a thermos and something warm to eat.

Let Wing plan the last night of the year

New Year's Eve plans fall apart on timing: dinner runs late, the walk to the fireworks is longer than you thought, and everywhere is busy. Wing builds one complete plan with real places checked on Google Maps, start times, the walking time between stops and a cost range, so you can see whether the night actually fits.

Set the budget for the plan, and Wing remembers what you both like and what you'd never do. Your first full plan is free, and you can share it with your partner and add it to your calendar.

Plan our next night out

Free to start · No card needed · Works solo

Questions

What are good New Year's Eve date ideas for couples?
An early set-menu dinner followed by a countdown somewhere with a view, a five-course night in with one course an hour, or an early countdown and a New Year's Day brunch. Choose the one that matches your energy, not the one you think you should want.
When should you book New Year's Eve dinner?
In November, as soon as restaurants post their menus. The early seatings and the best tables go first, and many places only offer set menus that night.
What can parents do on New Year's Eve?
Do a kids' countdown at 9 p.m., then have the rest of the night at home, or trade babysitting with another family. A New Year's Day brunch is another option, since sitters are easier to book.
Can Wing plan New Year's Eve for us?
Yes. Tell Wing your city and what you both enjoy, and it builds one plan with real places checked on Google Maps, start times and walking time between stops. Wing doesn't book tables or tickets, so reserve those yourself.