All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Wondering where to watch the ball drop in 2025? We get it—New Year’s Eve in New York City possesses its own brand of holiday spirit, and the iconic ball drop is at the heart of that. Whether you first imagine the confetti-laden conclusion of When Harry Met Sally, Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper's ever-giggly annual team-up, or the ball itself—a 11,875-pound geodesic hunk of Waterford Crystal to behold—there are plenty of reasons why 1 million people flock to Times Square annually to ring in the new year.
But even with all the midnight shine, it's hard to ignore the Champagne-soaked elephant in the room—watching the ball drop from street-level often just isn't worth it. It’s a well-known fact that nabbing a spot in one of the nearby pedestrian corrals requires standing outside in the elements for eight hours (or longer) in the cold—and don’t even get us started on the crowds. If you’re really, truly keen on being in the center of everything this New Year’s Eve, the good news is that there are a variety of venues that surround Times Square where you can watch the ball drop in comfort, warmth, and style.
From black-tie galas to elevated movie nights, here are the best spots to watch the ball drop in 2025 for those in New York City (and viewing from afar).
As close as you can get: The Knickerbocker
When: December 31, 8:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
Where: The Knickerbocker, 6 Times Square
Price: $1,575-$2,250 for a Silver Party Ticket; $2,975-$4,250 for a Platinum Party Ticket
How to book: Tickets available online
With a rooftop bar just 150 feet below the ball itself, The Knickerbocker Hotel gives its guests an up close and personal experience of the main event. Silver Party Tickets grant access to an open bar, passed hors d’oeuvres, dancing in front of a live DJ, and a midnight champagne toast with Dom Pérignon. Upgrade to a Platinum Party Ticket for chilled Dom upon entry and access to a resplendent buffet at in-house restaurant Charlie Palmer Steak IV, including a live action sushi station by Michelin two-star Sushi Noz.
A night at the movies: AMC Empire 25
When: December 31, 7:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Where: AMC Empire 25, 234 W 42nd St.
Price: Starting at $699
How to book: Tickets available online
For one night only, the AMC Empire 25 movie theater on 42nd Street turns into a veritable bacchanal. While movies and popcorn will be on the menu, the party turns things way up with dinner, an open bar, live entertainment, and a Champagne toast. Every ticket even includes access to the sixth-floor “Platinum View Terrace,” with guaranteed views of the live ball drop. This year’s screenings include American Fiction, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, and The Iron Claw among others.
A watch party for under $100: Frames Bowling Lounge
When: December 31, 7:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
Where: Frames Bowling Lounge, 550 9th Ave.
Price: Starting at $99
How to book: Tickets available online
For those looking for a more family-friendly event, Frames Bowling Lounge—about a 10-minute walk from Times Square—is throwing a massive New Year’s Eve party this year starting at 7 p.m. Aside from airing the ball drop on its wall-to-wall TVs and welcoming in the new year with a Champagne toast, the venue will offer an open bar, live DJ, buffet stations with kid-approved food (i.e. chicken tenders), and, of course, bowling galore. Upgrade your ticket for table service, private lanes, and other perks.
A magical rooftop bar: Moxy Times Square
When: December 31, 8:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m.
Where: Moxy NYC Times Square, 485 7th Ave.
Price: Starting at $195
How to book: Tickets available online
Ditch the tuxedo and head to one of Midtown’s most vibrant hotels, Moxy NYC Times Square. The hotel’s rooftop bar, Magic Hour, is throwing an all-night New Year’s Eve party this year—and though details are sparse at the time of publishing, guests can expect an “urban amusement park” and “State Fair-inspired light bites,” plus an open bar and a Champagne toast at midnight. Bonus: The hotel is just a few blocks away from Times Square. Added bonus: at just $195 a ticket, this is one of the city’s most affordable parties right at the heart of the action.
The bird's eye view: Renaissance New York Times Square Hotel
When: December 31, starting at 8:00 p.m.
Where: Renaissance New York Times Square Hotel, 7th Ave. and W 48th St.
Price: Terrace rooms start at $4,500/night
How to book: Tickets available online
The hotel with perhaps the most unobstructed view of the entirety of Times Square is the Renaissance New York Times Square Hotel. They have a limited number of terrace rooms available, meaning you can enjoy the brouhaha and falling confetti from the privacy of your own private terrace. But brace yourself, because getting a front-row seat to the action doesn’t come cheap—prime VIP seating this year goes for $5,689.06 a ticket.
A penthouse of one’s own: The Chatwal
When: December 31, dinner begins at 5:00 p.m.
Where: The Chatwal, 7th Ave. and W 48th St.
Price: Producer Suite, $6,000/night
How to book: Reservations available online
If crowds aren’t your thing, you can throw a party of your own at The Chatwal, New York City, which features ball-drop views from the private terrace of their Producer Suite. For $6,000 a night, you can stay in these sleek Thierry Despont-designed digs, and wake up on January 1 on a handmade Shifman mattress outfitted with Frette linens.
The tallest rooftop lounge in NYC: Bar 54
When: December 31, 9:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
Where: Bar 54, 135 W 45th St.
Price: Starting at $1,399
How to book: Tickets available online
The views from Bar 54 atop the Hyatt Centric Times Square Hotel are unforgettable, and the black-tie-optional, premium open-bar fête promises to be a glamorous affair. And with a five-hour open bar featuring premium spirits, you’re sure to get your money’s worth.
Hear us out—Applebee’s
When: December 31, 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.
Where: Applebee’s, 234 W 42nd St.
Price: Starting at $729
How to book: Reservations available online
It feels like a fact on the back of a Snapple cap—The Applebee’s in Times Square truly is one of the places to watch the ball drop in NYC. Regardless of how you feel about riblets and Fiesta lime chicken every other night of the year, you must admit that the restaurant has a unique value prop on December 31. You can enjoy an open bar, live entertainment, an unlimited dinner buffet, and a Champagne toast at midnight—at which point you can enjoy a live view of the ball drop from the west side.
How to watch on TV and online
Most of us probably won’t make it to Times Square (and Times Square adjacent locations) to see the celebrations in person, but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on all the fun. Tune into one of the following broadcasts to watch the party from the comfort of your home:
- ABC’s Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest: 8 p.m. EST
- CBS’s New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash: 8 p.m. EST
- CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live With Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen: 8 p.m. EST
The Ball Drop and preceding performances (all six and a half hours of ‘em) will also be available on a live webcast over at www.TimesSquareNYC.org starting December 31 at 6 p.m. EST. You can also download Livestream for mobile, available through Apple’s App Store and via Google Play for mobile phones and tablets, and connect to the New Year’s Eve live webcast there.
