Just like that, Christmas is a week away, New Year’s Eve is just around the corner, so if you’re yet to lock in plans for welcoming 2026 in Sydney, you’d better move fast.
Thankfully, there are more than a couple of excellent options available, from cruising the harbour on a superyacht to parties on dry land; plenty of fun is on the cards.
The only thing you need to do to ensure you’re not in the “New Year’s Eve is so overrated” crowd is to decide where you want to watch the fireworks from.
RELATED: We Got A Taste Of The InterContinental Sydney’s $90,000 NYE Package
Solaré
It’s not every day you get to step foot on a 150-foot superyacht, but that’s exactly what Solaré is offering this New Year’s Eve. There are three options available to guests, which start with tickets to the Terrace Bar ($700), promising three and a half hours of drinks, canapés, and a glass of champagne at midnight.
Alternatively, the Sun Deck ($800) offers the same line-up of food and drink, but has the advantage of a better view on the palatial vessel. Finally, there’s the Dining Room ($950), where you’re getting the best of the best, including a five-course Italian Riviera-inspired tasting menu, wine pairings, and a signature cocktail on arrival.
Time: Cruise departs at 8:45 PM
Address: King St Wharf 3A, Darling Harbour (3 The Promenade, Sydney NSW 2000)
Price: From $700
Whalebridge
With inarguably some of the best Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge views in the game, Whalebridge is a compelling option for those who wish to do their last meal of 2025 in pure style.
Of all our Sydney New Year’s Eve 2025 inclusions, this is about as close as you can get to two iconic landmarks of the city without first hitting the water.
Beyond the free-flowing Champagne, Whalebridge’s culinary team have prepared an aptly festive menu that offers mouthwatering dishes like Oscietra caviar, grilled southern lobster, wagyu sirloin, and plenty more. If you’re hunting for a luxe beginning to 2026, this is it.
Address: 8 & 10 Circular Quay W, Sydney NSW 2000
Price: Bistro at the water’s edge is $1,400pp, further inside it’s $1,100pp.
Opera Bar
Boasting one of the most desirable views in the whole of Sydney on New Year’s Eve, the Opera Bar is a good option if you’re in the mood for the ultimate fireworks show and a side of dancing.
Described as a “standing festival-style event”, you can expect live performers, multiple entertainment areas where DJs will be bringing the energy, roaming canapés, and a drink on arrival. All gas, no brakes.
Time: From 6 PM
Address: Sydney Opera House, Lower Concourse Level, Sydney NSW 2000
Price: $745
W Sydney
No list of Sydney NYE festivities would pass muster if it didn’t include at least one rooftop pool party. For 2025, one of our favourites is the tiered version that the W Sydney is holding up on the hotel’s two-storey rooftop bar, 29/30.
Against a backdrop of the country’s best fireworks display, you can expect a roster of high-energy DJs and multiple ways to play through the last evening of the year.
For obsessives of good bubbles keen on ending 2025 with a bang, the Level 30 package (priced at $950 per head) is limited to just 25 guests and includes free-flowing champagne, curated cocktails, and canapés. Alternatively, on Level 29, you’ll be able to enjoy the fireworks and views of Darling Harbour, with food and drink available for purchase.
Time: 8 PM
Address: 31 Wheat Rd, Sydney NSW 2000
Price: From $99
Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel
Supported by the thirst-quenching legends at Aperol Spritz, Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel will once again be throwing one of the Eastern Suburbs’ most popular NYE bashes.
General admission tickets will get attendees access to the venue’s beach club, two drink vouchers, and the evening’s mammoth DJ line-up that includes Mashd N Kutcher, Stace Cadet, A-Shuffle, and more.
If you’re looking to imbue your evening with a touch more sustenance and privacy, there’s a VIP option ($495 per head) that adds three hours of dinner and drinks to the mix.
Time: From 5 PM
Address: 10 Marine Parade, Watsons Bay, NSW 2030
Price: From $220
Taphouse Sydney
Whether your personal finances are in absolute shambles following Christmas, or you’re simply looking to enjoy New Year’s Eve in truly fuss-free fashion, the Taphouse in Darlinghurst has all your bases covered.
The popular venue is giving packages and ticketed access the boot, instead, embracing a “come one, come all” energy for December 31st. Needless to say: book your spot early.
Time: N/A
Address: 122 Flinders St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010
Price: Free
Martinez
If rooftops are your thing, the team at Martinez are putting on four hours of food and drink, complete with relaxing jazz early in the evening, followed by a lift in tempo from DJs as the night progresses.
A self-described “celebration of ease and elegance”, this is a great option if you’re keen on prime Harbour Bride views, great food, and plenty of beverage options to sip on.
Time: From 5 PM
Address: Opposite Hinchcliff House, Quay Quarter Tower, Express lift entrance off Young Street, Ground Lobby/50 Bridge St, Sydney NSW 2000
Price: $399
Bennelong
Quite possibly Sydney’s most coveted restaurant reservation on New Year’s Eve, Bennelong is the place to be, and it arrives with a price to match.
Per Bennelong’s own website, four packages are available for your NYE festivities. All of these, it should be said, involve the same set menu designed by Executive Chef Peter Gilmore. A wine pairing, complete with glasses of Champagne upon arrival and at midnight, is also included.
For a sufficiently well-heeled group, booking “The Table” (which can accommodate between 10-12 guests) is the way to go. You’ll be in the thick of the main dining room, with just enough space to yourself.
Time: From 7 PM
Address: Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000
Price: From $1,900
NYE Harbour Party, Luna Park
A classic way to usher in New Year’s Eve in Sydney, with some of the best views of the city’s harbour-front fireworks and a literal park’s worth of amusements.
As so happens to be the case almost every year, VIP packages for the Luna Park harbour party are already sold out, but General admission is still up for grabs, which gives you unlimited access to rides and the park’s live music stages.
Time: 6 PM
Address: 1 Olympic Dr, Milsons Point NSW 2061
Price: $329
