Photo by Cedric Letsch on Unsplash
Happy New Year, San Francisco! Whether you plan to skip the late-night parties and celebrate with a morning hike, or you’re searching for epic night out plans, there are plenty of ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve in San Francisco. Keep reading for some of our favorite ways to celebrate the end of 2024, and start 2025 on the right note.
Visit our San Francisco event calendar for all the best events we’re looking forward to, and our 2025 public holiday calendar with some tips for when to request your days off.
If the past 25 years are any indication, then SFMTA will offer free Muni rides on New Year’s Eve. Just make sure you don’t tap your Clipper Card to avoid a charge. Visit SFMTA’s NYE travel guide to help you plan your trips.
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People come out in droves each year to check out an epic fireworks show over the San Francisco Bay! The display will kick off right at midnight and last about 15-20 minutes. Be sure to get there early for the best seating, which tends to be along the waterfront between the Ferry Building and the Bay Bridge.
Here are a few boat cruises where you can see the fireworks on the water:
2. Get tix for the NYE concert at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium is known to host an epic show on NYE every year. Past performers have included LCD Soundsystem for NYE 2024, Kaskade for NYE 2023 and 2022, and Deadmau5 for NYE 2020. No word yet on who’s gonna take us into 2025, but you can bet on an unforgettable show. Stay tuned!
3. It’s a New Day + Breakfast of Champions Block Party at The Great Northern
This epic 17 hour event is the perfect way to start 2025 if you love dancing the night (and day) away. The party is on its 25th year, with over 100 DJs across 10 stages. The massive party starts on January 1st at 4 am and invites San Franciscans to dance and enjoy the music until 9 pm.
4. Browse even more New Year’s Eve parties in SF
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If you’re looking for even more glamorous ways to ring in the new year, these parties at SF bars and restaurants have something for everyone. Check our list for everything coming to the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins, The Regency Ballroom, Hawthorn, W Hotel, Press Club, DNA Lounge, and many more.
5. Join a NYE bar crawl
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Enjoy an unforgettable New Year’s Eve party with the ultimate SF bar crawl on December 31st. Don your most festive 2025 outfit and enjoy admission-free entry to participating bars, plus drink specials and endless champagne toasts. Stay tuned as we wait for details.
Polar Bear Skate 2022. Photo by Union Square Ice Rink on Facebook
Union Square Ice Rink is the place to be all the way into January. They always celebrate the New Year with “Polar Bear Skate,” a popular Canadian tradition, in which skaters don their favorite bathing suit or beach attire to “take the plunge” on the ice! Prizes will be given for best costumes.
Courtesy of Thrive City
Ring in 2025 and celebrate the culture of Kwanzaa with a midday ball drop and countdown, arts and crafts, treats, and music. The free celebration goes down at Thrive City beneath their 80-foot holiday tree, but make sure you RSVP. Details are still TBA for 2024.
8. New Year’s One Day Race in San Jose
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In this New Year’s Day race, participants can run as many 1-mile laps as they like to celebrate the start of the new year. The biggest go-getters are known to spend the entire day running upwards of 100 laps, which is a fair motivation for those of us trying to step up our exercise in the new year. Learn more about the New Year’s One Day Race here.
By Fred Hsu on Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
California’s commercial crab season has experienced delays for the last few years, but the season often begins as soon as New Year’s Day. If all goes as expected, local Dungeness crab will be available to kick off your 2025 meals and last through the spring. Get ready to purchase fresh live crab right off the boat in a beloved SF tradition.
Photo by Dana Flynn/ Secret SF
Would you take a New Year’s Day swim at Ocean Beach? If the answer is yes, then you’re in good company. The Riptide bar in SF’s Outer Sunset neighborhood always hosts a warm-up and after-party for the annual New Year’s Day Plunge at 12pm on January 1st at Ocean Beach and Taraval Street.
Photo by Mel Maldonado-Turner on Unsplash
For those of us planning on a low-key celebration, this one’s for you: Pick up some nice booze from a local wine bar or brewery; round out your charcuterie board with some nice meats and cheeses from Molinari or The Epicurean Trader; and get a new board game at SF’s Gamescape or Game Post. See our old roundup of Covid-safe NYE activities for more inspiration.
@blackwoodsf via Instagram
Some would argue that brunch is the most important meal of the day, and what better way to kick off the New Year in San Francisco? Be sure to get your recommended daily allowance of crispy bacon, fluffy pancakes, egg scrambles, and bottomless mimosas at these local brunch restaurants.
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We love San Francisco for its countless activities to enjoy everywhere you go. But anytime there’s a long weekend or a free day, we’re quite well-located to check out some neighboring California gems. Be sure to put these day trips on your to-do list for the next time you want to get out of the City and into nature.
© 2016 Laurie Hatch, courtesy of Lick Observatory
When’s the last time you turned your attention skyward? The Bay Area has several public observatories where you can take a break from your earthly qualms and get lost in a galaxy far, far away. Whether you seek to gain some distance from this giant blue marble, or you want to get into a conversation about aliens, these four local observatories have you covered with public telescope viewings and more.
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California is home to some of the most incredible nature spots in the world, from towering mountain ranges, to pristine beaches, to ancient redwood trees. Northern California in particular is beloved for its dramatic rocky beaches and mountainous terrain, making for some magnificent natural spectacles. From Burney Falls to Mount Shasta, here are some of our favorites.
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There’s truly no shortage of excellent places to see a sunset in the Bay, but we wanted to get to the bottom of where locals love to watch the sky light up. Here are a few tried-and-true spots recommended by locals.
Photo by Kirk Marsh, courtesy of Circus Bella
Circus Bella’s big top circus tent will pop up at the Crossing at East Cut this year, and the classic troupe will have two dazzling performances on New Year’s Eve. Both shows will feature a classic countdown to 2024, plus classic acts such as jugglers, contortionists, acrobats, a six-piece band, and more.
By Jamie Ferrell and Dana Flynn
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