There’s no better time to bring your friends and family together than for a New Year’s Eve celebration. New Year celebrations are about catching up, dancing together, enjoying a tipple or two, sampling some tasty treats and linking arms at midnight for a rendition of ‘Auld Lang Syne’. There’s nothing quite like that magic as the clock strikes midnight!
Across the UK, there is an abundance of fantastic New Year's Eve events and celebrations, from epic firework displays and lively street parties to unusual festivals and age-old traditions. Whether you are planning a family New Year or you’re gathering with friends, if there is a big group of you, it might mean that you’re travelling from different parts of the UK. With these great ideas for New Year’s Eve 2022, you’re sure to find a celebration and a destination to suit everyone. We can also help you find New Year cottages for large groups...
Here are 10 of the best places to go for New Year’s Eve 2022…
Edinburgh, Scotland
If there’s one destination in the UK that comes to mind when you think of New Year, it’s Edinburgh and its world-renowned Hogmanay celebrations. ‘Hogmanay’ is what New Year’s Eve is called in Scotland, but the festival actually goes on for three days, kicking off on the 30th of December when the city bursts into life with three days of torchlight processions, a huge outdoor street party, performances, fireworks, ceilidhs, and an abundance of other entertainment. Clear your head and create hilarious memories with your friends on New Year’s Day with the Loony Dook, a refreshing annual dip in the River Forth!
For an epic celebration that’ll have you and your friends partying until late, Edinburgh is by far one of the best cities for New Year’s Eve in the UK.
Highlights:
- Three days of events for families, children, young adults, and older generations
- Be a part of a world-renowned New Year celebration
- Start the New Year with a bang and take a chilly dip in the River Forth on New Year’s Day
St Ives, Cornwall
Gather the gang and rally the family, St Ives’ once ‘local’ celebration is said to have made its name as the third largest fancy dress celebration after London and Edinburgh. With its growing reputation, St Ives New Year’s Eve fireworks and fancy dress sees crowds fill the streets for a night of fantastic celebrations. A Cornwall holiday is a fabulous year-round destination, so a New Year’s break here doesn’t just offer an excellent party but winter surf, quiet beaches, brisk coastal walks and charming seaside towns and villages to discover. Get everyone together and enjoy fabulous Cornwall in winter – we promise it won’t disappoint.
To celebrate New Year away from the hustle and bustle, but with the atmosphere of a big city, head to stunning St Ives and revel in its fabulous celebrations.
Highlights:
- Bring in the new year in a picturesque seaside town in beautiful Cornwall
- Wake up on New Year’s Day to the sound of waves
- Take a refreshing New Year’s Day walk along the South West Coast Path
Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire
While the New Year’s Eve fireworks light up the harbour and provide a spectacular display, it’s actually the New Year’s Day swim that Saundersfoot is best known for. The charity event began in 1984 and it has continued to grow in population, seeing thousands of visitors don fabulous fancy dress outfits and take to the icy waters of the harbour. The swim usually takes place around 12.30pm so you’ll certainly be ready for a hot lunch when you’re done! Book a table at a local pub or head back to your holiday cottage to relax.
Get a group together and enjoy this unique New Year’s Day activity together in Pembrokeshire, no doubt creating memories you’ll treasure. Book a large cottage in Pembrokeshire.
Highlights:
- Clear your head on New Year’s Day with some cold-water therapy
- Get the kids involved and make fabulous fancy dress outfits for the occasion
- Start the new year with your favourite people by your side
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
Cheltenham hosts an array of modest New Year events and offers activities like ice skating or stylish New Year meals at one of their many restaurants, but the star of the show is the New Year’s Day Racing at Cheltenham Racecourse. Perfect for families and groups of adults, the prestigious venue hosts a busy day of races, family fun and live music. Choose from a range of tickets and hospitality packages to suit different groups and days out.
Dress smart and try your luck on the first day of the year with a fun day at the races!
Highlights:
- A fun and sophisticated way to celebrate the first day of the new year
- A fantastic opportunity to dress up smart and bring the festive celebrations to an end in style
- Enjoy the playful banter and friendly catch-ups of a day at the races
Flamborough, Yorkshire
Usually a peaceful village on the Yorkshire coast known for its stunning white cliffs, seabird colonies and majestic lighthouse; on New Year’s Eve, Flamborough transforms into a frenzy of fireballs, Vikings, torchlight processions and fireworks. This exciting family festival is one of a kind, with a lively atmosphere and a plethora of things to see and do. Visitors are encouraged to dress up as Vikings and take part in the procession – and all children under 12, and all adults in full Viking costume, can enter for free!
Fancy something a bit different for New Year 2022? Flamborough Fire Festival promises fun and excitement for all ages.
Highlights:
- Experience one of the most unique UK New Year’s Eve events
- A night of family-friendly fun, and a chance to dress up too
- Spend New Year’s Day exploring the white cliffs and spotting seabirds
The Lake District
Aside from a few local parties and firework displays, a visit to the Lake District offers a more peaceful and serene destination to bring in the New Year. For many, watching the sun come up over Derwentwater or hiking a fell at dawn will provide a unique and memorable way to welcome a new year. If wild swimming is your thing, you could take a cool dip before enjoying breakfast and a hot coffee on the water’s edge.
If you’re seeking a quiet destination to escape with a group of friends or family away from the crowds, then New Year in the Lake District is sure to deliver.
Highlights:
- Escape the New Year crowds and celebrate away from busy events
- Choose somewhere truly memorable to watch the sun rise over a new year
- Spend New Year’s Day exploring the rustic winter landscapes of the Lake District
Allendale, Northumberland
One of the ‘hottest’ New Year celebrations in the north, Allendale has been hosting the astonishing Tar Bar'l fire festival in the pretty market town for at least 160 years! The age-old tradition sees 45 men in fancy dress carry flaming whisky barrels in a procession past crowds of revellers lining the streets. As the tradition goes, to qualify to carry a barrel, each man must have been born in the Allen Valleys and taken on the status from previous generations. Crowds gather in the streets from 11pm, the barrels are lit at 11.30pm, and the procession reaches the town centre at midnight before being used to light a ceremonial bonfire. Music and dancing fill the streets as locals and visitors alike welcome in a new year.
If you fancy something a little different, this unique festival should definitely be on your list. Enjoy it with friends or wow the family with a night to remember.
Highlights:
- Experience one of the most unique New Year’s events in the UK
- Witness an age-old tradition that dates back over 160 years
- Party late into the night on the lively streets of Allendale
Cardiff, Wales
At the heart of Cardiff’s New Year celebrations, you will find the city’s magical Winter Wonderland packed with ice skating, après ski, fairground rides, Christmas markets, Santa’s grotto and a wealth of fabulous food and drink. Kids will love the rides and entertainment, while many groups of adults will no doubt flock to the Ice Bar or the alpine ski bar, Sur La Piste, with its roof terrace to bring in the year with a drink or two. At midnight, fireworks will light up the sky above Cardiff!
For a fabulous family affair that promises a night of fun and frivolity for all ages, head to Cardiff to bring in the new year with your closest people!
Highlights:
- A fantastic event with something to suit every age group
- Enjoy the festive buzz of Wales’ capital city from the day, into night
- Party-goers can move on to enjoy the city’s nightlife after some youthful fun at Winter Wonderland
London
We can’t go without mentioning the iconic New Year celebrations in the Big Smoke! Every year, London hosts an ultra-impressive fireworks display at the stroke of midnight above the Embankment and the River Thames. If you’re lucky enough to make it into central London, you’ll be buzzing from the excitement long after the New Year kicks off! While the busy crowds might not be for everyone, visitors travel from all around the world to experience the New Year spectacle in London. Aside from the fireworks, the city is alive with street parties, entertainment, over-flowing bars, and fabulous restaurants – so you can really make the night your own!
As one of the best cities in the UK for New Year’s Eve, London will be sure to show a night you and your mates won’t forget in a hurry.
Highlights:
- Experience London’s epic New Year party at least once in your life
- Book tickets to one of the city’s many unique events
- Spend the day shopping, brunching and exploring the city before the grand finale at midnight
Plan your own New Year party
If you’re not too worried about New Year’s events, why not throw your own New Year’s Eve party in a large cottage? If it’s more about who you spend it with, then you can’t beat a celebration in your own space – and our party houses and large family-friendly cottages are unbeatable when it comes to hosting a big group. We have properties that have their own bar and array of exciting on-site facilities, as well as large houses with hot tubs, games rooms and cinema rooms.
While the adults mix up the cocktails and chat over nibbles, the youngsters can challenge each other over a game of pool or set up a movie marathon. When the kids crash, you can pop them to bed and carry on the celebrations without having to worry about bedtimes or driving. Whether you're planning a thrilling murder mystery, a classy dinner party or a fabulous party, we're sure to have the perfect setting within our collection of large houses in the UK.
Highlights:
- Complete flexibility to plan the perfect New Year’s Eve party
- The ability to put the kids to bed at a sensible time
- No designated drivers!
Book a New Year’s break
Get away together and stay in one of our large cottages for New Year in the UK. Whether you have been inspired by our rundown of the best places to go for New Year in the UK or you’d rather create your own celebrations from the comfort of your group accommodation, we have the perfect place for you to stay. Sleeping groups of all sizes you can choose from incredible country houses and coastal retreats or stylish villas and incredible castles to find the perfect New Year's Eve cottage.
Planning a Christmas celebration? See our large cottages for Christmas too!
Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of writing,
please ensure you check carefully before making any decisions based on the contents within this article.