Where to Watch the New Year’s Eve Fireworks in Philadelphia for 2023/2024

Sunday, December 31, 2023 | 5 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Imagine ringing in the new year while gliding along on skates or high atop a 60-foot-tall amusement ride. That’s the experience visitors at Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest enjoy at the annual New Year’s Eve Parties on Ice. Choose one of two ticketed “party times” — 5 to 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. — for access to skating at the RiverRink (with free skate rental), a complimentary Ferris wheel ride, live music, food and soft drinks inside the lodge, a pay-as-you-go bar, and all the Winterfest fun. Discounted non-skating spectator tickets are also available.

Celebrate New Year’s Eve 535 feet out into the Delaware River at the New Year on the Pier party at the Cherry Street Pier urban market. The 21-plus event features music from DJ Chriz Ivory and the WCE Collective, an epic dance party with live video feed on jumbo television screens, a complimentary alcoholic beverage per ticket, fun giveaways, and a cash bar and tasty concessions culminating with the fireworks viewing from the 20,000-square-foot Garden at Cherry Street Pier. Fireworks are rain or shine, so if the weather turns bad, no worries: There’s a covered pier.

A five-hour open bar, four dance floors, three DJs and two bands equal one magical night aboard the historic tall ship Moshulu. With a 21-plus party and spectacular views of the fireworks from the estuary at Penn’s Landing, the annual New Year’s Eve Boat Bash features throwback hits on the main deck, contemporary hits on the bow deck, a full jazz band in the ballroom and rock in the main dining room. Grab a general admission ticket for dancing and open bars or upgrade to VIP for by-reservation seating, early entry and three choices of buffet dining.

Sunday, December 31, 2023 | 4:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Why see the fireworks from the riverbank when you can watch from on the river? Hop aboard the famous Spirit of Philadelphia — the three-level touring yacht that’s been sailing the waters of the Delaware for decades — for the New Year’s Eve Signature Dinner Cruise, a three-hour cocktail excursion (boarding at 9 p.m. for 9:30 p.m. departure) featuring a chef-prepared dinner buffet, adult beverages on the house, party games, a live DJ and on-the-water views of the midnight fireworks display. A two-hour early version sets sail at 4:30 p.m. as well.

Sunday, December 31, 2023 | 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.

There are many spots along the Delaware River waterfront to catch the fireworks, but only one has unlimited video games. Dave & Buster’s Philadelphia’s pier, which juts out into the river, is a perfect spot for this year’s New Year’s Celebration, a 21-plus ticketed event starting at 9 p.m. that offers a $20 Power Card and unlimited video game play, an appetizer banquet, unlimited soft drinks, New Year’s toasts and a great view of the fireworks from indoors. A family-friendly version for the 6 p.m. fireworks show is also available starting at 4 p.m. (minus unlimited gameplay).

Sunday, December 31, 2023 | 4 p.m. and 10 p.m.

For the New Year’s Eve Fireworks Experience, the deck of the Battleship New Jersey on the Camden riverfront opens for stunning fireworks views with the Philly skyline as a backdrop. Also included: music, food concessions, a cash bar and a chance to fire a gun salute. Upgrade to the Admiral’s VIP Experience for appetizers, beer, wine and soft drinks in the Admiral’s Cabin followed by fireworks from the private Admiral’s Deck. Families with kids ages 5 to 17 can stay the night in crew bunks at the New Year’s Eve Overnight through 10 a.m. (with breakfast!).

Party like a New Year’s superstar 500 feet above Center City. During the lavish Celebrity Style New Year’s Eve Fireworks Gala — held at the newly renovated Pyramid Club in the 52nd-floor penthouse of the BNY Mellon Center — guests can shuttle between quiet ambiance in the main dining room, socializing in the cocktail lounge (with multiple flat-screen TVs) and dancing to live DJs in the discotheque. Enjoy a five-hour open bar and hors d’oeuvres, buffet and dessert stations, a midnight champagne toast and unmatched views of the waterfront fireworks through 20-foot-tall floor-to-ceiling windows.

“Bling” in the new year at the ’24 Karat New Year’s Eve Golden Gala, a night of ‘pure gold’ at Rivers Casino Philadelphia. Those 21-plus can grab advanced tickets, which include an open bar, photo ops, golden party favors, live entertainment featuring Earth, Wind & Fire tribute band Let’s Groove Tonight plus an all-you-can-eat menu. Enjoy an optional three-course dinner beforehand (reservations required) at Martorano’s Prime.

Sunday, December 31, 2023 | 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

Located on Front Street just a few hundred feet from the Delaware River, the nearly two-century-old building housing the luxurious Penn’s View Hotel features some of the best up-close street-level views of the evening’s fireworks. Enjoy New Year’s Eve dinner at on-site restaurant Panorama with a special three-course prix fixe menu offered over two seatings timed for each fireworks show, including a complimentary glass of prosecco. Before the show, check out the world’s largest wine-by-the-glass program featuring over 800 wines, including 120 on tap from the world’s largest wine preservation machine.

The Holiday Inn Express Penn’s Landing offers spectacular views of the Delaware River waterfront from select rooms across the hotel’s 10 floors. Grab these spacious, well-furnished accommodations, watch a colorful night of fireworks and wake up to breakfast at the fully stocked complimentary buffet.

On the other side of Columbus Boulevard, the four-star Hilton Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing has 22 floors of warm and cozy guest rooms right on the Delaware riverfront, with many offering stellar views of the fireworks from your own comfy, plush bed. For those making a night of it, choose from four ticketed pre-fireworks New Year’s dinner parties and buffet dining options in the hotel’s restaurant and ballrooms.

The Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing features incredible (and free) views of the New Year’s Eve fireworks on the Delaware River — with plenty of space for those who show up early. Bonus: KYW Newsradio (103.9 FM & 1060 AM) has the synched soundtrack for the two shows for those watching at Penn’s Landing.

With its perfect position under the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, Race Street Pier is always an amazing spot to view the New Year’s Eve fireworks. Eager pyrotechnics enthusiasts should arrive early as space tends to fill up fast. Be aware that alcohol is prohibited at the pier, but outside food and beverages are permitted, so why not ring in the new year the Philly way with a couple of hoagies and soft pretzels?

Historic Franklin Square hosts an early family-friendly end-of-year celebration with the Kids’ New Year’s Eve Countdown. New Year’s Craftivity kicks off the night with craft-making stations around the park for the kids and their adults from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Then all eyes turn to the tippy-top of the on-site Squareburger for the countdown to the Times Square-style Square Drop, coinciding with the 6 p.m. fireworks show on the waterfront (visible from the park). Please note Franklin Square closes on New Year’s Eve at 8 p.m. Bonus: Don’t miss Franklin Square’s free Electrical Spectacle Light Show.

The South Street Pedestrian Walkway — the bridge over Interstate 95 that connects South Street at Front Street with Penn’s Landing — is a great spot to set up camp for fireworks viewing on New Year’s Eve. There are a few benches, so viewers will have a front-row seat if they get there early enough. Please note: This is not the vehicular South Street Bridge over the Schuylkill River to West Philly.

The seven acres of open green space and picnic areas at Penn Treaty Park provide a great vantage point from which to watch both fireworks shows. Bring along a blanket and a lawn chair to stay warm and comfortable throughout the evening.

The entire length of Front Street between the South Street and Market Street bridges (running mostly parallel to Penn’s Landing) through Old City and Society Hill features prime fireworks viewing spots on New Year’s Eve. Or stay warm and mobile by strolling north along the half mile strip during the show to take in a full experience.

The recently completed stretch of the Delaware River Trail along South Christopher Columbus Boulevard features newly paved bike lanes for cyclists and pedestrians who want to head to their viewing location by bike or foot. Or stay back and catch the fireworks from a less-crowded distance at spots like Pier 68 with its built-in benches and the pier at Washington Avenue Green. (Pro tip: Get there early enough to climb the Land Buoy sculpture spiral staircase for the best vantage point.)

The beautiful and ambling pedestrian pathway running along the Camden waterfront — the front lawn for the stretch of attractions on the New Jersey side of the Delaware River like Adventure Aquarium, Camden Children’s Garden, Battleship New Jersey and Freedom Mortgage Pavilion — provides a panoramic display of the two fireworks shows across the river. Great viewing spots include Cooper’s Poynte Park, RCA Pier and Wiggins Park. Please note not all attractions are open during the shows.