The anticipated threshold between the old and the new is coming near. As the clock winds down and the air crackles with anticipation, we once again bid farewell to the past year. Whether it’s a vibrant cityscape adorned with fireworks launched from the Reunion Tower, a fancy dinner at a restaurant, a fun day out with the kids, or an invigorating party, the canvas of New Year’s Eve in Dallas is painted with diverse hues of joy and celebration.
This December 31, there are infinite ways to make New Year’s Eve memorable. Check out our roundup of some of the best plans for NYE 2024 and tailor the plans to the vibe you want for the start of the new year!
1-2. Feel like Cinderella for a night at a fancy Dallas ball
Going to fancy balls on New Year’s Eve is a tradition that has lasted centuries and become more popularized by TV shows in the likes of Gossip Girl. While all that glitters is not gold, who doesn’t like some extra pizzazz on perhaps THE most important night of the year? Get dressed up, get your glitter on and dance all night long. If you like parties, we’re pretty sure you’re going to have a ball!
💎 The Royal Masquerade Ball at The Statler
💎 Time Travelers Ball party at the Canvas Hotel
3. Celebrate the last night of the year like a king
Perched on the 49th floor of The National, Monarch is modern Italian restaurant created by Two-Michelin Star Chef Danny Grant and his team. Designed with floor-to-ceiling windows, guests can enjoy incredible views of the city as they savor wood-fired dishes, including handmade pastas, steaks and fresh seafood.
On New Year’s Eve, they are hosting an evening of Royal Revelry, featuring two popular DJs, where guests can enjoy a 4-hour premium open bar and a selection of heavy passed hors d’oeuvres—Marie Antoinette-style!
📍 1401 Elm St 49th Floor, Dallas, TX 75202
4. Dance the night away at Emerald City Band’s Rock the ’24 NYE Party
One of the best event & live entertainment cover bands in the country is back at Hilton Anatole for its legendary NYE party. But this time around ECB will welcome you at the Trinity Ballroom, one of the hotel’s most lavish and larger spaces. The pre party with DJ starts at 8:00 pm, whereas Emerald City’s first set starts at 9:15 pm. There are new packages out, including VIP tickets and All-Inclusive Hotel Stay & Party Packages.
📍 2201 North Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, TX 75207
5-10. See the fireworks from these fabulous rooftop bars
Make cherished memories you’ll remember for years to come at some of the coolest rooftop bars in Dallas that offer incredible views of the NYE fireworks. What better way to welcome the new year than with a cocktail in hand, as you dance the night away and share stories with your friends? Check out some of our favorite spots to hit on New Year’s. Keep in mind that reservations are needed in advance for all bars.
With huge windows looking directly at the majestic Reunion Tower, you get up close to the amazing fireworks display at midnight! Monduel’s is a cool and vibrant spot that offers hand-crafted cocktails and small bites. On New Year’s Eve, doors open at 12:0pm till 1:00am.
📍 300 Reunion Blvd, Dallas, TX 75207
🍸 Uptown Terrace at Omni Hotel
Located on the fourth floor of the Omni Hotel, this casual bar/lounge offers incredible views of the Dallas cityscape. The hotel often features its own light display on its glorious façade but catching the show while sipping on refreshing drinks never goes out of style.
📍 555 S Lamar St, Dallas, TX 75202
Another favorite situated next to the 15th tallest building in Dallas, the beloved Reunion Tower, so you can get front row seats to the incredible fireworks show. HQ Dallas Rooftop hosts many special events, both corporate gigs and private celebrations and New Year’s is one of them. Check out their signature beverages for an invigorating boost.
📍 310 South Houston Street, Dallas, Texas 75201
Although this place is primarily known for its fun pool parties in the summer, Waterproof has found an inventive way to keep its more outdoorsy guests warm during wintertime. Perched on the 19th floor of the iconic Statler, the bar now offers rooftop igloos, where you can still enjoy the stunning city views and savor delicious holiday cocktails without the cool winter breeze.
📍 1914 Commerce Street, Dallas, TX 75201
Marvel at some of the tallest buildings in Dallas including Bank of America Plaza and Renaissance Tower at the Canvas Dallas rooftop lounge. It’s the perfect spot for classic cocktails and small bites.
📍 1325 Botham Jean Blvd, Dallas, TX 75215
Every sports fan has been at least once to Happiest Hour. Their watch parties, DJ sets and live music shows are legendary and their roof deck also offers an incredible view of the night stars and downtown Dallas. It’s a great bar to satisfy your cravings, be they buffalo chicken wings or a nice craft beer.
📍 2616 Olive St, Dallas, TX 75201
See more: Experience A Frozen Winter Wonderland At Ice!
11. Kick off your celebrations with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Toast to the New Year with classical music this December! Inspired by the world-renowned Vienna New Year’s Concert, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra offers an incredible evening of live music that is becoming a tradition on its own. Taking place at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, the orchestra gives their take on classics in the likes of Saint-Saëns’ “Havanaise”, J. Strauss Jr.’s “On the Beautiful Blue Danube” along with other popular compositions, conducted by Maurice Cohn.
📍 2301 Flora St., Dallas, TX 75201
12. Journey to the Forbidden Forest of the Wizarding World
Just like setting foot in the Forbidden Forest, you’ll follow a trail through a mysterious forest full of interactive moments and fantastical creatures and beasts, including Hippogriffs, Unicorns and Nifflers. This New Year’s Eve, experience spellbinding moments based on scenes from the Harry Potter franchise as you cast spells using your wand. When you feel tired from the walk, stop in for a drink and a bite at the village’s pub and enjoy a selection of delicious food and beverages inspired by the Wizarding World.
📍 701 W Eldorado Pkwy, Little Elm, TX 75068
13. Immerse yourself in a mind-bending exhibition
Prepare to enter a psychedelic world of colorful art, where you can become the hero of your own comic at one of the best-rated museums in Dallas! Led by creators Deanna Theis, Robert Andrews, and Jason Mendez, the installations were built by over 15 artists, featuring over 10,000 LEDs, 2,000 balloons, a life-sized unicorn and more. The possibilities are endless! Start the New Year’s Eve celebrations early at this fun and interactive photography exhibit that promises to play tricks on your mind!
📍 3609 Parry Avenue, 75226
14. Play in the arcade of the future
The Two Bit Circus takes the arcade and carnival games to a whole new level. It’s packed with tech-infused games that will have you piloting spaceships, performing surgeries, making candy, and much more! With exciting VR, AR, and XR experiences that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, it’s thought to be the playground of the future. On Sundays the opening hours start from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., which gives you plenty of time to get to your New Year’s Eve dinner plans.
📍 8030 Park Ln N, Dallas, TX, 75231
15. Step into the nostalgic World of Barbie
At World of Barbie, life in plastic truly is fantastic! Explore, dance, sing and indulge in the different themed areas and spaces in the way that only Barbie knows how. Perfect for kids and adults, this interactive exhibition allows you to tap into your creative side and unleash your inner artist. Start thinking on your resolutions this New Year’s Eve, as you step into the Barbie® Music Studio to record your next big hit, or get on the Barbie space shuttle and take off to distant galaxies!
📍 2601 Preston Road, Frisco, 75034
16. Tap into your inner child at the LEGOLAND® Discovery Center
Take your kids to the LEGOLAND® Discovery Center to end the year with a fun-filled adventure. It’s a fun way to spend New Year’s Eve, but honestly, with all the thrilling rides, interactive exhibits, the creative factory, the hilarious LEGO® movies and the personable characters, adults are also guaranteed a good time.
📍 3000 Grapevine Mills Parkway, Grapevine, 76051
17. Drive to Forth Worth for the amazing Lightscape
Lightscape returns to Fort Worth Botanical Gardens with an astonishing display of lights. Available till January 1, the internationally-acclaimed experience is coming back better than ever with 80% newly designed light shows along the botanical gardens’ walking trails. It’s a thrilling experience for visitors of all ages and a great chance to ring in the new year among the beautiful and twinkling lights of Lightscape.
📍 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd, Fort Worth, TX 76107
18. Embark on the last adventure of the year with a self-guided walking tour
Part scavenger hunt, part race and part tour, Puzzling Adventures™ is a great way to explore Dallas and exercise your mind at the same time. How does it work? Each adventure consists of a series of locations that you are guided to where you are required to answer questions or solve puzzles to receive your next clue. A refreshing way to spend New Year’s Eve, you can take your time to see the sights, grab a drink or a bite and learn interesting facts, so really, there’s no need to rush.
📍 Starting point: 1015 Elm Street, 75202-3126
See more: 9 Brilliant burger joints in Dallas that are bun in a million
19-20. Hide out from the NYE chaos to an inviting cinema
Cinemagoers can also celebrate the new year doing what they love, sitting comfortably on plush seats and traveling to distant lands as they watch the latest blockbuster, or a Hollywood classic. If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city on New Year’s and are in the mood for some crunchy and buttery popcorn, head to the following cinemas, where you can also add drink and popcorn tickets to your purchase for the full cinema experience. Valid on any day and at any time, available on the Fever app.
🎟️ AMC cinemas
21-25. Visit one of Dallas’ many museums
If you’re an aviator aficionado, why not bid adieu to 2023 doing what you love most? The Frontiers of Flight Museum is Texas’ premier air and space museum. It boasts a huge collection of artifacts and archival materials in its two climate-controlled hangar-like structure, so you can spend the afternoon with your family exploring amazing pieces of aviation history.
🕒 1 pm – 5 pm
📍 6911 Lemmon Ave, Dallas, TX 75209
The DMA is a prominent art museum renowned for its diverse collection spanning thousands of years and multiple cultures. It houses an extensive array of artworks, from ancient artifacts to contemporary art. If you’ve been to the museum before, not to worry—there are countless new exhibitions displayed each season. Don’t forget to catch the Abraham Ángel: Between Wonder and Seduction exhibition before it closes in January.
🕒 11 am – 5 pm
📍 1717 N Harwood St, Dallas, TX 75201
🏛️ Perot Museum of Nature and Science
This New Year’s Eve, learn more about the mysteries of science with your kids in a 2-3 hour long adventure at the Perot Museum through interesting exhibits housing over 130,000 cataloged specimens and objects. Don’t forget to take the T. rexcalator to discover the fascinating exhibits across its four floors.
🕒 11 am – 5 pm
📍 2201 N Field St, Dallas, TX 75201
If you’ve never visited the Nasher Sculpture Center, you most definitely have seen the 25 large-scale sculptures on the museum’s lush gardens. However, the Patsy and Raymond Nasher collection is a lot more than that. The collection includes early modern and postwar period works, abstraction and figuration, including Jean Arp’s Torso with Buds (1961), Barbara Hepworth’s Squares with Two Circles (Monolith), Richard Serra’s Inverted House of Cards (1969-70) and many works by Matisse, Picasso and Miró. Children under 12 get in for free.
🕒 11 pm – 5 pm
📍 2001 Flora St, Dallas, TX 75201
🏛️ The Ann & Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Museum: The Samurai Collection
Exploring a huge part of Japanese warrior culture in the heart of Dallas? Sign us up! This fantastic and eye-opening museum is located in the district of Harwood, where you discover hundreds of pieces of armor, helmets, masks, horse armor, and weaponry that were once used by Japanese samurais. With objects ranging from the 5th to the 19th century, you can get firsthand knowledge of how these warriors lived, their stories and moral codes. On December 31, the museum is always free to the public and you can pre-order tickets online.
🕒 1 am – 5 pm
📍 2501 N Harwood St, Dallas, TX 75201
There you have it! 25 plans to make New Year’s Eve 2024 one to remember, whatever your preferences are. So, cheers to a new year and to exciting, new adventures that are just around the corner!