The best New Year’s Eve parties in Los Angeles for 2026 are NYELA at Gloria Molina Grand Park, free, Avalon Hollywood with Oliver Heldens, and Yamashiro with a four hour premium open bar. NYELA runs 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. with a midnight art projection on City Hall. Yamashiro tickets are $118.05, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
One naming trap before the list, because it will confuse your search results. Listings labeled New Year’s Eve 2026 from last December rang in 2026, they happened on December 31, 2025. This guide covers December 31, 2026, the night that rings in 2027. Every event below is confirmed for that date. Anything I could not confirm for 2026 is left out, and anything with a price I could not verify says so in plain text.
The party comparison, at a glance
| Party | Neighborhood | Price | Time | Booking note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYELA at Gloria Molina Grand Park | Downtown LA | Free | 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. | Biggest free countdown on the West Coast. No ticket needed, four marked entrances, two stages, City Hall projection. Arrive early. |
| Avalon Hollywood, Oliver Heldens | Hollywood | GA ran $60 to $65 recently, 2026 price unconfirmed | Dec 31, doors evening | Historic Vine Street club, 21 and over, valid photo ID. 2026 headliner confirmed, ticket price not yet published. |
| Yamashiro NYE 27 LA | Hollywood Hills | $118.05 | 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. | Four hour premium open bar, live DJs, champagne, Hollywood views. Tickets on Eventbrite. |
| Maison Lumma, The Last Night of Hollywood | West Hollywood | Early bird $24, Tier 1 $150 | 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. | White Rabbit Sky Lounge. General admission and VIP experiences, all sales final. |
| Forever Midnight | Downtown LA, LA Convention Center | GA well into three figures, check current tier | Afternoon to early morning | Insomniac house and electronic festival, three stages, 21 and over. Past lineups include Tiesto and Chris Lake. |
| Exchange LA | Downtown LA | Unconfirmed for 2026, tiers sell in stages | Dec 31, evening | Multi level DTLA club, 21 and over. Recent editions featured Alison Wonderland and Slander. Buy early for the lowest tier. |
| Universal Studios Hollywood EVE | Universal City | Included with park admission | Park open until 2 a.m. | Three party zones, midnight fireworks. Some annual pass tiers need a discounted add on ticket. |
| Aquarium of the Pacific Night Dive | Long Beach | $84.95 members, $89.95 general | 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. | Now 18 and over, not a family event. Live band, DJs, magic show, confetti countdown among the tanks. |
| LA Zoo Lights Family New Year’s Eve | Griffith Park | $79 kids, $95 adults | 6 to 10 p.m. | Buffet dinner, kids dance floor, ball drop broadcast, 9 p.m. sparkling toast. Express entry included. |
| Discovery Cube Noon Year’s Eve | Sylmar | $5 members, $7 non members | Daytime | Balloon drops at noon and 3 p.m., apple cider toast. Separate timed ticket on top of general admission. |
| Santa Monica Playhouse Musical Revue | Santa Monica | From $49.50, early show | 7 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. | Cabaret revue, 50 year tradition. Every ticket includes champagne or sparkling cider and a dessert buffet. |
| Lululemon Run With the Roses 5K | Pasadena | Registration fee, rises closer to the date | Main wave near midnight | Third year. Run the Rose Parade route on Colorado Boulevard and finish into the new year. |
| NYE bar crawls, DTLA, Santa Monica, Pasadena | Various | Low, rises closer to Dec 31 | Evening | Multi bar crawls with drink specials. Meeting points and venue rosters are released in the fall. |
| Roast Battle NYE Edition | Sunset Strip, The Comedy Store | Low, sells out early | Evening | Belly Room roast format with celebrity judges and a live DJ. Buy as soon as tickets post. |
| Topgolf El Segundo NYE | El Segundo | Per bay, up to 6 people, price unconfirmed | 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. | Unlimited game play, buffet, live DJ, midnight toast. One ticket books a whole bay. |
| Premier Dinner Cruise | Long Beach, Rainbow Harbor | Unconfirmed for 2026, check City Cruises | 4 hour sailing | Buffet dinner, sparkling wine toast, DJ, Long Beach waterfront fireworks at midnight. Sells out early most years. |
What is the best free New Year’s Eve party in Los Angeles?
NYELA at Gloria Molina Grand Park, and it is not close. It is the largest free New Year’s Eve celebration on the West Coast, free and open to all ages, and for 2026 it runs 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., an hour later than in past years. Two stages of DJs and live sets, a food truck lineup with more than 30 vendors, and the midnight art projection on City Hall.
Which nightclub party should you book?
Avalon Hollywood, if you want the classic Hollywood countdown. The historic Vine Street club throws one of Hollywood’s biggest 21 and over countdown parties every year, and the 2026 headliner is confirmed: Oliver Heldens plays December 31, 2026, with SVDDEN DEATH the night before and TOKiMONSTA on January 1. General admission has run in the low $60s in recent years, but the 2026 ticket price is not yet published, so confirm it on Avalon’s own site before you buy. This is a 21 and over show with a valid photo ID required at the door.
Exchange LA is the downtown alternative. The multi level DTLA club runs its own 21 and over show every year, with recent editions featuring Alison Wonderland and Slander, and the 2026 lineup announced closer to the date. Ticket tiers sell out in stages, and the 2026 price is unconfirmed. For a first timer, Avalon is the better bet: a single historic room, a confirmed headliner, and a price history you can plan around.
Where is the best open bar party?
Yamashiro, in the Hollywood Hills. The legendary hilltop mansion at 1999 North Sycamore Avenue turns into a dance party on December 31, 2026, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., with live DJs, Top 40, hip hop, and house music, champagne, and a four hour premium open bar. Tickets are $118.05 on Eventbrite. The view is the other half of the ticket: Yamashiro sits high above Hollywood Boulevard, and the whole city is below you at midnight.
The West Hollywood alternative is Maison Lumma’s The Last Night of Hollywood at the White Rabbit Sky Lounge, December 31, 2026, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. General admission and VIP experiences are on sale, with an early bird at $24 and Tier 1 at $150. The theme is the golden age of Hollywood, reimagined with modern luxury. Note the terms: all purchases are final and nonrefundable.
What is the best New Year’s Eve festival in LA?
Forever Midnight, at the LA Convention Center in downtown. Insomniac’s house and electronic festival takes over the Convention Center with three stages running from afternoon into the early morning, and it has grown into one of the largest New Year’s Eve festivals in the city. Past lineups have pulled in names like Tiesto and Chris Lake. This is a 21 and over event. General admission passes typically start well into three figures and climb as tiers sell out, so check the official ticket page for current pricing. If you want a festival, not a club, this is the one.
What is the best family friendly New Year’s Eve in Los Angeles?
Two picks, depending on your kids’ bedtime. Discovery Cube LA in Sylmar runs Noon Year’s Eve in the daytime, with an apple cider toast, hands on science exhibits, a dance floor, and balloon drops at both noon and 3 p.m. The event ticket is $5 for members and $7 for non members, on top of general admission, and slots fill up, so book ahead rather than showing up. Kids ring in the new year at noon and are in bed by their usual bedtime.
For an evening family plan, the LA Zoo’s Family New Year’s Eve package runs 6 to 10 p.m. inside Zoo Lights, with express entry, a buffet dinner and dessert, a kids dance floor, a ball drop broadcast, and a 9 p.m. sparkling toast. Tickets run $79 for kids and $95 for adults. The Santa Monica Playhouse Musical Revue is the third family option: a cabaret style revue running for more than 50 years, with a 7 p.m. family friendly early show and a 10:30 p.m. late show that includes a midnight meet and greet with the cast. Every ticket comes with champagne or sparkling cider and a dessert buffet, from $49.50 for the early show.
One change to know about: the Aquarium of the Pacific’s New Year’s Eve Night Dive is now an 18 and over event, not the all ages outing it used to be. It runs 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. in Long Beach with a live band, DJs, a magic show, and a confetti countdown among the tanks, at $84.95 for members and $89.95 for general admission. It is a date night pick now, not a family one.
Where can you watch fireworks on New Year’s Eve in LA?
Universal Studios Hollywood’s EVE is the most complete fireworks plan that does not require a separate ticket. The park stays open until 2 a.m., with three themed party zones, Rock the Night, Electric New Year, and Latin Beat, and a midnight fireworks countdown visible from multiple spots in the park, including The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Springfield. EVE is included with standard park admission and with Platinum Passes. Other annual pass tiers may need a discounted add on ticket, so check your pass level before you go.
Outside the parks, a heads up: a few of the biggest citywide viewing spots, including Universal CityWalk’s show, have shifted from free walk up viewing to ticketed entry. Confirm each spot’s current policy before you head out. The Long Beach dinner cruise sails out of Rainbow Harbor for four hours with a buffet dinner, a sparkling wine toast, a DJ, and views of the waterfront fireworks at midnight. It sells out early most years, and pricing is not posted until booking opens, so check City Cruises’ site in the fall.
How early do New Year’s Eve tickets sell out in LA?
Most of the ticketed picks sell out by mid December, so plan early. Roast Battle at The Comedy Store’s Belly Room is a regular sellout, so buy tickets as soon as they post. The dinner cruise sells out early most years, and the Santa Monica Playhouse revue tends to sell out. The Pasadena crawl checks in from 6 to 9 p.m. at Behind Bars and moves through Urban Pocha, Ole Town Pub, and Der Wolf, with a champagne toast and drink specials at each stop, and the after party lands back at Behind Bars for anyone who arrives before 11 p.m. It is 21 and over with valid ID required.
The Lululemon Run With the Roses 5K in Pasadena is the outlier on timing: now in its third year, it sends runners down the actual Rose Parade route on Colorado Boulevard, with the main wave starting close to midnight so you literally run into the new year. Finishers 13 and up get a bib and medal, plus access to the post race party. Registration pricing rises as the date gets closer, so check the official site for the current rate.
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The shortlist, ranked for December 31, 2026
First, NYELA at Gloria Molina Grand Park: free, all ages, two stages, the City Hall projection, and the biggest crowd in the city. Second, Avalon Hollywood with Oliver Heldens: the classic Hollywood countdown, 21 and over, with a confirmed headliner and a price history in the low $60s. Third, Yamashiro: $118.05, a four hour premium open bar, live DJs, and the best view in the city at midnight. Fourth, Universal Studios EVE: the most complete fireworks plan included with admission, open until 2 a.m. Fifth, the LA Zoo Lights Family New Year’s Eve: the best evening plan with kids, $79 to $95 with dinner included. Book the ticketed picks now, because most sell out by mid December, and check the venue’s own page for the current price before you pay.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free thing to do for New Year’s Eve in LA?
NYELA at Gloria Molina Grand Park in downtown LA. It is completely free, no ticket required, and runs 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. with two stages of music and a midnight art projection on City Hall.
Who is playing Avalon Hollywood on New Year’s Eve 2026?
Oliver Heldens headlines December 31, 2026. General admission has run in the low $60s in recent years, but the 2026 ticket price is not yet published, so confirm it on Avalon’s site before you buy.
How much is Yamashiro New Year’s Eve 2026?
Tickets are $118.05 on Eventbrite, for December 31, 2026, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., including a four hour premium open bar, live DJs, and a champagne countdown.
Are there family friendly New Year’s Eve events in LA?
Yes. Discovery Cube’s Noon Year’s Eve, with a noon balloon drop, and the Family New Year’s Eve package at LA Zoo Lights are both built for kids. The Aquarium of the Pacific’s Night Dive is 18 and over now, so it is not a family option anymore.
Where can I watch fireworks in LA on New Year’s Eve?
Universal Studios Hollywood’s EVE has a midnight fireworks countdown included with park admission, and the park stays open until 2 a.m. A few big viewing spots, including Universal CityWalk, have moved to ticketed entry, so confirm before you go.
Do New Year’s Eve parties in LA sell out?
Most ticketed picks sell out by mid December. Roast Battle at The Comedy Store, the Long Beach dinner cruise, and the Santa Monica Playhouse revue sell out early, and bar crawl prices rise the closer you buy to December 31.
