19 Spots to Watch the New Year’s Eve Fireworks in Philadelphia for 2025/2026

Wednesday, December 31, 2025 | 4 p.m. and 10 p.m.

During this double New Year’s Eve celebration, the deck of the Battleship New Jersey on the Camden riverfront opens for stunning fireworks views with the Philly skyline as a backdrop.

Live music on the deck and pay-as-you-go food and drink come with ticket entry, as well as a family-friendly atmosphere at the earlier show, perfect for tired tots who might not make it to midnight.

Upgrade to the Admiral’s VIP package for complimentary eats, desserts, soft drinks and two drinks from the bar, plus views of the fireworks from the Admiral’s Cabin and the private Admiral’s Deck.

Wednesday, December 31, 2025 | 4:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

It’s impossible to get closer to the New Year’s Eve Fireworks on the Waterfront than from the water itself aboard a vessel from City Cruises Philadelphia. Tickets to the three-hour cruise include an open bar, buffet dining and DJ sets.

The night ends with views of the midnight waterfront fireworks show and a sparkling wine toast for guests over 21 years of age. Tickets are required and upgrades are available.

A two-hour-long early version sets sail at 4:30 p.m. and offers pay-as-you-go drinks, DJs, dancing and great views of the early fireworks show.

Wednesday, December 31, 2025 | 5 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Put those resolutions on ice, and send 2025 out in style. During two ticketed time slots — 5 to 8 p.m. (good for the kids!) and 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. — attendees get a front-row seat to the Visit PA New Year’s Eve Fireworks on the Waterfront while gliding across the ice rink.

Skating and spectator-only tickets also include a spin on the waterfront Ferris Wheel (always a crowd-pleaser), family-friendly entertainment and giveaways (while supplies last), plus access to Winterfest’s pay-as-you-go boardwalk games, arcade games, rides, food and drink.

Wednesday, December 31, 2025 | 5 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Get a front-row seat to the rain-or-shine fireworks shows at the covered Cherry Street Pier.

Two separate celebrations take place this year: the family-friendly New Year’s Eve Kids Countdown at 5 p.m., featuring make-and-take crafts, games and other activities with PopUpPlay; and the 21-and-older New Year’s on the Pier celebration, kicking off at 10 p.m. on the industrial pier with music and dancing. Tickets are required for each event, and food and drink are pay-as-you-go.

New for 2025: the National Liberty Museum’s replica Liberty Bell gets moved to the waterfront pier to (literally) ring in 2026 and mark the kick-off to the year-long celebration of 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Unlike the real Liberty Bell, you can actually touch this bell and take plenty of photos.

Wednesday, December 31, 2025 | 5 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. The later seating costs a bit more, but also provides party favors, a toast at midnight and access to the after-party.

Welcome 2026 with arms spread wide on the starboard bow of the world’s oldest and largest four-masted tall ship during the Moshulu’s New Year’s Boat Bash. Multiple DJs, a full jazz band and a live acoustic duo keep the party going before the midnight fireworks show on the water.

General admission begins at 9 p.m. with access to an open bar and first-come, first-served seating. VIP reservations, available starting at 8 p.m., include added perks like reserved seating, passed hors d’oeuvres and buffet stations.

Beat the cold this year with some hot Latin vibes at the 21-plus New Year’s Eve reggaeton dance party at Fringe Bar, bajo del puente (below the bridge). The party features two live DJs, two dance floors, four bars, an open patio, and the hottest Latin and Top 40 beats.

Plus, guests get prime views of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge and the midnight fireworks show from both indoors and outdoors. General admission tickets are required — or folks can upgrade to Silver or Diamond tickets with preferred seating and bottle options.

Get the star treatment at this celebrity-style shindig at the Pyramid Club, 500 feet above the streets of Center City. The annual, lavish gala — held inside the penthouse of the BNY Mellon building — features a five-hour open bar, buffet stations and DJ sets.

Through the skyscraper’s 20-foot-tall floor-to-ceiling windows, take in sweeping views of local landmarks like City Hall and the Philadelphia Art Museum and — maybe most importantly — the waterfront fireworks show.

Tickets are required. Want to feel like a celeb? Upgrade to VIP status to skip the lines and enjoy reserved seating.

Sail your way into 2026 in luxury aboard the Ben Franklin Yacht for a New Year’s Eve celebration you won’t forget. Cruise in style on the Delaware River on a 90-foot yacht — with three climate-controlled indoor/outdoor party decks!.

Enjoy four hours of music, dancing, a premium open bar and 360-degree views of the stars as you wait for the waterfront fireworks show to set the sky above the yacht ablaze. Pro tip: Eat before you board, as no meals are served.

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 a spacious and well-furnished accommodation, watch a colorful night of fireworks, and wake up to breakfast at the fully stocked complimentary buffet.

Or, if you’ve got plans to party along any of the waterfront locations listed above, the hotel serves as the perfect home base, just steps away from all of the fireworks and festivities.

Get glam and welcome the new year in style at this lavish waterfront hotel with stunning views of the Visit PA New Year’s Eve Fireworks on the Waterfront. Kick back and relax in the hotel’s plush beds or indulge in a steam or swim at the hotel’s sauna or pool before getting gussied up for the night.

When booking, be sure to choose rooms with a waterfront view for the best fireworks viewing options.

Historic Franklin Square hosts an early family-friendly end-of-year celebration with the Kids’ New Year’s Eve Countdown.

New Year’s crafts and festivities kick off the night. 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).

Bonus: Don’t miss Franklin Square’s free Electrical Spectacle Light Show, cozy fire pits and other fun activities like the ticketed Chilly Mini Golf.

Note: Franklin Square closes on New Year’s Eve at 8 p.m.

Table games, slot machines and a massive sportsbook are among the offerings at Rivers Casino Philadelphia on the Fishtown riverfront.

But here’s an insider tip — without even dropping a single quarter, everybody wins when viewing the fireworks from the patio outside Jack’s Bar + Grill restaurant or along the Delaware River Trail at the back of the venue.

The trail paths stretch along the waterfront and offer free and open-to-everyone views of the fireworks shows. Visitors heading inside the casino before or after the fireworks show must be 21 or over.

With the perfect position under the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, Race Street Pier always makes for an amazing spot to view the New Year’s Eve fireworks. Eager pyrotechnics enthusiasts should arrive early as space tends to fill up fast.

The pier along the Delaware River Trail has both an upper and lower level connected by amphitheatre-style seating.

Be aware that while you can’t bring alcohol to the pier, you can bring outside food and beverages, so why not ring in the new year Philly-style with a couple of hoagies and soft pretzels?

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 south of the park.

There’s guaranteed to be a crowd, but the expansive open lawn offers a great spot to plop down a blanket or a lawn chair to stay warm and comfortable throughout the evening. In addition, the Delaware River Trail runs through the park right along the river’s edge, also making a great spot to catch the pyrotechnics in the skies above.

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.

Stay warm and mobile by strolling north along the half-mile strip during the show to take in a full experience. Running late to a waterfront party? Take the Front Street route to your destination; you won’t miss the show as you hurry along.

Note that there are a few open spaces tucked along the street, like Foglietta Plaza at Front and Dock streets.

Opened in 2015, Pier 68 is a popular springtime public fishing pier, picnic spot and nature oasis jutting out into the Delaware River in Pennsport, marking the southern terminus of the Delaware River Trail.

BYO a cozy blanket or lawn chair and grab a spot on the grass at the Picnic Grove. Or snag a spot on one of the pathside or river-end hammock-style stone benches and gaze north to catch the fireworks display.

Note: If you plan to drive to Pier 68, give yourself some extra time due to detours around the I-95 CAP construction.

Located at Pier 53, Washington Avenue Pier and adjacent Washington Avenue Green offer gorgeous panoramas of the Philadelphia skyline. Take the short tree-lined path out to the pierhead for a stunning vista up the river toward the fireworks display.

Get there early enough to snag a spot on the south side elevated walkway or up the 16-foot spiral staircase at the pier’s end that’s part of the 55-foot tall public art sculpture called Land Buoy.

Note that Washington Avenue Pier remains open during I-95 CAP construction, but be mindful of detours on your way there.

Despite the fact that it’s not actually in Philly, the beautiful and ambling pedestrian pathway running along the Camden waterfront makes for a great viewing spot for the New Year’s Eve fireworks shows.

The spot — which serves as the front lawn for the stretch of attractions on the New Jersey side of the Delaware River, like Adventure Aquarium, 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 Poynt Park, RCA Pier and Wiggins Waterfront Park. Please note that attractions may not be open.