9 fun things to do for New Year’s Eve in NYC that don’t involve alcohol

As we say goodbye to 2024, many people may want to avoid the inebriated traditions that accompany the turning of the calendar for a variety of reasons. And, while celebrations in New York City overwhelmingly focus on booze and besotted revelry, there are some options for those who want to get out in the world without blacking out.

Hang out at a zero-proof bar

Just because you’re not drinking on New Year’s Eve doesn’t mean you can’t hang out at a bar. You’re even lucid enough to follow all those negatives! Hekate Cafe in Alphabet City bills itself as an “intimate sober bar” and slings the finest non-alcoholic beers and cocktails (known as mocktails in some parts), along with even more outlandish beverages like “coffee” and “tea.” As a bonus, Hekate will be open until at least midnight on New Year's Eve so you can ring in the new year there.

Check out the choo-choos at the New York Botanical Garden’s Holiday Train Show

The New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx has put on the Holiday Train Show for three decades now, so if you haven’t had the chance to check out the impressive locomotive display… do it! There’s even “twinkling, plant-based replicas of famed local architecture” to enjoy along with the trains. Timed tickets run $35 for adults on New Year’s Eve, or you can get a flex ticket for entry at any time during the day for $45.

Go on a bike ride for the environment

Once again, the Future Positive New Year’s Eve bike ride will pick up riders from around the city to raise awareness for the current plight of the environment, which is… well, it’s certainly a plight. This year’s theme focuses on positivity and bringing people together. There will be three official pickup locations around the city: 9:45 p.m. at the Brooklyn-side entrance to the Williamsburg Bridge; 10 p.m. at Washington Square Park Arch, Manhattan; 10:20 p.m. at Madison Square Park, 23rd and Broadway, Flatiron side. It all concludes with an epic party at Belvedere Castle. The event is BYOB (bring your own bike). It's about two hours and it's free.

Get some rest and do the polar plunge on Jan. 1

The Coney Island Polar Bear Club is at it again! It's the oldest winter bathing club in the country, and the New Year’s Day Polar Plunge has happened since 1903. You have to be a member to participate in the weekly swim sessions, but anyone can register and sign up for the New Year’s Day plunge, which starts at 11 a.m. on Jan. 1.

See the light show in Prospect Park

There will be no fireworks in the city this year, despite the recent rain. But when life gives you lemons, you should make a massive light show over Brooklyn’s most famous park. You may remember that a fire burned through some areas in Prospect Park recently, and drought conditions haven’t let up. No one wants to start the new year with a wildfire, right? The show will reportedly feature shapes of New York City icons like the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge, but details are still scant at this point.

Tantalize yourself at the Museum of Sex and Super Funland

Or tantalize someone else – we’re not here to judge. The Museum of Sex is open on New Year’s Eve, with the last entry happening at 6 p.m. Basic tickets cost $36, and right now, you can check out Super Funland, an erotic carnival. A ticket gets you entrance to both the museum and the carnival.

Head to the Chinatown Fair Family Fun Center

The Chinatown Fair Family Fun Center is a New York institution that reopened under new management a little more than a decade ago. So, even though it’s not quite the legend it once was – no tic-tac-toe-playing chicken, for example – you can still experience one of Chinatown’s many cultural offerings without spending a dime on booze. Just keep in mind that it’s not going to be the slick, modern arcade operation of, say, Dave & Buster’s. It’s essentially a hole-in-the-wall Chinatown shop. But that’s what makes it New York City, baby. And there are plenty of arcade games to keep you entertained until midnight, which, conveniently, is closing time.

Hang out with cats at a cafe

Although we offered Brooklyn Cat Cafe as a booze-free option last year, it’ll be closed on New Year’s Eve this year. The good news is that you now have the chance to try out a new area of feline repose. Meow Parlour on Essex Street has 50-minute sessions available on New Year’s Eve. Be careful, though: You may just wind up becoming a cat parent in 2025 if you can’t resist the cuteness of the adoptable critters.

Play laser tag

Make your way out to the Shops at Atlas Park in Queens and check out Laser Bounce Family Fun Center. You can get single laser tag sessions for around $30, or pay for a larger package. They also have other games and fun for the whole family, and you’ll be safely out of reach of Manhattan's partiers.

Another sporty option: Area53 has locations in Dumbo and Williamsburg, with the Dumbo location offering New Year’s Eve laser tag for around $40 per person. There are other activities you can choose, too, like the Adventure Park ropes course or paintball in Williamsburg, which also runs $40 per person for a NYE session.

This story has been updated to clarify that Hekate Cafe is open until at least midnight on New Year's Eve.