New Year’s Eve Celebrations
Celebrate the start of 2023 coastal-style with a New Year's Eve getaway to Wilmington and our Island Beaches. There are a variety of things to do with speakeasies, festivities on the river, dinner and a show, a lighted beach ball drop and family-friendly events. Check out a sampling of area celebrations below and find the perfect place to stay. For a list of special events happening all throughout the holidays, check out our roundup of Seasonal Highlights.
EMBASSY SUITES
Experience a New Year's Eve party to remember at the Embassy Suites Wilmington Riverfront Hotel. The Hollywood East Glam package includes an overnight stay, specialty four-course dinner for two, open bar, celebratory libations, late night bites, live music by Dance Candy Band in the Riverfront Grand Ballroom, and a midnight champagne toast. Tickets are $509.00 per couple.
Lumina, a Holiday Inn Resort
Ring in the New Year with special rates on an oceanfront or soundside room at Lumina on Wrightsville Beach, a Holiday Inn Resort. Special Holiday Cheer rates start at $129 per night. Select your arrival and departure date, select the Holiday Cheer rate and book your stay to welcome 2023 in Wrightsville Beach. Rates are valid Nov. 17, 2022 - Jan. 8, 2023.
Blockade Runner Beach Resort
Celebrate the start of 2023 with the Blockade Runner Beach Resort’s two-night New Year’s Eve package. Enjoy a plated dinner for two and then count down to midnight in the ballroom with dancing and live music from Grammy Award-winning artist Giovanni Rodriguez & the 12 Manos. In addition to accommodations and the NYE celebrations, the package also includes breakfast Saturday morning, complimentary late checkout and a Sunday New Year's Day Brunch.
Courtyard Carolina Beach Oceanfront
Combine oceanfront accommodations with a delicious dinner at Lake Park Steakhouse with the Courtyard Carolina Beach’s Enhance Your Stay package. Use the promo code D60 when booking to receive a $100 gift card to Lake Park Steakhouse, a local island hotspot conveniently located one block from the hotel. Valid through Dec. 31, 2022.
Check back often as more Hotel Packages are added.
VACATION RENTALS
Book a vacation rental in Wilmington or our Island Beaches and host your own New Year's Beachin' Eve celebration! Savor oysters and seafood steam pots catered from local favorites like Topsail Steamer in Wrightsville Beach or Cape Fear Boil Company in Carolina Beach. For those with a sweet tooth, order delicious treats from Sweet D’s Cuisine or The Peppered Cupcake. Cheers to the New Year with pre-chilled champagne or local brews from Lighthouse Beer & Wine or pick up locally produced wine from Noni Bacca Winery.
BARS & NIGHTLIFE
Immerse yourself in Wilmington's vibrant nightlife to celebrate the New Year. Stop by the Cargo District to find a curated selection of organic natural wines to cheer in the New Year at Bottles. Enjoy live piano music and a complimentary midnight champagne toast at The Blind Elephant, a 1920s-inspired speakeasy known for their vast selection of bourbon and unique elixirs. Visit Reel Cafe and dance to DJ music, sing karaoke with friends or hear acoustic tunes while you sip on craft beers and specialty wines. Or, dance the night away at Waterline Brewing Co. and indulge in one of their flagship ales like the Oatmeal Stout. Ring in the New Year at Satellite Bar & Lounge and enjoy back-to-back live entertainment from local rock and pop bands. Find more live music and entertainment at our local breweries and nightlife hotspots.
RESTAURANT SPECIALS
Enjoy fine wine and a pre-fixe menu during The Second Glass' New Year's Eve dinner. Start the evening with an amuse-bouche following a four-course meal of your choice. Pair your meal with the finest wines and discover cuisine like Halibut with scarlet runner beans, fennel, olives and Velouté or the Baked Cambozola with apple, fennel, fig butter and pecans. Tickets start at $75 per person, and are sure to go fast. Make your reservations online.
Ring in the New Year at Flying Machine at Wrightsville Beach. Enjoy a prix fixe dinner featuring four courses. Enjoy Herbed Plentia Cakes made with goat cheese and mushrooms, Half Roasted Chicken smoked with blackberry and served with a wheat berry pilaf and more. Tickets are $65 per person. Make your reservation early by calling (910) 239-9474.
Indulge in delicious culinary creations this New Year's Eve with a special six-course meal at PinPoint Restaurant. The menu features oyster shooters paired with grapefruit mignonette, slow roasted pork belly with turnip green chimichurri and pickled mustard seeds, charred octopus, venison short rib, a surprise dessert and more delicious bites. A vegetarian menu is available. Advanced reservations highly recommended and the tasting menu starts at $70 per person.
Savor authentic Greek cuisine made from locally sourced ingredients at Kipos Hellenic Cuisine’s special New Year’s Eve event. Chef George Delidimos will be creating a five-course dining experience from 5 to 9:30 p.m. using fresh local catches and farm-to-table ingredients paired with hors d’oeuvres, live DJ music and a midnight toast. Reserve your seats, which are $90 per person and include valet parking, before this special event sells out.
Find more restaurant specials and details available here.
NEW YEAR'S EVE CELEBRATIONS
From kid-friendly celebrations at noon to cruises and an island beach ball drop at midnight, Wilmington and our island beaches offer festive happenings for all ages. The Children's Museum of Wilmington's annual New Year's Noon features arts and crafts, singing and dancing, an apple juice toast at noon and more. Then, head to the annual Island of Lights New Year's Eve Celebration on the Carolina Beach Boardwalk for a live DJ, local vendors, a beach ball drop at midnight and a spectacular fireworks show to ring in 2023. This is just a sampling. Find all festive New Year's Eve and New Year's Day events on the calendar below, which is updated daily as new events are announced.
