The Ten Best New Year's Eve Celebrations in South Florida

Hang in there: This wacky year is almost over.

2018 has given us a royal wedding, Yanny versus Laurel, a contentious midterm election, and seemingly everything in between.

For many, 2018 was great. For others, it probably sucked. But, regardless, let’s all try and end this thing on a positive note, eh? From baller last meals to big-time fiestas, here are the ten best New Year's Eve events happening in South Florida.

1. NYE Masquerade Ball 2018 at B Ocean Resort. Your NYE should be full of merriment and... mermaids! That’s right, in addition to a live DJ spinning ‘til 1 a.m., there will be a special mermaid performance at this celebration. The B is offering four packages to choose from for its celebration, including options for a buffet dinner, open bar, party favors and midnight champagne toast. 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. at B Ocean Resort, 1140 Seabreeze Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; eventbrite.com. Tickets cost $120 to $225.
2. Beach House Pompano’s James Bond-Inspired Casino NYE Soiree. Beach House Pompano will be quite the NYE playground this year. General admission for its first floor will be free. There will be a rooftop celebration as well, costing 99 bucks and including unlimited open bar access. With a James Bond theme, you’ll want to dress sharp and look the part. 8 p.m. at Beach House Pompano, 270 N. Pompano Beach Blvd., Pompano Beach; beachhousepompano.com. Tickets for rooftop celebration cost $99 and will be sold at the door.
3. New Year’s Eve Party at Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach. Let’s get fancy. The Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach isn’t holding back and is delivering quite the lavish experience, with a champagne soiree, open bar cocktail reception, live entertainment, party favors and five-course gourmet dinner. The dinner includes a 28-day dry aged beef with white asparagus, root veggie soubise, and truffle béarnaise. Nom nom nom. Starts at 7:30 p.m. at Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach, 551 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd.; eventbrite.com. $289 for adults with early-bird and discounted ticket options.
4. Snow and Champagne at CityPlace. Just when you thought it wouldn’t snow in South Florida in 2018... CityPlace is making it happen on the last night of the year. Its New Year’s Eve Celebration boasts snowfalls at 6 and 7 p.m. for all to enjoy. From there, DJ YASS will rock the square from 7:30 to midnight. Mojito’s Latin Cuisine & Bar will serve up $4 tacos and $3 champagne (for your midnight toast) to keep you warm and merry. 6 p.m. through 12:30 a.m. at CityPlace, 700 S. Rosemary Ave., West Palm Beach; cityplace.com/holidays. Admission is free.
5. Bar Rita NYE. Fort Lauderdale’s Andrews Avenue knows how to get down. This includes the new kid on the block, Bar Rita. Tap 42’s colorful neighbor will have an open bar with top-shelf booze, passed appetizers, DJ and midnight champagne toast. Start your 2019 with a fiesta at the newest joint in town. 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Bar Rita, 1401 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale; eventbrite.com. Tickets cost $95.
6. Bubbles and Bow Ties New Year’s Eve at Blue Martini Boca Raton. With "bow tie" in its event name, elegant attire is encouraged here. Blue Martini’s NYE shindig will have an open premium bar and hand-passed appetizers from 8 to 10 p.m., a dessert table until 11 p.m., and a champagne toast and balloon drop at midnight. At this martini-filled event – whether it’s a classic dirty one or a Mango Tango – the beverages will be flowing late into the night. 8 p.m. to Midnight at Blue Martini Lounge, 6000 Glades Rd. #C-1380, Boca Raton; eventbrite.com. Tickets cost $60 in advance or $75 at the door.
7. The Balcony’s New Year’s Eve Masquerade Party. New Orleans knows how to party. Fort Lauderdale knows how to party. The best of both worlds are coming together on NYE, when this New Orleans-inspired hotspot throws down. The Balcony will boast dinner stations, an open bar, a live band (Breeze, downstairs), DJ Rockwell (upstairs), Mardi Gras entertainers, and a festive balloon drop at midnight. 8 p.m. to midnight at the Balcony, 1309 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; thebalconylasolas.com. Tickets cost $99 per person.
8. Tasting Menu at Monkitail. There are a lot of fun things happening at The Diplomat Beach Resort for NYE. There will be a big ol' party at its hotel bar, a swanky steak dinner at Diplomat Prime, and a tasting menu from celebrity chef Geoffrey Zakarian at Point Royal. However, if you love sushi, you won’t want to miss the sushi-fest going down at Monkitail, featuring a one-of-a-kind NYE menu including, among other items, an assortment of robatayaki. 6 p.m. to midnight at Monkitail, 3555 S. Ocean Dr., Hollywood; monkitail.com. Tickets cost $125 per person and reservations are required.
9. Voltaire NYE with the Cube Guys. You rock the F out on other nights, so why not New Year’s Eve? Italy’s dynamic duo and house/electronic extraordinaires, the Cube Guys, will perform a special set at Voltaire on December 31. Admission includes a champagne split, masquerade ball mask and party favors to enjoy between shaking your ass for hours. 9 p.m. at Voltaire, 526 Clematis St., West Palm Beach; eventbrite.com. Tickets cost $35.
10. Jams and Bites at Crazy Uncle Mike’s. So, maybe paying a fat chunk of change to get through the door isn’t your thing. Crazy Uncle Mike’s has you covered... with no cover. The budding Boca brewery will feature a live set from JM and the Sweets and NYE food specials to keep the party going well past midnight. Tasty morsels include lobster, shrimp and corn empanadas, as well as a harissa spiced salmon with roasted fennel and pomegranate verjus. Open until 2 a.m. at Crazy Uncle Mike’s, 6450 N. Federal Hwy., Boca Raton; crazyunclemikes.com. Admission is free. A-la-carte menu prices vary.