With the countdown to 2026 just days away, Charleston’s hospitality industry has assembled a calendar of New Year’s Eve options that ranges from lavish hotel galas to neighborhood bar countdowns.

Downtown hotels are hosting their annual black-tie celebrations, offering multi-course dinners, champagne toasts, and entertainment packages that command premium prices. These events draw a mix of visitors treating themselves and locals marking special occasions.

For those seeking dancing, the city’s clubs and larger venues have announced DJ lineups and party packages. Tickets typically include open bars and guaranteed entry to spaces that will operate at capacity.

Restaurants with normal service are booked solid. Any establishment open on New Year’s Eve fielded reservation requests weeks ago. A few tables may remain at less prominent spots, but the city’s most sought-after dining rooms filled their books long since.

Bars along King Street and in the Market area will see their busiest night of the year. Cover charges appear at doors that normally wave patrons through. Drink specials both attract and accelerate consumption.

Private parties proliferate, drawing those who prefer known faces to anonymous crowds. House parties across the region will light up as midnight approaches.

For families, early events offer kid-friendly countdowns before actual midnight. Various venues host celebrations that culminate well before parents’ bedtimes, complete with sparkling cider toasts and balloon drops.

Whatever the venue, the ritual holds. Glasses raise. Countdowns echo. A moment of shared transition bridges one year to the next. Then the celebrations disperse, and 2026 begins.