New Year's Day Boston 2024: Best things to do

Whether you’re waxing poetic about the past year or you’re making plans for the one you’re facing, raising a mimosa with friends and family is never a bad idea. Hit one of the best places for brunch and start the year off right.

Take a deep breath of fresh air to start the new year. Boston has a wealth of green space and parks that are beautiful even in winter. New Year's Day is a perfect time to stroll one of Boston's best parks, assess the year that was, and plan for a great 2024.

If you’re aiming for more than just a stroll, get out and take a hike. There are plenty of worthy hikes near Boston that are easy to get to, whether it’s climbing a lung-busting hill or exploring trails through scenic wooded preserves. Check out the nearby Blue Hills Reservation, Middlesex Fells Reservation, or Harold Parker State Park, or drive up to the White Mountains in New Hampshire.

There’s nothing like a great escape into a good movie, especially after the bustle of the holidays. The long-awaited Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is finally open in the Seaport, or grab seats at a familiar luxury theater such as Showcase SuperLux or a small indie one like Somerville Theatre in Davis Square or Capitol Theatre in Arlington. Who knows? You might have the entire theater to yourself.

No matter where your interests lie, you can always find something to get excited about in the Hub. Make a list of all the things you want to explore in Boston – whether it’s revisiting sites you love or finding new ones.

One of the many delights of living in Boston is that great powder is only a short trip away. Barring crazy traffic, many ski areas are within a two-hour drive. While the region’s most in-demand slopes are farther out from the city—in other words, more in line with the best winter day trips from Boston—these ski spots offer well-groomed trails for all skill levels, plus terrain parks, lessons, and good base camp facilities.

One of the best ways to look at the future is to take a glimpse into the past. One way to do this is by hitting the Freedom Trail. The two-and-a-half-mile tour, clearly marked by a red line on the sidewalk, winds its way past several of the Hub’s best-known historical sites and attractions. It’s an easy self-guided tour, though several options for volunteer-led tours are available.