One of the fascinating attractions for New Year Eve is watching fireworks. Sydney has the best one in the world. But due to its popularity, it comes with the heavy hassle, especially if you have young kids. So, here is one of the easier alternative….

Having several times queuing for hours at Sydney’s Mrs Macquarie’s Chair as the premier vantage point, I can really understand it is quite hard for little children or even older people. And especially disheartening if after waiting such a long time, the kid is actually terrified with the bang from the fireworks. So, with 2 young kids in my family, I kept asking before, if there was an easier way to enjoy a firework without too much hassle.

And the answer is to watch the firework at the local suburb!

NYE Firework Locally

In Sydney area, every year, more and more council such as Parramatta, Rockdale, Manly, Campbeltown and many other will display the firework extravaganza at their local area. Yes, there will be not as many launching points as you see in Sydney Harbour, but the duration, the quality and the ‘wow’ factor (especially for young kids) will be pretty much the same. The advantages are:

  • Not too many people compare to the main venue, so the queue to get in and get out will be much faster than Sydney Harbour
  • You can park your car quite close to the location (note: research the area first !)
  • The food, drink of the surrounding will not be at premium
  • You can still get the same fun!

Come with several family friends and you multiply the fun!

Combine It with (Short) Holiday

And to make it more fabulous, how about to combine it with your end of year (short) holiday. This actually giving us relatively cheap holiday with fireworks as one of the highlights for the last 2 years.

This is what we did: instead of going out of town (save the flight, or at least driving and travel), we book accommodation at Novotel Brighton Beach at Brighton Le Sands (around 10 minutes from Sydney Airport). Why there? Because the Rockdale City Council displays the NYE fireworks right in front of the hotel. So, we actually watch the firework from the balcony !!

This give the kids tremendous advantage! They can just play, have dinner and straight to see the firework without going anywhere. And the display was actually quite good. After that, they can go straight to the bed at no time.

Some of the highlights of Novotel Brighton Beach holiday are:

  • Fabulous beach and scenery
  • Restaurant everywhere, fine dining, fast food, Asian, Sea Food, Greek, Italian, even RSL’s buffet just cross the street…
  • Coles at the back door
  • Shops all around
  • No noise from the airport/airplane
  • Rockdale City just 5 minutes drive if you keen with the city lifestyle
  • Excellent facilities from Novotel: pool, gym, spa, table tennis, double Queen bed for family
  • Fireworks straight at the balcony
  • If your kids like an aeroplane: watch aeroplane big and small doing the landing and take off (but cannot hear the noise!) – while watching the boat and water ski as well, with the backdrop of Botany Sea Port…

And if you like me. member of Accor Advantage Plus, Novotel Brighton Beach welcomes your complimentary night to be spent there (although you do not earn Accor point) – 50% dining discount and kids eat free breakfast (correct at the time of writing – Accor can stop this benefit, I guess). NYE will be the special rate (read: more expensive), but it will be worth it if you think this is as part of the holiday. (For actual rate you should call the hotel reservation.)

Novotel Brighton Beach

Novotel Brighton Beach

Novotel Brighton Beach

The Pool and Spa

The Room

The Beach

The Fireworks From balcony

More fireworks photo at Brighton Le Sands 2013
More photo of Novotel Brighton Le Sands

If I can offer a few tips:

  • Book early. Not only you could get early bird rate, you probably can get a room with the “best’ angle (can see all 3 fireworks launcher).
  • Room 512-516,612-616,712-716 (and around them, or similar location at different level) are some of the best angles to watch the fireworks (imagine the hotel is like letter “L” – but horizontally mirrored and the beach is perpendicular with the top of the letter, so if you are too close to the center, it will be blocked partially by the building itself)
  • The hotel will not give or accept Accor loyalty point, so no need to redeem any voucher.
  • The closest train station: Rockdale.

Hope this helps. Enjoy the next NYE firework!

 

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