Abu Dhabi authorities are again preparing large scale New Year’s Eve celebrations for Wednesday 31 December 2025, and current guidance already highlights Abu Dhabi Corniche as one of the capital’s main public fireworks locations with a free waterfront show around midnight. The eight kilometre promenade gives long, open views over the Arabian Gulf and Al Lulu Island, so families and visitors can spread out instead of crowding into a single viewing point. As in previous years, you can expect coordinated displays across the city, but the Corniche remains the classic spot for a central countdown atmosphere. However, it is also the stretch that fills up first because residents know it well and arrive early. Plan to be on the Corniche several hours before midnight if you want a clear, unobstructed view.
Corniche waterfront setting and fireworks plans
In recent seasons, official tourism updates and local media listed Abu Dhabi Corniche alongside Yas Island, Al Maryah Island, Al Hudayriyat Island and the Sheikh Zayed Festival as confirmed fireworks locations, with Corniche fireworks scheduled at midnight. While detailed timings for the 2025 to 2026 night may still be adjusted closer to the date, the pattern for the capital has remained consistent, with a single late night show on the central waterfront. Crowds usually build from early evening on New Year’s Eve as people finish dinner at nearby cafés and restaurants and walk towards the promenade. Because the show is free and open to everyone, there is no ticket checkpoint along most of the seafront (children/family-friendly). Keep in mind that once the main promenade reaches safe capacity, police often restrict vehicle access along Corniche Road.
Central family beach gates and lawn areas
The core viewing zone sits around the main Corniche public beach, where family gates and garden areas line the water, giving wide frontal views of the fireworks launched from barges offshore. Families often favour the sections close to the lifeguarded beach and the landscaped lawns, because children can move a little without standing directly beside the road. During the afternoon of Wednesday 31 December 2025 you can expect people to start picnicking on the grass and along the low sea wall, so arriving before 20:00 greatly increases your chances of finding a comfortable spot (children/family-friendly). Modest food stalls and cafés nearby usually stay open late, but queues grow long just before midnight. If you bring young children, choose a place slightly back from the railings to avoid crushes when the countdown begins.
Eastern Corniche near parks and Nation Towers
Further east, near Nation Towers and the park areas facing Al Lulu Island, the view becomes slightly angled but often less crowded than the main beach zone. This stretch works well for families who prefer a little breathing space, as the pavements here are wide and lined with benches and small playgrounds. Street lighting and regular police patrols usually make the area feel safe, even as the night gets late (children/family-friendly). At the same time, you are still close enough to walk to taxis and main roads once the show finishes. Parking along side streets behind this section often fills later than the spaces right next to the central beach.
Breakwater, Marina Mall side and Heritage Village
On the opposite side of the water, along the breakwater road towards Marina Mall and Heritage Village, you gain sweeping skyline views with the fireworks bursting above the towers, which photographers especially enjoy. This area can feel more exposed to wind coming off the Gulf, so light jackets are useful even when the air temperature still sits in the low twenties. Access happens via the narrow breakwater road, and traffic sometimes slows heavily at peak times (children/family-friendly, popular with photographers). Because the road is a single main access route, drivers should expect congestion when leaving after midnight. If you watch from the breakwater, allow extra time for the drive back into the city once the show ends.
Parks, cycling paths and quieter stretches
Beyond the busiest beach gates, long sections of promenade offer quieter corners where families can sit on low walls, cycle paths or small lawns and still see the fireworks over the water. These spots appeal to residents who bring scooters or bicycles for children earlier in the evening, then settle down for the countdown once the roads start to close. Lighting is good along most of the route, yet some of the smaller pocket parks may feel darker, so many families bring small lanterns or torches (children/family-friendly, suitable for couples). Public toilets and prayer rooms sit at intervals along the waterfront, but queues grow close to midnight. Choose a viewing area near facilities if you plan to stay outside for several hours.
Access, parking and public transport
For drivers, Corniche Road and the parallel streets behind it offer a mix of paid and free parking, with some zones operating standard city tariffs of approximately 2–4 AED per hour until late evening. On New Year’s Eve, authorities often close parts of the seafront road or convert them to one way systems to manage pedestrian flows, so you should follow signs and police instructions carefully. It usually works better to park a few blocks inland near Downtown or Khalidiya and walk 10 to 15 minutes to the waterfront instead of attempting to park directly at the beach (children/family-friendly, solo). Public buses commonly run along or towards the Corniche, and routes such as those serving the main city bus station and Marina Mall typically extend their hours around major holidays. Expect slow moving traffic on exits from the Corniche between 23:00 and 01:30, especially towards bridges leading to the main highways.
Arriving from Dubai, Sharjah or other emirates
Visitors driving from Dubai or Sharjah should plan their departure for mid afternoon on Wednesday 31 December 2025 to avoid late evening bottlenecks at city entrances. Once you arrive, the most straightforward option is to follow signage towards Corniche Road and then park in central Abu Dhabi before walking to the seafront, instead of trying to navigate right up to the beach gates. Travellers from Al Ain or Al Dhafra often aim to reach the city by 18:00, enjoy an early dinner, and then move on foot between viewing areas (children/family-friendly, suitable for couples). After the fireworks, it can be wise to wait 30 to 60 minutes before starting the drive back towards other emirates if you prefer quieter highways. Build generous time buffers into both the outward and return journeys, because New Year’s Eve traffic patterns rarely follow normal weekday behaviour.
Food, cafés and kid friendly activities along the Corniche
The Corniche corridor includes a mix of coffee shops, casual restaurants, juice bars and ice cream kiosks, many of which usually operate extended hours on New Year’s Eve. In recent years, families have combined simple picnics on the grass with takeaway meals from nearby outlets, keeping costs manageable while still enjoying the festive atmosphere (children/family-friendly). Playgrounds, outdoor gyms and bike rental points help children and teenagers pass the time before the countdown, particularly if you arrive early to secure a good viewing position. Nevertheless, queues at popular cafés can be long from around 21:00 onward, and some venues run special New Year menus priced at approximately 80–200 AED per person depending on location. Carry enough water and light snacks so that you are not dependent on crowded kiosks right before midnight.
Accessibility, safety and comfort for families
Because much of the Corniche promenade is flat and wide, it works reasonably well for strollers and wheelchairs, although some entrances to the sand use ramps with slightly steep gradients. Lifeguards and security staff are usually visible along the main beach sections until late evening, and barriers or floating fences in the water reduce the risk of people entering the sea after dark. Families often choose to stay on the promenade itself rather than on the sand, especially with small children, since it is easier to move if a child becomes tired or overwhelmed (children/family-friendly). As always in large crowds, keeping valuables secure and agreeing a meeting point with older children in case you become separated remains sensible. If anyone in your group is sensitive to loud noise, bring ear defenders or earplugs, because the fireworks echo strongly along the waterfront.
Weather, clothing and booking warnings for New Year’s Eve
Late December in Abu Dhabi normally brings mild, pleasant winter weather, with average daytime highs around 24–26°C and evening temperatures dropping to about 18–20°C, plus only a small chance of light rain. For the night of Wednesday 31 December 2025, the detailed forecast will only become clear closer to the date, yet you can safely plan for a light jacket or hoodie, comfortable walking shoes and perhaps a thin blanket for children sitting on the grass. Parking and traffic around the Corniche typically reach their peak between 21:00 and 23:30, so arriving earlier and leaving slightly later than the main rush greatly improves comfort, while taxis and ride hailing remain practical options if you do not want to drive. The waterfront fireworks show itself is free, although private New Year viewing platforms, hotel dinners and cruise packages in the city may require prepaid reservations through major sellers such as PLATINUMLIST, TICKETMASTER or hotel booking desks, and prices for those experiences can range from approximately 300 AED to more than 1,200 AED per person depending on the package. Because both traffic conditions and private event prices can change quickly, treat all timings and costs as approximately and secure any paid reservations as early as possible. In many recent guides compiled by the editors behind www.few.ae, the Corniche continues to appear as the go to recommendation for visitors who want a classic Abu Dhabi New Year’s Eve experience without committing to a fixed, expensive programme.
then "Add to Home Screen"