Fireworks and Free (or Cheap) New Year's Eve Events in the Bay Area

Whether you’re looking for fireworks or you prefer avoiding the crowds, the Bay Area offers a variety of budget-friendly ways to ring in the new year.

Fireworks

One of the most iconic parts of New Year’s Eve is the fireworks. Lucky for us, you don’t have to go far to find them.

The fireworks show along San Francisco’s Embarcadero starts Tuesday evening as midnight approaches. The fireworks will be launched from the bay, south of the Ferry Building, so keep that in mind when scouting out the best spots to watch from.

It’s expected to be partly cloudy in San Francisco on Tuesday night. For the most accurate forecast — or when deciding on how many layers to bring — check the weather before going out.

Word to the wise: If you don’t like crowds, avoid the Embarcadero area around midnight.

Free (or cheap) events

If you’re looking for free parties, here’s a quick collection — though some may involve a cover fee.

Looking for something a little calmer? There are a bunch of meditation events across the Bay Area.

Take a hike. No really, you can take a moonlit hike Tuesday evening from Ohlone College to Mission Peak summit. If a stroll is on the agenda, you can walk past San Francisco City Hall to see it enveloped in gold lighting for New Year’s Eve.

Arcade games more your speed? Coin-Op in San Francisco will have free play until midnight if you want to get one more game of Pac-Man or pinball in before the ball drops.

For the kids

In Santa Clara, Northside Branch Library is putting on a free “Noon Year’s Eve” event at 11 a.m. Tuesday for families to celebrate a little early. You can RSVP here.

The Albany Community Center is also hosting a “Noon Year’s Eve Celebration” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday. The event and activities are geared toward families with kids 12 and under.