65. The Top July 4th Fireworks Spectacles Across America

In this special 4th of July episode, join me as I light up the night with a guide to the most breathtaking 4th of July fireworks displays across the United States! From East Coast to West, you’ll get a closer look at the best spots to watch from, crowd-skipping hacks, and a spectacular list of places to add to your Independence Day bucket list must-sees!

Mentioned in this Episode:
Working Podcast about Paul Grucci, CEO of America's First Family of Fireworks
NY Times Article:  11 Perfect Podcasts for the 4th of July
Ben Nemtin, The Buried Life Movement

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This episode was produced by The Podcast Teacher.

Transcript

Welcome, jetsetters. Happy 4th July. How many of you out there are fireworks enthusiasts? I personally count myself as a fireworks connoisseur. My parents were married on the 4th July, so let's just say I grew up with fireworks in my house. But I have also been able to witness some of the most dazzling July 4th fireworks displays in the USA. Thanks to July 4th being a national holiday, but a very personal major holiday in my family. So let's light up the night with patriotism and celebration for this very special episode where I detail many of the best places for you to see fireworks in the United States. But first, I have my very own oh, to share.

Jet setting with me is now a top 100 podcast on Apple for travel. And if you haven't hit the check mark to follow this podcast, now is your perfect opportunity to do so. Following this podcast ensures it automatically downloads into your feed, so you can listen to each and every episode. And if you find a favorite like this 1 that you're about to listen to now, please share it with a friend. And perhaps, you can make plans with these friends for next year's 4th July celebration. Also, it really helps more than anything else for others to find the podcast if you read a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you are listening to me and my voice coming at you. And without further ado, let's start our journey with a bang, and let's dive into what I would like to call this 4th July travel bucket list. That is with apologies to Ben Neptune of the Buried Life Movement who says that we should have things to do lists instead of bucket list, but I can't help hashtag bucket list.

Just has that ring to it. With no big surprise, we start our journey of fireworks in Washington DC. Celebrating Independence Day in our nation's capital is truly like none other. I have been there. I lived in DC during graduate school for about 6 months, and you start the day by watching bands and floats at the Independence Day parade along Constitution Avenue. I mean, really, an Independence Day parade on Constitution Avenue. It doesn't really get any more symbolic than that. You can settle in for what is called a capital, T0L, 4th, which is a star studded concert event.

It's on the west lawn of the US Capitol building. Admission is free, but it takes some stamina to get a spot after the gates open at 3, as in be prepared to sit and stand a while, as the fireworks don't go off until around 9:15 in the evening. There is a concert that does start as early as 8. There's television, movie stars, rock legends, country, western kings and queens, and the grand finale is the US Army Herald Trumpets playing the 18 12 Overture with live cannon fire. Additional music is provided by the US Army Ceremonial Band, the US Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, and other military bands. Then as I said, around 9:15, those fireworks launched from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, illuminating the sky behind the Washington Monument. It is truly breathtaking. The best viewing spots are with the masses on the National Mall, or you can head to the streets by the US Capitol, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Jefferson Memorial, or even the FDR Memorial.

And if you want to avoid the crowds and your extra AF, like your hostess here, book a private boat cruise on the Potomac River. Now we head over to New York City, the home of the Statue of Liberty and the Big Apple's west side. It is the Macy's 4th July fireworks display. It is actually the country's largest pyrotechnic show, and, therefore, it is the largest 4th July celebration. It kicks off at 9:20 PM from 4 barges along the Hudson River. It's actually a stretch of a mile and half between 24th and 50th Street. I got to see these fireworks when we celebrated the American Bicentennial in 1976. I was a wee child.

My mom, being from New York, couldn't wait to go there and we got some pretty amazing seats. It to this day is the best fireworks display I've ever seen. The dazzling lights display feature more than 40, 000 fireworks shells. They soar up to a 1000 feet in the air, and you have the accompanying orchestration by the New York Pops Orchestra and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. It's a mile long, well, my own half shower of golden sparks plunge into the Hudson River, and it also features what is known in the pyrotech field as ghost shells, and those flash into the air and then quickly reappear in a new color. It's pretty cool. For the best viewing spots, you will need to arrive a few hours early. People start lining up as early as 4 o'clock, and they claim spots along the West Side Highway below 59th.

There are access points from 11th along 24th, 26th to 30th, 34th, 40th to 44th, 47th to 52nd, and then 54th to 57th. And if you prefer to stick to the Jersey side of the river, there are prime viewing spots, another crowd missing hack, along the waterfront in Weehawken and Hoboken. Staying with our theme of traditional USA celebratory places, Philadelphia is next up on our list, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Why not celebrate America's birthday in Philadelphia, its birthplace, surrounded by the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall? No big surprise here. There is a corporate sponsor for these fabulous works. The Wawa Welcome America is 8 days of city celebrations and includes outdoor films, all you can eat ice cream bonanzas. Nothing says July like an all you can eat ice cream bonanza. It has free museum admissions.

And on July 4th, the patriotic scene is set with a parade of army bands and bugle corps weaving through the historic neighborhood along 5th and Chestnut streets. The mummers, which is the city's legendary parade mainstay. If you don't know anything about the mummers, you have to Google it. They are hilarious. You may have even seen mummer weddings. If you follow David Tutera and his television show, they dress in outrageous costumes, and they join in the parade as well. The party on the parkway kicks off on July 4th at noon. You have food, fun.

It's all along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and it's the largest free concert in the country that starts at 8. And then the fireworks transition beginning at 10:30 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. For your best viewing spots, forego the concert and bring a blanket to Boathouse Row for the fireworks. And our 4th and final historical genre for the true celebrations of America, Let's go to Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Pops Concert Fireworks Spectacular also has the 18 12 overture and about 500, 000 visitors. It's the Charles River, and it's their annual July 4th celebration. Spectators usually head to the Es Planade that is alongside the Charles River, and they stand in line to secure blanket space in the oval, and it's filled to capacity by 2 PM usually. Fireworks don't usually start until 10:30.

The conductor will kick off things at 8 PM with the national Harbor Fest concerts, children's activities, and a seafood fest at Chowderfest. Again, another hack. If you don't want to jostle the crowds or you don't have the necessary wristband, you can view the fireworks from many spots around town. Many locals argue that the best viewing spot is actually across the river in Cambridge, or take a canoe or kayak into the Charles, a safe distance away from those fireworks barges. So just to recap, we have the historical places of Washington DC, New York City, Philadelphia, and Boston, all with some of the arguably top 4 best fireworks displays in the United States. But have you ever wondered what life was like when the declaration of independence was signed? Well, a visit to Colonial Williamsburg lets you see for yourself. This living history museum recreates 18th century Virginia's clothing, architecture, and even food, making it a truly immersive experience. So on 4th, they read the declaration of independence aloud, and they have special period appropriate festivities for the 4th July and then, of course, nighttime fairy works.

I have to add that to my bucket list because I love Williamsburg, Virginia, but I have not ever been there for 4th. So pretty cool. Where I will be this year, known and famous for their fireworks displays, but on the special occasions, they go even more all out than usual, is Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. So prepare for patriotism at its finest when Walt Disney World Resort commemorates Independence Day in the skies above both the Magic Kingdom Park and Epcot. I'm going straight for the Magic Kingdom with a view of the castle, Main Street USA, the best viewing location, or the top of the contemporary, the Polynesian Beach Resort, or where I last saw fireworks for the 4th July at Walt Disney World, the main building of Disney's Grand Floridian Beach Resort and Spa. So I'm kind of excited to maybe do a resort and skip the crowds. But, of course, there is a brand new attraction at Walt Disney World that will be open by then. So who knows? You might go early, enjoy the park, and secure a good viewing spot.

I can practically taste my Casey's hot dog, popcorn, and Coke. How can you get any more American than that? Well, I guess you need an apple pie. Okay. So we're staying on the East Coast, and we're headed to Nashville, Tennessee, which is actually the region's largest fireworks show. It has more than a 1000 floating flares, £40, 000 of explosives, and 200 miles of wire used to set them all off. It's called the Music City 4th July celebration, and it has live music. It's called Nashville's Let Freedom Sing event, and it has 1 of the nation's largest fireworks display. This year's headliner is Chris Young.

The lineup also features a bunch of bands I've never heard of, including Yola, Girl Named Tom, Blessing Ofer, and more. It's a free and family friendly event. It's in downtown Nashville. It has pyrotechnics that are synchronized to a live performance by the Nashville Symphony, which has won a Grammy award. And you can reserve a premier viewing spot overlooking the Cumberland River for a fee, as your bougie AF host would no doubt do. Okay. Staying in what is arguably somewhere between the north and the South if we're going based on the Civil War. Saint Louis, Missouri has food trucks, live music, and fun giveaways that are only the beginning of the 4th July party.

It's called Fair St. Louis. And this year, it plans to be even more special because they're celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Eads Bridge, the famous landmark, which has been in place since July 4, 18, 74. They'll have a ton of live performances, family friendly games, fun, lots of food, a thrilling air show. And of course, the evening will end with a beautiful fireworks display. This Saint Louis, Missouri fireworks was found on several different rankings of the top fireworks displays in the US. So again, gonna have to add that to my 4th July bucket list. Been to Saint Louis, seen the Eads Bridge, but it sounds like something special for the 4th July.

Now let's head a little more west. And by west, I mean, California and San Diego. It's the West Coast's biggest fireworks show. It's the Big Bay Boom. Try saying that 3 times fast. Big Bay Boom. During this pyrotechnic extravaganza, fireworks are launched from 4 separate areas around the bay, and it makes catching the show anywhere from Shelter Island to the downtown high rises easy. If you don't know what I'm talking about when I say Shelter Island or downtown high rises, well, let's just get on a call because San Diego is a fabulous place to visit.

I have often said that if I could afford to live anywhere in the US, I would retire in San Diego. You can also reserve a place on the deck of USS Midway. Again, some place I visited, but not on the 4th July, and it provides music and special activities while you wait for the sun to set. Now let's not forget, you will be on the West Coast, so sunset may be part of the latest in the country. And we skipped right over the south in New Orleans, Louisiana. Also ranked on several people who know more than me as some of the best 4th July fireworks. It's called Go Forth, F0URTH, on the river, and it's a Southern style Independence Day. Head to the historic port city of New Orleans, Louisiana and watch red, white, and blue fireworks.

I'm sorry. That is so not a Cajun New Orleans accent. It is more like Mississippi. I apologize to all the ears out there that just had to hear me do that. The fireworks explode from dueling barges over the Mississippi River, and you can find a spot on the grassy waterfront at Waldenburg Park or anywhere strolling through the French Quarter, where you will find all the live music street performers and the thrilling nighttime scene that New Orleans is famous for. For a closer view of the fireworks, you can book a deck seat on the Creole Queen. That's the paddle wheeler that offers jazz bands and a buffet style dinner. Telling you right now, the buffet style dinner is nothing to go there for, but the jazz bands and the view of the fireworks, definitely worth a seat.

Now, apparently, I have gone out of order because we're going back to the West Coast in San Francisco. And this show can be seen along the waterfront with the city's dramatic skyline, aka the San Francisco Bridge in the background. Fireworks are launched from a barge off of Pier 39 and the municipal pier. And tourist attractions on Fisherman's Wharf abound with several local bands ahead of the celebration. They anticipate fireworks to go off by 9:30, but knowing sunset and the West Coast as I do, I would say it's gonna be later and closer to 10. They say the best time to arrive is early evening, so you can savor that pre fireworks atmosphere and have dinner with a view on the pier. A little more Northwest, but still pretty west. You guys, I know I'm a travel advisor.

Geography. I mean, I can picture the map of the US, and I know where all these places are, but I don't know coordinates. And so I really am guessing whether Seattle, Washington is further west than San Francisco. Let's just call it West Coast. They have what is called the Seafair 4th July. Seattle claims it's the best way to experience Independence Day in the Pacific Northwest. Lord knows I am adding this to my list of places I wanna go because I imagine it's not a 100 degrees, like, where I live and what New York and the East Coast may be experiencing this year on 4th. So it has a fun packed event with a fully choreographed fireworks presentation accompanied by a musical score, a host of pre show activities.

There are several free as well as paid reserved seating options, multiple vantage points to enjoy the show, and you should go early because the festival, the Sea Fair summer 4th festival, starts at 3 and goes until 11 o'clock at night. Now here I know is the furthest west you can go for fireworks, and this is Anchorage, Alaska. I would have never thought Anchorage, Alaska would be a place to actually But summer is definitely But summer is definitely the best time to visit Alaska, so I don't know why this never crossed my mind. It's a completely unique place to watch fireworks, and most towns won't even start the show until midnight when the sky finally gets dark enough. So basically, they celebrate the morning of July 5th. Anchorage hosts a holiday carnival, or you can head to the small town of Glacier for the annual 4th July car launch, where residents celebrate by launching their clunkers off a cliff. That is for real. I did not make that up, and I did not get it from my friends, Toby or Chatt GPT.

Okay. And the biggest bonus about celebrating in the 4th July, wherever you call home, wherever you happen to be with your friends or your family, or if you're cooking out, or if you wanna view the fireworks, Home is definitely where the heart is. So I wish you a very happy 4th July. And just a few things to tell you before we head off into the sunset for our own fireworks extravaganza at Walt Disney World. Check out the link in the show notes for the best podcasts to listen to, of course, other than this 1, that celebrate the meaning of the 4th July and the independence of the United States of America. Also, to learn more about fireworks and how major fireworks shows are designed and go off, it is fascinating. You can hear a podcast from the working Podcast with Paul Grucci. He is the CEO of what is called America's First Family of Fireworks.

Believe it or not, they hail from Italy, folks. And with that, Jetsetters, happy holidays.