Life
Best Fourth Of July Fireworks Displays In The Nation For You To Enjoy This Independence Day
For me, the most exciting part of Fourth of July is the fireworks. There’s just something awe-inspiring about watching the red, white, and blue pyrotechnics explode to the show of patriotic music. And while fireworks shows might seem like a dime a dozen, there are a few places that really go all out in celebrating America's birthday by putting on the best fireworks displays in the nation. So if you're looking for an incredible Independence Day experience, these cities are the best places to get your firework watching on.
New York City, New York
Naturally, the City That Never Sleeps has a spectacular fireworks display. New York’s 25-minute show uses 40,000 effects, and is viewed by three million people every year — making it the biggest display in the nation.
Washington, D.C.
Our nation’s capital knows how to celebrate Independence Day, all right. It’s hard not to feel patriotic and inspired while you watch fireworks burst behind the monuments of the National Mall.
Boston, Massachusetts
Boston is a city full of American history, and its fireworks display is pretty special. The show is accompanied by live music from the Boston Pops Orchestra, and features actual cannon fire during the playing of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture.
Addison, Texas
Most of the places on this list will be major cities — but not Addison. Nicknamed “Kaboom Town,” Addison welcomes 500,000 people to their Dallas suburb of just 19,000 to ring in Fourth of July at the Cavanaugh Flight Museum.
Lake Tahoe, California
I actually spent a few Fourth of July celebrations at Lake Tahoe as a teenager, and let me tell you first hand, their display is awesome. Why? Because they don’t just do your standard fireworks bursts — they make stars, butterflies, and other shapes over the lake’s waters.
Image: Getty Images
Atlantic City, New Jersey
The East Coast Las Vegas shoots off around 10,000 fireworks for all of the summer visitors to enjoy from the boardwalk and casino rooftops.
Image: Pixabay
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Our nation’s original capital city still remembers its historical roots on July 4th. There is a 15-minute fireworks extravaganza along with the largest free music concert in the country — The Roots and Miguel are among those playing this year.
St. Louis, Missouri
The Gateway City celebrates America’s birthday in a big way with three days of festivities — including fireworks every night. Held in Forest Park, the celebration includes concerts, zip line rides, a wake boarding competition, and much more.
San Francisco, California
Head to the famed Fisherman’s Wharf to get the best view of the display. Ten thousand effects will be launched from a barge in the harbor, and the Wharf has plenty to do before and after you watch.
Chicago, Illinois
You could watch the Independence Day fireworks from one of Chicago’s many city scrapers — or you could take them in from a cool dinner cruise on Lake Michigan for dinner and a show.
Houston, Texas
Everything is bigger in Texas, as they say. Houston boasts the largest land-based fireworks show in the nation, and the display is perfectly choreographed to your favorite patriotic songs.
Nashville, Tennessee
The Music City reportedly has the biggest fireworks show in the South with a 27-minute display, as well as performances from top country music stars.
Image: Pixabay
New Orleans, Louisiana
This city knows how to throw a party, and Fourth of July is no exception. You can see the fireworks from downtown, or from barges on the Mississippi River.
Pasadena, California
Held at the famous Rose Bowl, the fireworks show in Pasadena is the largest display in Southern California.
