Pack Your Flags & Go: The 6 Best Spots to Spend Your 4th of July Laura Li June 23, 2017 Arts & History, Interests, Top US Destinations 4 Comments If you’re looking for places to go this July 4th, boy do we have some ideas for you! If you haven’t made plans yet for the holiday, we’ve compiled some short July 4th itineraries to get you started. Check out the list below and get into the stars and stripes spirit, because it’s about that time to begin planning ahead for the holiday weekend! Los Angeles Greet the sun at Marina Del Rey, where you can tour Fisherman’s Village, Venice Beach, and more. Shop, stroll, swim, and people-watch to your heart’s content—there’s bound to be a lot going on during a holiday weekend! Barbecue is a requisite menu item for the Fourth, and Korean barbecue fits the bill nicely without you having to clean your own grill afterward. End the day at Grand Park, which hosts a free Block Party comprising food and music (but no alcohol) and concludes with a spectacular firework show among the buildings of downtown LA. Las Vegas [Image above “High Roller Against an Indigo Sky” by Robert Pernett via Flickr – licensed under CC by 2.0]Fill up at any of Sin City’s fabulous casino buffets before spending the rest of the afternoon shopping on the Strip. We’d recommend exploring downtown Las Vegas, but unless you’re a cold-blooded desert animal, you probably want to avoid scorching outdoor temperatures in July. You can bet that casinos are throwing big parties for America’s birthday. You have two options: Get yourself to a splashy pool party at one of the resorts, or find a vantage point (the High Roller Observation Wheel fits the bill, as does the Eiffel Tower Experience at Paris Las Vegas) to watch fireworks going off all along the Strip. Denver There’s a lot going on in town during July 4th weekend, from the Colorado Rockies Fireworks to the expansive Cherry Creek Arts Festival. When you need to take a break, we suggest kicking back at one of Denver’s fine microbreweries and having a drink. You can also play at the Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park for the afternoon and stick around until evening when they’ll shoot off a spectacular fireworks display. Seattle If you haven’t visited Pike Place Market (and, really, even if you have), then it should be your first stop for coffee, chowder, and more! Seattle’s best fireworks display takes place over Lake Union, and you have a few viewing options: Take advantage of the free Seafair Summer Fourth celebrations at Gas Works Park or South Lake Union Park and stake out a spot on the grass, reserve seats in the park beforehand, or hop on a cruise that will give you front-row seats to watch from the water. Dallas The Fourth of July Parade in Lake Highlands will pretty much has you covered for the whole day, especially if you have the whole family in tow. Throughout the day, there are carnivals, parades, and even a post-carnival parade at the Highlands Aquatic Center. Or, drive out to Castle Hills in Lewisville for some fireworks, a free party with a DJ, and activities for kids! You can walk around the Village Shop for some food, or check out the local food trucks. Orlando Theme parks that have special Independence Day celebrations include Legoland, SeaWorld, Universal Studios, and Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios. So if you find yourself in any of the aforementioned events on the Fourth of July, then you have your fireworks agenda covered. Everyone else should make their way to Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando, where the city launches its annual Fireworks at the Fountain show for the public.
