7 Great Places to Travel in the U.S. for July 4 Celebrations

Red, yellow, and blue fireworks skyline of skyscrapers at night — New York City’s annual Fourth of July fireworks show lights up the Manhattan skyline.

No other holiday encapsulates summer quite like the Fourth of July, when people revel in outdoor barbecues and parades (and, in the case of New York City’s Coney Island, gorge on hot dogs at breakneck speed). Complete your festivities with a nightly fireworks show, and you’ve got yourself an Independence Day celebration that would make the Founding Fathers proud.

Giving us even more of a reason to celebrate, July 4 lands on a Friday this year. So if you plan ahead—and can get your Friday off—you can let the good times roll over a three-day weekend getaway.

Feeling a red, white, and blue kind of summer trip? Here are the best places to be in the United States on July 4 that double as great weekend trip destinations.

1. New York City

You won’t get much shut-eye with all of those fireworks, so why not see them in the city that never sleeps? The country’s biggest fireworks display is conducted by Macy’s, which launches a fireworks show from barges on the Hudson River in New York City (visit its website for the most up-to-date information for viewing locations). Considering that more than 3 million live spectators come out to see the fireworks, your best bet to avoid the crowds is to find a restaurant or friend’s rooftop to see the event.

Daytime events abound for Independence Day as well, including Nathan’s annual hot dog–eating contest, which is held in Coney Island. It’s still not clear whether star player Joey Chestnut will return after being banned from the 2024 competition, but it’ll be exciting to see who takes the title nonetheless.

Adults dressed in British red coats from the American Revolution march in a parade. — If you come to Bristol for Independence Day, expect a parade that goes all out—Revolutionary attire included.

2. Bristol, Rhode Island

While the big cities duke it out to determine which place has the splashiest celebration for July 4, this Rhode Island town has gone the longest. The town of about 22,000 people started celebrating the nation’s independence in 1785 with a parade, and it’s become the longest-continuing Independence Day celebration in the United States.

It’s a title the town fully embraces, with festivities that make Independence Day a weeks-long event. The festivities start on June 14 with a Flag Day Ceremony—complete with a town crier—and conclude with the town’s famous July 4 parade. In between, celebrate events like a summer concert series and the Fourth of July Ball. After Independence Day, take advantage of the prime weather and check out the Ocean State’s many beaches.

3. San Francisco, California

San Francisco’s Pier 39 hosts several citywide celebrations throughout the year: One of them is a fireworks display every Independence Day. (Pro tip: Avoid the traffic in Fisherman’s Wharf by choosing to come and go using public transportation.) For daytime events, look to smaller locales like Sonoma for parades with a hometown feel. Or take the trip across the Oakland Bay Bridge to the USS Hornet Sea, Air & Space Museum; every Independence Day, the retired warship hosts a Fourth of July BBQ on its flight deck.

If you can swing a three-day weekend in San Francisco, there’s plenty of sightseeing to do, including a visit to the Golden Gate Park and the Saturday farmers’ market at the Ferry Building. The city has been introducing a car-free street movement that has been rolling out since 2022—so definitely take a bike and bring your best walking shoes.

Left: a large crowd of people sitting in the grass, as seen from behind, as they stare up into the night sky filled with fireworks. Right: a person wearing a red, white, and blue Uncle Sam outfit walks in a parade on stilts and waves to the surrounding crowd — Concerts and fireworks are July 4 staples in Washington, D.C.

4. Washington, D.C.

The nation’s capital is quite the no-brainer when it comes to places to celebrate Independence Day: If you’re heading to this city for the first week in July, there are many events to put on your calendar. There’s the annual National Independence Day Parade on Constitution Avenue, where drum corps and bands march alongside floats in front of hundreds of thousands of spectators. You can also head to the National Mall and see top musicians perform at A Capitol Fourth, the U.S. national Independence Day celebration; 2024’s lineup included performances from Smokey Robinson as well as Fitz and the Tantrums.

The main fireworks show, hosted by the National Park Service, draws hundreds of thousands of people to the heart of downtown. Want a less-crowded alternative viewpoint? Bring a blanket and go to Gravelly Point Park, a couple of miles north of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). You’ll be able to see the fireworks from across the river, with the added bonus of seeing planes take off from DCA. Afterward, read advice from locals and check out what you can do over a long weekend in Washington, D.C.

5. Nashville, Tennessee

You can count on music being a big part of Nashville’s July 4 celebrations, namely in its Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th event. This year’s party will feature headliner Dierks Bentley, along with performances from Niko Moon, Russell Dickerson, and Keesha Rainey. The annual show concludes with fireworks in downtown Nashville. Catch the event from the rooftop of hotels like Bobby Nashville (tickets include a BBQ cookout), The Pool Club at Virgin Hotels, and W Nashville.

But while July 4 celebrations are great and all, you can’t leave Nashville before digging into its famous hot chicken or checking out a music museum. Take at least 48 hours to explore its distinct neighborhoods and outdoor spaces—including a replica of Athens’s Parthenon—to make the most of your time in Tennessee.

Ship decorated with American flags and smaller flags on the water, tall buildings in the background — More than 200 years after the Boston Tea Party, the Boston Harbor is a place for Independence Day festivity.

6. Boston, Massachusetts

Since that whole Boston Tea Party incident hundreds of years ago, Boston has been tied to the country’s independence. The city celebrates its history with Harborfest, an event that’s one of the country’s largest Fourth of July festivals.

From July 2 to 4, listen to live music acts in Downtown Crossing and try different renditions of clam chowder at Chowderfest. At night, settle down along the Inner Harbor to see Harborfest’s fireworks launch from a barge at Boston’s Long Wharf. Spend the weekend checking out some of the new developments that have been happening in the historic city, such as the MGM Music Hall at Fenway, opened in 2022.

7. Columbus, Ohio

Columbus, Ohio, is one of Afar’s best places to go in 2025, not least for the plentiful things to do in the city. One of the best times to visit is on July 4, when the nonprofit Red, White & Boom! throws its annual fireworks show. The event has been around since 1981 and is the Midwest’s largest fireworks festival, drawing more than 400,000 people to downtown Columbus. Fireworks are launched by Genoa Park at 10 p.m., but daytime festivities abound with performances in Bicentennial Park from local artists with genres spanning R&B, jazz, and country. The event and performances are free to the public, although you can purchase VIP tickets for access to a prime viewing location.

While you’re in town, visit the National Veterans Memorial and Museum, which shares the stories of individuals who have served and encompasses all branches of service through photos and letters, interactive exhibits, and presentations.

The article was most recently updated on May 5, 2025, to include current information.

Chloe Arrojado

Chloe’s love of travel grew out of her interest in learning languages. She’s spent time living in Italy, Spain, and out of her car (which she loves to talk about). Previously, she’s worked for publications including Frommer’s and Entrepreneur.

Her expertise is on all things related to road trips, solo travel, and being a digital nomad. She’s usually in North Carolina or New York City when she’s not on the move.

These 7 Places Are Having the Most Festive July 4 Parties

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