The Fourth of July – Independence Day – is here! As the birthday of a nation, Independence Day is characteristically American, with barbecues, baseball and of course fireworks.
America is a land of plenty and pyrotechnics are no exception. But where can you find the best firework displays, throughout the year in the US? Our Family Travel Managers know all the best displays in the America and would love to help you find them.
1. Disneyland
The Walt Disney Company has the enviable accolade of biggest consumer of fireworks in the world. With a quarter-hour show every night, it is easy to see how Mickey & Co. get through so many bangers, hummers and peonies.
Perfect for families, the shows are linked to seasonal themes, but no show is more spectacular than on the 4th of July. The stars and stripes of Old Glory take to the sky in a red-white-and-blue patriotic show. Featuring military bands, your favourite Disney characters and an extra special grand finale, this extraordinary illumination is not to be missed.
2. WEBN Riverfest
Held the day before Labour Day (usually early September), this Mid-West firework show was originally a celebration of legendary Rock’n’Roll radio station WEBN’s 10th birthday. Like so many great festivals, it caught on and just kept growing.
The show lasts an incredible 30 minutes, attracting 500,000 people each year. An impressive 2,500 boats take to the Ohio River to see the show too, making it a huge event. Information for this famous firework bonanza can be found here, and we can organise this for you.
3. New Year in New York
New York is America’s most populated city. Its position on the East Coast means it is one of the first major cities to see the first sunrise of a new year. This is a responsibility New Yorkers take seriously, as they ring in the New Year with a firework display worthy of such a great and powerful city.
Celebrations are centred in Times Square. Every year the Big Apple waits for the famous, multicolour orb to drop down its flagpole, marking the start of a new year. Something that is traditionally accompanied by hot chocolate, celebrations spill over into the city’s notoriously cool clubs and bars.
4. Texas Celebrates Fourth of July
If you want big, bold and ostentatious from your fireworks, then you have to visit Texas. The biggest contiguous state’s largest city is Houston. In the state where everything is bigger, it is in Houston that you can find the biggest Fourth of July fireworks.
While the sun is still up, enjoy that Southern sunshine at the Mayor’s specially orchestrated Freedom Over Texas daytime event. Featuring burgers, hot dogs, country music and special salutes to the USA’s military, the day will fly by in a patriotic fervour. When darkness finally comes, all are treated to a huge firework display – Texas-style – set against the elegant skyscrapers of Downtown Houston.
5. Super Bowl Halftime Show
From the seconds after the final whistle, next year’s Super Bowl halftime show is already being planned. Every year the show gets bigger and bigger, especially next year, when the USA will celebrate the Super Bowl’s 50th Anniversary in San Francisco, and you can count on there being an extraordinary amount of fireworks.
Featuring the colours of both teams, and a healthy amount of red, white and blue to boot, the Super Bowl fireworks are climactic finale to the legendry halftime shows. With nearly 120 million viewers in the US, the Super Bowl is one of the biggest shows on Earth. Tickets are like gold dust (although we can arrange them for you), but experiencing the colours, parades and pageantry first-hand is an experience like no other: and is, of course, uniquely American.
If you want to keep exploring what America has to offer, take a look at the luxury West Coast road trip we have planned just for you. For your own unique US holiday, why not talk to one our Family Travel Managers today on 0203 535 9290, or write to us at info@simplexitytravel.com.