• Introduction
• 1. Boston
• 2. Cape Cod, Nantucket & Martha's Vineyard
• 3. Chicago
• 4. Mount Rushmore
• 5. Philadelphia
• 6. Queen Mary 2
• 7. San Diego
• 8. San Juan Islands
• 9. U.S. Virgin Islands
• 10. Washington, D.C.

San Diego

Barbecues, beer, bonfires, and fantastic fireworks – if there's one beach town that packs a party on July 4th, it’s San Diego. The sprawling shores along Mission and Pacific beaches are crowded with merry sunbathers from dawn 'til dusk – some dedicated holiday celebrants arrive at daybreak to ensure a prime spot on the sand. Plenty of oh-so-American activities will keep you occupied both on and around the holiday – like the 3-week San Diego County Fair on the Del Mar Fairgrounds. But the real action starts after dark, when a no-holds-bar pyrotechnics show lights up the sky before fizzling into the ocean. You’ll hear the explosions all night long but the largest display (and our favorite) is the Big Bay Fireworks show at 9pm. It’ll be hard to miss the rockets’ red glare shooting up from bay barges, but some of the best viewing is from Shelter Island and Coronado Landing.

See Boston Travel Guide | See Cape Cod Travel Guide | See Chicago Travel Guide | See Halifax Travel Guide | See Martha's Vineyard Travel Guide | See Nantucket Travel Guide | See Philadelphia Travel Guide | See San Diego Travel GuideSee U.S. Virgin Islands Travel Guide