• 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 4, 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 even camp out overnight 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 three-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.

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