Independence Day is a week away. It’s therefore high time you figured out where you’ll be taking in the 4th of July fireworks displays. Many are near or over waterways, making it ideal for taking your megayacht. In some cases, you can even anchor close to the show. Here are five cities offering a plethora of places to dock and watch.
- New York City. The City That Never Sleeps hosts arguably the nation’s most famous fireworks display. They shoot high above the East River, from five barges between 24th and 41st Streets. Due to the fireworks’ popularity, slips book up fast. In Brooklyn, across from the famed South Street Seaport in Manhattan, there’s ONE°15 Brooklyn Marina. Manhattan proper has Chelsea Piers in the Chelsea neighborhood and North Cove Marina in lower Manhattan. On the Jersey side, try Newport Yacht Club & Marina or Liberty Landing Marina. Both are in proximity to lower Manhattan, too. If you want to anchor out, download the safety zone document for Macy’s July 4th Fireworks.
- Newport, Rhode Island. The best places to watch this New England town’s fireworks are along Newport Harbor. Newport Marina, Newport Shipyard, and Gurney’s Marina (the former Hyatt hotel) are all in proximity.
- San Diego. The city’s annual “Big Bay Boom” takes place on San Diego Bay, from four barges. Fifth Avenue Landing can accommodate a handful of megayachts. However, you can also anchor out near the barges. Download the handy Big Bay Boom barge chart to see where you can (and can’t) do so. Note, too, that California law now requires all children under the age of 13 to wear PFDs regardless of the vessel they’re aboard.
- Seattle. While New York City’s Fourth of July fireworks are televised, the ones over Lake Union in Seattle are big, too. In fact, they’re among the nation’s largest. Nautical Landing Marina is right on the lake, conveniently across from Gas Works Park, which hosts the show.
- Washington, D.C. The National Mall’s display is not to be missed, visible both within D.C. and from parts of Virginia. National Harbor Marina on the Potomac River in Maryland has four megayacht berths, so inquire if any are left. The marina is just minutes from downtown D.C.
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