Happy Fourth of July, Washington! Tourists and visitors, welcome to DC!
Fireworks on the National Mall are tonight from 9:10 to 9:30 PM, launched from a platform along the Reflecting Pool between Lincoln Memorial and the World War II Memorial. That area will be off-limits, and the entire Mall will be encircled by a tight and annoying security perimeter with entry checkpoints. Expect lines and bag checks, and bring no alcohol, glass bottles, grills, and for George’s sake don’t try and bring your own fireworks.
Best places for viewing will be near the Reflecting Pool, around Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, East/West Potomac Park, and Constitution Gardens. From personal experience I don’t recommend the area near the Capitol, as the crowd tends to be thick and unfriendly, with a somewhat higher lummox:local ratio than usual for the Mall during summer holidays. My wife and I will be aiming for a spot around here, which has given us good Independence Day fireworks viewing experiences in the past.
More info from:
– DC.gov’s Resident Resource Center: Independence Day section
– NPS’s National Mall Fireworks page
– WaPo’s Guide to “A Capital Fourth”
– ReadExpress’s “Beyond the Mall” Guide
The comments are open for your fireworks viewing tips, both in the District and for alternatives outside of it.
(Animated GIF of photos above was from when I spent Independence Day 2005 up on the roof deck of the Department of Labor, thanks to free tickets from a friend, which is how I got this uber-awesome panorama.)
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
