There’s a lot to look forward to this Independence Day. After two summers of limited events and gatherings, we can finally attend concerts, sit on lawns to watch firecrackers, check out local food festivals, farmers’ markets, and so much more.
This year’s long-awaited holiday weekend is sure to be one to remember, especially for the little ones in your life. So, invite the whole gang out to eat, drink, play, and hug with reckless abandon!
10 Ways To Enjoy A Fun-Filled Fourth Of July With Your Loved Ones
When you think of the Fourth of July, fireworks and cookouts come to mind—of course—and we’d never dream of leaving them off this list, but we have some other fresh and fun activities and ways to spend the holiday to make this Fourth of July extra special.
Here are 10 ways to enjoy a fun-filled 4th of July with your loved ones, no matter where you find yourself spending the holiday.
- Plan an epic beach day. Take your celebration down to the beach. Pack a cooler, oversized beach towels, an umbrella, a mini speaker, and a portable grill. Then spend the day swimming, throwing a frisbee around, building sandcastles, grilling, and more. Set up a beach volleyball game or surprise your crew with a spikeball set or something silly. Here’s your pre-vetted Fourth of July playlist.
- Find the perfect spot to watch fireworks. Do a little research ahead of time and plan for an unforgettable night of firecrackers by selecting the best location near you to watch them. Arrive early, bring chairs, blankets, and snacks so that you have the comforts of home to take in the big show. According to the Travel Channel, these are the top 20 places to take in a pyrotechnics show in the US.
- Host a backyard BBQ. Craft a patriotic wreath and decorate the house and backyard, it’s cookout time! Load up on chicken, corn, and peaches to grill, as well as any other delicious things to barbecue that are relatively healthy. Try these.
- Attend a parade. Pile into the car and head out to your local Independence Day parade if you have one near you. Here are 15 cities in the US that are famous for going all out on Fourth of July festivities. While your traditions for the Fourth may be tried and true, shaking things up a little and traveling to one of these cities for the holiday is another fun way to savor the day and experience something different.
- Visit a historical landmark. Take in some culture and history on this momentous day by visiting a landmark near you on the Fourth of July. Here are 51 historical landmarks across the US, find one near you for a meaningful holiday.
- Hike in a National Park. Make room for all the delicious food you’re going to enjoy later and enjoy a walk, hike, or a bike ride in awe-inspiring nature by taking a day trip to a national park. Find one near you with this fantastic online tool.
- Get excited about your menu. Like really excited! Spend time looking up fun recipes online and make the whole process of researching, shopping, and preparing your menu a true culinary event. Take a trip to one of the best farmers’ markets in your area – here are 30 of the best in the US – and plan to make some patriotic snacks, desserts, and drinks. You can make a flag cake, red, white and blue daiquiris, a patriotic berry trifle, and more. Here are 50 inspirations to choose from.
- Have a costume competition with a prize worth going all out for. Encourage your guests to get creative and dress in their very best star-spangled banner attire. Dress the family dog up, too! Prizes could include gift cards, tickets to something local, a homemade gift basket, or a Statue of Liberty Trophy that goes home with the winner and returns the following year for your new Fourth of July costume competition tradition.
- Get competitive with a sporting match or lawn games. In the true spirit of America, plan a friendly match of football, softball, soccer, or basketball—whatever your squad enjoys! For lawn sports, try cornhole, horseshoes, croquet, badminton, bocce ball, or bring out your inner kid with a game of tug ’o war or a water balloon fight.
- Take a camping trip. Stretch the Fourth of July holiday across several days and pack up the car and head out on a camping adventure. Here are the best places to camp in every state, according to Conde Nast Traveler. Once there, be sure to roast marshmallows and bust out the sparklers. After all, it isn’t a Fourth of July celebration without sparklers.
Fortunately, once the holiday has passed, there’s still plenty of summer left to enjoy. You can turn a lot of these Fourth of July ideas into anytime summer plans, or choose from this list of 19 Summer Bucket List Ideas.
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