The best places to watch the fireworks in America
July 4th, New Year’s and Christmas are important celebrations for the whole of the USA, but whether you dream of living it up in the Big Apple or partying down in Vegas, you may wonder where the best fireworks displays are throughout this party season.
To determine where the best spots are to celebrate America’s birthday, New Year and Christmas, we looked at a whole host of factors such as air quality, light pollution, search volumes and posts on social media.
While New York tends to draw crowds in with extravagant parties, it is prone to cool temperatures and extortionate prices. Therefore, you may consider states that guarantee warmer climates, like Texas or Louisiana, which may also be more affordable.
The Best Firework Displays in America
Boston, Massachusetts – is the Best Place to Watch Fireworks in the US
- Boston, Massachusetts
Fireworks Score: 10 out of 10
Boston has played a central role in U.S. history, from its settlement by the Puritans to its American Revolutionary battles to its storied universities. Boston’s deep-rooted military history makes it the perfect celebration spot on Independence Day. Scoring a perfect score of 10 out of 10, Boston hosts a multitude of fireworks shows, including a New Year’s Eve show on Boston Harbor, where you can hop on a fireworks cruise to welcome the New Year in style!
Boston scored high for its excellent air quality (7 out of 100) and low light pollution (8,340 μcd/m2). Boston is clearly a popular choice for many, with 62,400 annual searches for fireworks displays in the city. There were also 2,997 Instagram mentions.
- Las Vegas, Nevada
Fireworks Score: 9.38 out of 10
Las Vegas is home to world-class entertainment and nightlife, so it’s no wonder ‘Sin City’ also holds some of the best firework extravaganzas in the USA. Scoring 9.38 out of 10 and placing second, Las Vegas also hosts a multitude of fireworks shows around Independence Day and on NYE, the famous Las Vegas Strip turns into a gigantic block party, with an astounding fireworks show at midnight.
While you may think Vegas has enough lights in the sky, this city celebrates festivities like no other. Each year continues to outdo the last, thanks to spectacular displays across the valley. While the glow of fireworks will always be a staple in Las Vegas, the city’s air quality is surprisingly good (4 out of 100) and December temperatures average 46.2°F, a much milder climate than other cities. Las Vegas firework displays collected 12,000 annual searches and 614 Instagram mentions.
- Denver, Colorado
Fireworks Score: 8.75 out of 10
Denver is known as the Mile High City, famous for its art, culture, food, music and sports in the Rocky Mountains. On July 4th, Denver hosts a fireworks show at the Colorado Rockies games on Coors field, celebrating sports spectatorship on America’s birthday. On New Year’s Eve, Denver will launch two firework shows on Saturday, December 31, over the 16th Street Mall in the heart of downtown.
Placing third in the ranking of the USA’s best fireworks displays, Denver scored high for its fantastic air quality (4.9 out of 100) and for having the lowest light pollution in our top five (5430 μcd/m2). There were also 15,600 annual searches for fireworks in the Rocky Mountains city.
- Houston, Texas
Fireworks Score: 8.13 out of 10
The annual Freedom Over Texas event in Houston provides six hours of festivities and tradition, with live concert stages and a “Texas-sized” fireworks finale on July 4th. The event has become Houston’s annual celebration, averaging 50,000 attendees and televised live in the city. It also donates a percentage of food and drink sales to the local foodbank.
New Year’s Eve is always a busy time in Downtown Houston. The beautiful 19th-century architecture of its Historic District provides the perfect backdrop for vibrant street celebrations. Thanks to Houston’s mild winters, visitors can spend their nights outdoors without feeling chilly.
Houston placed fourth out of 17 top fireworks cities, scoring 8.13 out of 10. It lost out on some points due to the moderate air quality level (10.1 out of 100). However, Houston recorded 12,000 annual searches and 1,089 Instagram mentions.
- New York City, New York
Fireworks Score: 7.50 out of 10
New York’s world-famous Macy’s 4th of July displays a unique salute to America’s Independence. The New Year’s Eve event features a fireworks display across the NYC sky and can be viewed from any area of the skyline above the East River in Midtown and there are seven official viewing locations. Viewers can look forward to music performances from artists like Ashanti and Brett Young for a memorable and star-filled night. When the clocks turn midnight on New Year’s Eve, Times Square is the place to be, with live musical performances, the famous ball drop and, once the clock strikes midnight, a massive fireworks display.
Scoring fifth in the ranking with a score of 7.50 out of 10, New York is a popular choice for those brave enough to put up with the crowds and the cold. New York scored high for its good air quality (9.9 out of 100) and recorded the highest search volume, with 72,000 annual searches.
Methodology
We began by collecting a list of the USA’s top fireworks displays, using lists from The Points Guy and Think Five.
Each city’s annual air quality index score out of 100 was taken from IQAir’s World’s most polluted cities. This data is correct as of 27/10/2023.
Each city’s light pollution level was derived from the artificial brightness figure of the Light pollution map.
To find each city’s annual searches, Ahrefs was used, using the keywords ‘*CITY* fireworks 2022’, where the monthly volume of searches was given. The monthly figure was multiplied by 12 to get an annual figure.
The number of Instagram posts for each city was taken from Instagram, using #*CITY*fireworks. This data is correct as of 27/10/2023.
More about our TFVG Author
Ellie love to seek out an adventure with her travel buddy, Merlin the Dachshund. Being on the road is her vibe, and exploring out of the ordinary locations is dear to her heart.
- Ellie Wraithhttps://www.thefamilyvacationguide.com/author/ellie/
- Ellie Wraithhttps://www.thefamilyvacationguide.com/author/ellie/
- Ellie Wraithhttps://www.thefamilyvacationguide.com/author/ellie/
- Ellie Wraithhttps://www.thefamilyvacationguide.com/author/ellie/
