Admit it — you love fireworks. Sure, they’re just bits of cardboard and gunpowder taped together to make us feel something. But hey, it works! Adulthood means the Fourth of July is generally organized more around barbecue, beer and an extra day off work than sparklers and bottle rockets, but there’s still a strange allure to watching those colored lights hit the sky. In anticipation of that, here are a few of the best places in Los Angeles to get a great view of some patriotic skies, or a strong lead on which way to look if you’re watching from a friend’s backyard.
Hollywood Bowl
Hollywood
Fireworks and The Beach Boys? A winning combination. Make sure to score tickets for this one, as it will definitely sell out, like most of the nostalgia-inciting shows at the Hollywood Bowl. Gate time is 5:30 p.m., so you can still grill all day and roll in early, or come closer to 7:30 p.m. when the show starts. Once the concert is over, that’s when the real show begins — and plenty of longtime residents claim these are the best fireworks in the city.
Tickets here.
Long Beach Waterfront
Long Beach
The city can be crowded and chaotic on a holiday when so many locals actually stay in town, so why not ditch the whole scene and head south for the day? Long Beach is a seriously chill beach town within about an hour of the city, and the waterfront is well known for hosting a whole plethora of fireworks-related events. One such option is a harbor cruise, and it’s just $50 a ticket for a front row view of the light show. And if boats aren’t your thing, the waterfront’s free fireworks show is visible on land from vantage points like Lions Lighthouse For Sight, Shoreline Village, Rainbow Harbor and Marina Green
Tickets here.
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Downtown LA
This downtown LA block party is rather legendary — just know that this year they’ve incorporated drones in a big way, so it will be a bit different than normal. Entry to the party is free, and there will be a celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary going on as well, so expect it to get pretty lit. You can bring your own eats or hit up the food trucks brought in for the event.
Tickets here.
Starlight Bowl
Burbank
If you like cover bands and live in Burbank, then the Starlight Bowl might be your perfect Fourth of July hangout. The Rising (a Springsteen cover band) and Hollywood U2 are the two local acts booked to perform on the holiday, and the night concludes with fireworks. Is it weird? Yes, deeply so. Welcome to Burbank.
Tickets here.
Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Hollywood
Keep heading down the rabbit hole for random cultural ephemera, and you’ll end up at Hollywood Forever Cemetery’s holiday edition of Cinespia, which is hosting Pee Wee’s Big Adventure on Saturday, July 1. (Confirming: the event is on July 1, not July 4, but sometimes a Saturday celebration is more fun than a weekday holiday, anyway.) Fireworks will begin after the movie concludes, and while I can’t understand the film choice, Cinespia is always more about the whole experience than just watching the movie.
Dodger Stadium
Echo Park
Dodgers pride is stronger than it’s ever been following their massive World Series win in 2020, and if spending the Fourth at a baseball game is your thing, Dodger Stadium is the place to be. The Dodgers face off against the Pirates all week, but there will be a special Fourth of July-themed fireworks show following their game on Tuesday, so stick around for that. Even if you’re not normally a fan, nachos, fireworks and our boys in blue sound like a pretty good holiday, especially because a stadium means you can enjoy the whole thing while sitting down.
Tickets here.
Fisherman’s Village
Marina Del Rey
Another one for West Siders, this 20-minute fireworks display is free (aside from parking, which is guaranteed to be scarce) and best viewed from either Fisherman’s Village or Burton Chace Park. Obviously, the waterfront shows are popular because photos with the reflection of the fireworks over the Pacific is a pretty big flex, no matter how long you’ve lived on the coast.
Tickets here.
West LA College Fireworks
Culver City
For more than 50 years, Culver City has been hosting its own fireworks show, and the most recent iteration at West LA College is an all-day event, running from 3:30 p.m. until 10 p.m. There will be food trucks, live music and games, and you’re welcome to bring your own food in as well. The fireworks begin at dusk, which is a bit earlier than some events, so mark that down if you like an early bedtime. Tickets are available on-site and cost $10 per person.
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