Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks in NYC

Happy belated Fourth of July! My boyfriend, Jake, visted me in New York City for the long weekend (more on that in my next post) so of course we watched the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular over the East River. 

New York City closed down portions of FDR Drive for the fireworks, and bystanders stood along the road adjacent to the East River to watch the explosions. Many different websites suggested getting to the site no later than 5 p.m. The four barges set up in Midtown Manhattan – and two other barges near the Brooklyn Bridge– were apparently packed with people long before that. However, Jake and I didn't want to waste too much time and chose to arrive at 7 p.m. We avoided busy Midtown and instead found a grassy spot in the East River Park near Houston Street. A decent amount of people populated the area, but it wasn't overly crowded by any means. 

We sat on the grass for a couple of hours before the show, talking and people watching.

I liked the fireworks show a lot – especially the smiley-face-shaped explosions and the ones that made cracking noises! The booms didn't sound loud at all from our spot, and we still had a perfect, unobstructed view despite our distance from the barges. However, Jake and I agreed that the display wasn't as ornate as fireworks back home. The grand finale didn't last longer than three seconds, and even after the finale I was expecting more. I guess setting off a huge display of explosions is harder in a big city than in a smaller Midwestern town.

 Jake and I had a great time, and I would love to go back in future years! Advice for anyone wanting to attend the Macy's fireworks in NYC: skip the crowded Midtown viewing areas and head to the  Lower East Side instead!