Tens of thousands of people for the annual fireworks in New York City?
Awesome. An experience unto itself.
The celebration in Washington D.C.?
Spectacular, something you have to do in your lifetime.
But if you're looking to keep it on the down-low for the July 4th celebration, here are five great quiet spots to hit.
(In no particular order)
1) DELAWARE'S QUIET RESORTS: Well, they don't call them the Quiet Resorts for nothing. Along the Southern Delaware coast, from the town of Lewes, through Dewey and Rehoboth, and on down to Bethany Beach and Fenwick Island lies not only a beautiful coastline but a family-friendly area. These five towns feature all you would expect in a seaside area, including boardwalks in Rehoboth and Bethany, great downtown areas, an abundance of mini-golf, water slides, regular golf, tremendous restaurants and more. Park your lawnchairs on the beach for weekly movies and enjoy the fireworks on the big day as well. Try Sea Colony Resort in Bethany, a self-contained area on two sides of US 1. That includes several high rise condos on the beach side, and one of the finest tennis communities in the country across the street with villas and townhouses, 10 pools combined, and daily and nightly activities just for the kids. A free shuttle will take you from the tennis side to the beachside to enjoy the ocean. There's even a Kids Night Out where they'll watch the kids for two hours while parents can have a nice dinner.
2) STINSON BEACH, CALIF. - No beaches in California are ever really "secluded," per se, but Stinson Beach is located in a nice quiet area of northern California as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. How hell-bent are they on keeping this area quiet? Marin County and the Marin Community Foundation and Community Land Trust Association of West Marin combined to purchase an apartment complex near the beach for $3 million, partly to allow some residents of the eight apartments to remain, partly to keep it affordable, and partly to prevent development. Many family-friendly activities on the beach, including an old-fashioned tug-of-war against a neighboring community.
3) INDIALANTIC, FLA. - Far from the maddening crowds. Indialantic is on the east coast of Florida, north of Vero Beach. It has a small, but lively downtown, and a great beach with plenty of places to eat. It heavily tilts toward families so don't expect a lot of raucous behavior - just what you want for the Fourth of July. For a bite, stop into Petrillo's Italian restaurant right on A1A.
4) BAR HARBOR, MAINE - Can you get any more American than this? Bar Harbor's Fourth of July has been voted the top Fourth of July celebration in America by the Today Show, and recognized by National Geographic as one of the top 10 in the U.S. The Rotary Club hosts a pancake breakfast starting at 6 a.m., there's a parade that kicks off at 10, a craft fair for most of the day, a seafood festival from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., live music on the Bar Harbor Village Green, and, of course, fireworks at night.
5) YOUR BACKYARD - Hot dogs, hamburgers, brats on the barbecue, corn on the cob, good friends and family … what could be better?
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