The Perfect Fourth of July in Los Angeles

Planning a last-minute Fourth of July holiday to California or are you already in the Los Angeles area, but without plans to celebrate America's independence?

TravelPulse tells you how to celebrate the holiday in the City of Angels from morning to night.

The Event to Get You Started

Kickstart your Fourth of July with a famous Los Angeles tradition, the Mr. & Ms. Muscle Beach competition at the Venice Beach Recreation Center.

The globally-known Muscle Beach in Venice hosts this annual bodybuilding and figure competition every year. Pre-judging begins at 10 a.m. and the final takes place at 1 p.m. The competition is open to all amateur athletes with a $100 entry fee. Admission is free to the public.

Lunch at Neighbor

Go grab lunch at one of Los Angeles' newest restaurants, Neighbor. TravelPulse ate here back in April and highly recommends the Dry Aged Burger with caramelized onion, special sauce, cheddar and brioche. Another popular dish here is the Tuna Conserva served with danish rye, labne, caper berry and sun-dried tomatoes. The beer selection and other signature drinks were also top notch.

Venice Street Art Tour

What better way to take a burn-off-the-calories stroll to the famous beach than checking out some impressive graffiti art on the way.

While the Venice neighborhood has provided hundreds of photo-worthy pics, for something different, we highly recommend visiting anywhere in the Venice area that has impressive street art for some of the best Instagram-worthy pics

And for a practical GPS on where to find these works of art, we highly recommend Venice Street Art Tours.

Fans of graffiti art will enjoy a private walking tour to Venice Beach and discover some of the latest artworks in a neighborhood known for street art.

This two-hour tour covers a range of murals, paste-ups, installs and stencils. The tour guide discusses the artist's body of work, the global art scene, the legal versus illegal art and more.

Dinner at Yours Truly

On March 21, Venice welcomed a new Westside eatery, Yours Truly, which is helmed by one of the city's most talented and respected chefs, Vartan Abgaryan.

He undertook the endeavor with partners Dave Reiss and Paul Pruitt. The trio brings an elevated and refined culinary experience to Abbot Kinney Boulevard, considered by many to be "America's coolest block."

Inspired by his Armenian heritage and L.A.'s rich ethnic diaspora, Abgaryan's menu exhibits a multi-cultural approach to each dish, combining ingredients from the Middle East, Asia, and Europe.

A nod to his Armenian heritage, diners will find Middle Eastern elements in such dishes as Crispy Octopus with strawberry harissa, lebni, walnut dukkah, sprouts; Skate Wing with chermoula, couscous, pickled raisins, pine nuts, fennel, lemon; and Avocado Hummus with salsa matcha, peanut, lime, za'atar flatbread.

Perhaps Dinner on the Waterfront Instead?

For a more casual dining experience, guests to Los Angeles, especially taco lovers, should hit up The Waterfront Venice. Formerly On The Waterfront, the restaurant reopened in October 2018 with a new name.

This is a place where getting an espresso to go or a taco to stay are equally popular, so the offerings here are pretty vast and the vibe is pretty laid back.

The menu has been updated since the reopening, but some long-time favorites from On the Waterfront remain, such as the soft pretzel served with Erdinger Weissbier beer.

Executive Chef Adele Sun's food reflects the restaurant's beachside location, serving other casual fare made with high-quality ingredients. Both the restaurant's to-go shack and full-service restaurant are farm-to-table oriented with gluten-free and vegetarian options.

And its taqueria, Boardwalk Tacos, features an all-day selection of tacos in warm, housemade tortillas.

Three Amazing Spots to See Fireworks

The best fireworks show in Los Angeles will take place at Marina del Rey, a major boating and water recreation destination.

The 20-minute fireworks display will start at 9 p.m. The pyrotechnics will be synchronized to music at Fisherman's Village and Burton Chace Park.

While ample paid parking is available, alternative access options include the WaterBus, the Beach Shuttle, the Free Ride and rideshare services.

For a view from the sea, Hornblower Cruises will offers a two-hour observation cruise with light bites timed to watch the fireworks at 7:15 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.

For some of the highest fireworks views, check out the display from the rooftop of the Hotel Erwin at its chic High Lounge.

In fact, fireworks or not, High offers some of the most sweeping views of Los Angeles, the Pacific Ocean and the boardwalk below. It also attracts its share of couples and singles alike looking to mingle high above the city.

This is an adults-only lounge that requires guests to be at least 21 years old.

Where to Stay

If you plan on choosing the rooftop option to watch the fireworks, you may as well make your journey home afterward very short by staying at the aforementioned Hotel Erwin.

The property attracts mostly millennials looking for an upscale social scene and high-end accommodations. And although the High Lounge is adults-only, the hotel, in general, is not. In fact, the Hotel Erwin is a great option for families as well.

Go all out and book the Ocean View King Suite. This goes for families, as well as couple's retreats or friends getaways. This room offers the best ocean view and the most space. It includes a dining room, a living room, a king-size bed and a private balcony.

And the last piece of advice TravelPulse can give those looking to spend the Fourth of July in L.A.?

Once you've slept off an incredible day and night of celebrating the country's freedom, stay in Los Angeles for the rest of the weekend.

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