Flickr by rjs1322: Fireworks over the Washington Monument.
No one puts on a fireworks display like Washington DC. If you are in the city for the fourth of July, don't miss the show. The fireworks are launched from the reflecting pool by the Lincoln Memorial at 9:15pm on July 4th 2009, with a raindate of July 5th. The fireworks can be seen from a multitude of places. Here's a few locations and tips so that you can enjoy the fireworks with your family.
The first location that everyone thinks of is the National Mall. With the Washington Monument as a foreground, the Mall is an iconic place to view the show. The closest metro station to the Mall is Smithsonian station, but it will be closed on the 4th. It's not much farther to walk from Federal Triangle or Archives-Navy Memorial stations. People camp out all day to get a good spot on the lawn of the Mall, so if you really want a good place, get there early and plan to stay all day. A word to the wise when camping out with small children, bring plenty of food and water. Other than street vendors with hotdogs and pretzels, there are no restaurants close to the Mall. While you wait, check out the Independence Day Parade on Constitution Ave or the Folklife Festival on the Mall. If you prefer to find standing room on the streets crossing the Mall at showtime, that's a last minute option too, but remember that small children may not be able to see over the heads of the standing crowd.
With the fireworks being sent off from the reflecting pool, you can also get a good view of them from the open areas around the Lincoln Memorial, called Constitution Gardens. You can take the Foggy Bottom station on the orange and blue lines. It's quite a walk to the Constitution Gardens from this stop, so make sure you have a stroller or carrier for little children who can't walk very far. Again, people camp out very early to get a good piece of ground in this area, so you need to be early to get a good view of the display.
Another option is to view the fireworks from a spot around the tidal basin. Areas like the Roosevelt Memorial Park and the steps of the Jefferson Memorial are good alternatives to the National Mall. Again, Smithsonian metro station is the closest metro stop to the basin, but remember that it is closed on the fourth. It's not much farther to go to L'Enfant plaza. While these areas aren't as crowded at the National Mall, due to some views being blocked by trees, it is still crowded. However, you can afford to wait until later in the day to go to these places.
If you would like to see the fireworks from the lawn of the Capitol Building, you can get there early to enjoy a concert that is held every year at 8pm. Good seats for the concert go early and the lines for security are very long. While doors for the concert open at 3pm, plan to arrive at least 2 hours prior to the concert to make sure you can see the stage and the fireworks beyond. Federal Center metro station is the closest to the Capitol Building.
On the 4th of July, many metro stations are one way in and one way out to make the flow of traffic easier to handle. Make sure to check the DC Metro website for information on which entrance to go in and out of. There will also be guides from the transportation department there to direct foot traffic. Listen to transportation personel and police officers to make the trip to and from the area as smooth and efficient as possible.
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