2idocs

Will be in Boston for the 4th this year & wondering where is the best viewing for fireworks?
Staying our 2 teens & would be interested in a good hotel within walking distance too.

christnp

Boston is compact and there are many hotels within walking distance of the Fireworks. Anything in the Back Bay/Copley Square area would be fine. Also Theater District is not too far to walk.

The fireworks are set off over the Charles River near the Esplanade. People stand on the banks of the Charles on both the Boston and the Cambridge side.

china_cat

if you want to go to hear the Pops, and sit on the Esplanade all day, then pick a place on the Boston side. Any of hte Back Bay hotels would be fine.

If you just want to go watch the fireworks, it is somewhat less crowded on the Cambridge side, and the view is just as good. Look for hotels around Kendall Square, that will be very close to the best viewing, and convenient to the T for other sightseeing and getting around during your trip.

christnp

Seeing the fireworks from the Cambridge side was always my first choice. That doesn't mean you have to stay on that side though. Staying on the Boston side will be more convenient for your other activities during your visit.

spirobulldog

I posted this same question a year or two ago. We never went. It is very very hard to figure out how, when, or where to do the fireworks. I didn't know how far I was going to have to walk, what kind of crowds to expect. There is very very little info about it on the weat least that I could find).

wtm003

We stayed at the Boston Marriott Cambridge when we went for the July 4th fireworks a few years ago. We spent the morning walking around Boston and returned to the hotel in the mid-afternoon before picking a spot to view fireworks. It was a very convenient location after the show as we were able to quickly get out of the crowds.

I would have enjoyed hearing the Pops, but I didn't want to spend the entire day or more securing a place to sit. The Cambridge side was crowded and we probably went around 5 pm to find a place to sit. Bring a blanket, water and snacks!

Ackislander

There are a couple of hotels right on the Charles that will have direct views of the fireworks, the Sonesta most notably, but I would assume that most of the view rooms would be taken already and astronomically priced if available.

I think staying in the Back Bay or Kendall Square both work, and it isn't really very far to the downtown/ financial district hotels.

When we lived in Boston, we went to the Pops and fireworks all the time. As long as you don't need to sit in the front rows, everything is amplified, and you can hear from pretty far away. It is a zoo, but the police are pretty diligent about confiscating alcohol, so it is not a drunken zoo.

venividi

Last year the security around the Hatch Shell (on the Esplanade where the Pops play) was increased significantly compared with years past, due to the Marathon bombings. No backpacks, personal items in clear bags, no cans, Mass Ave bridge closed to the public (used to be a popular spot to watch from). So if you plan to be there, I would start checking online around mid June to get a sense of what to expect. Www.july4th.org.

Agree with others that the Cambridge side of the river is just as good a viewing spot - and if you have a portable radio the concert is usually simulcast on one of the local stations.