missypie

I'll be in NY with my daughters (16 and 13) over 4th of July. One daughter wants to see fireworks; the other wants to see yet another show (we already have tickets to a matinee that afternoon.) I don't know that I want to brave huge crowds in order to see fireworks. What is the scene like?

nytraveler

Mobbed. There will be more than a million people linng the shores to get a view of the fireworks. Also - usually very hot and humid. And traffic into the area is shut down several hours in advance - so you have to take the subway as close as you can then walk in. If you do go be sure tobring your own water so you can stay hydrated.

I would do a show instead.

yk

I wonder if there are any hotels in Manhattan that are situated close enough to the East River with view of the fireworks?

I think the NYC fireworks are fantastic. Having said that, I am lucky enough to have friends whose Manhattan apt offers a great view of the E River.

Every time I was there, I could not get over how crowded it was down on the street level. You'd be bringing your lawn chair, water, food. But the thought of getting to a public porta-potty during the wait is enough to deter me.

Lmaev

I have to vote for the fireworks!! My family has been going for years. Its quite an experience to be standing on the FDR Drive and have the barges right in front of you. The fireworks are so loud and beautiful!! Its a great experience!
We usually show up around 7-730p. We have to stand/sit for awhile but its totally worth it once the fireworks start.

ellenem

To put Lmaev's timing in context, the actual fireworks start at about 9:20pm.

doug_stallings

I love the fireworks myself, and that's what I'd do. If you don't insist on having a seat, you can arrive shortly before and just watch from down on 1st Ave at around 35th/36th Street (just stand in front of the park in the street, which is blocked off). You don't necessarily have to be right on the FDR. Though in truth, the absolutely best view for pedestrians is from Riverbank State Park on the Queens side of hte East River. There are completely unobstructed views from there.

I must confess that I, too, have a direct and perfect view of the fireworks from the roof of the building where I live, so I completely avoid the crowds on the ground. I'd love to watch them from the South Street Seaport sometime, though.

ellenem

I confess--I just look out the bedroom window . . .

mp

yup. bedroom window and tv for me, although lately we've been going to a friends' roof in the east village. That way we get brooklyn & east river fireworks.

In terms of hotels, I think the Millenium UN Plaza runs a firworks package thing, but I'm not sure if you can actually SEE them from there - I'd call and ask . . .

Spoiled NYer that I am, the idea of standing for 3 hours and then walking amongst the crowds at least 4 blocks west to the subway is not interesting to me. But I'm old and cranky.

yk

missypie - IIRC, you're from the DFW area, right? The July 4th NYC Fireworks is really quite special, esp that DFW doesn't have anything like that at all.

OTOH, you can always see a Broadway show in NYC, on July 4th or not.

But the problem here is the disagreement between your 2 daughters. Whichever decision you make, one of them is not gonna be happy. What's your solution?

Say you decide to go for the fireworks. Will the braodway show daughter be complaining all night long (crowds, heat, hunger, need to pee)?

Or if you decide to go see a show. Will you never hear the end of the fireworks daughter complaing that you were in NYC for July 4th but DIDN'T go see the fireworks?

Tough and no-win situation I see here. Can you get the 2 of them to discuss among themselves and compromise, then you don't have to be the "bad guy" making the executive decision.

missypie

If we go with the fireworks, should we have any safety concerns, given that it will just be "us girls"?

We will be seeing a show every day we are there, so it won't be like the one daughter will be missing anything if we see the fireworks. But the "show" daughter does not take the heat well (yes, she'll be leaving Texas as soon as she can), and she would definitely complain if it was very hot. We have seen quite a few Disney fireworks, so they aren't all that fireworks deprived although I agree that Dalas is not a 4th of July destination.

mp

The only safety issue you'll have to worry about is how long can you go without a restroom!

no really, it's perfectly safe - several hundred thousand people are out and about, very family oriented . . Here's a good info guide from last year's celebration from the Daily News
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/...fireworks.html

sf7307

Sorry, but I had to laugh -- one daughter doesn't take heat well, but you're taking her to New York for July 4th????

I'd vote for the fireworks. The other daughter is filling her passion for Broadway with a number of other shows, including that afternoon. I like Broadway shows as much as the next person, but I'd choose to do what can't be done any other time of day or year.

yk

ugh! heat!

I know what heat means since I've lived in DAllas, but the heat in NY in the summer is quite a killer! It's the humidity that's unbearable, whereas the dry heat in DAllas doesn't bother me as much.

If you do go for the fireworks, see if you can get some kind of portable cooler (like a backpack kind) with lots of cold drinks, and perhaps one of those battery-operated hand-held fans?

Or perhaps the show daughter can stay at the hotel while the 2 of you head out to the river?

Or better yet, just get take-out food or room service, and watch the fireworks on TV in your air-conditioned hotel room!

missypie

My guess is that New York on the 4th of July will be at least 15 degrees cooler than Texas on the 4th of July. But I agree that 85 in a crowd doesn't feel a lot cooler than 100 in a crowd.

livitup

See the play unless you have an apartment or hotel balcony. Or go to Brooklyn or Roosevelt Island to watch.
We were there last year--it rained!And the FDR blocked our view where we were. Afterward--it took FOREVER to get back to our hotel. Several knowledgeble Fodorites had warned us that due to the crowd, getting a cab would be impossible. If I had that to do over again, I would skip it entirely. It's your call, but be warned!

northie

in 2007 I watched the fireworks in the cool and the rain-not much heat!!!!Really worth seeing.

nytraveler

The fireworks are extraordinary - if you can get a good place to watch. We have a friend with an apartment with good views.

I don;t know of hotels that have views - since most have other high rises between you and the river. Plus - there's no guarantee of what direction your room would face - or how high it would be.

Cicerone

First of all, which two shows which you are considering seeing on the same day? I am not sure I would even want to go to two Broadway musicals in the same day. I would probably have some hearing loss at the end of that day if one were say Jersey Boys and other were Wicked. In addition, I wonder if it would really be doing justice to two shows to lump them into the same day. A good theater experience (esp musical theater) should bring you to your feet, and send you out with feet tapping and humming the tunes. In my experience you want it to resonate, for a lack of a better word, within yourself for a while. Leaving the theatre at 5 pm and then going to another show at 8 pm may kind of spoil the effect of the first, or even both. I also think it may be more tiring than you think. If nothing else, it is a LOT of sitting, and a lot to absorb in one day. These are not two movies you are watching (or paying for!)

Secondly, there are many other options for watching the fireworks other than standing in a crowd on the street. As noted above, there are hotels (also try the Brooklyn side), but there are boat trips you can take see http://www.circleline42.com/and http://www.circlelinedowntown.com/, http://www.nywatertaxi.com/ and http://www.nywaterway.com/ (there may be other tours also). You could if you wanted to, even charter a boat for the fireworks. There are restaurants with views, for a start try a place like the River Café http://www.rivercafe.com/ (book shortly). There is the Water Club, but that is quite expensive, although you could try the Crow’s Nest there, assuming they take reservations that would work quite well, IMO, see http://www.thewaterclub.com/. The other place to try is Top of the Tower in the Beekman Hotel on First Ave in mid-town, (I used to go there with my parents when I was about your children’s ages and thought it was just great I have to say, the view is probably better than the food but it is a great view), but see http://www.thebeekmanhotel.com/ ) Also get a Zagats and look by river views and location.

In some years, you could watch the Macy's Fireworks with specially reserved tickets at the top of the Empire State Building. Only a limited amount of tickets are sold so you have to book well in advance. Prices range from $75-100 per person, try calling 212-736-3100 or 877-NYC-VIEW. The cost is about the same if not less expensive, than the tickets to the Broadway show, and will be just, if not more, memorable.

Finally, you can watch the fireworks from New Jersey by going to Liberty State Park, see http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandf...ks/liberty.htm. You can take the ferry over. Getting back afterwards by ferry may be a little crowded; hard to say. You might want to take at taxi to the Hoboken PATH station and then go back by train. (Light rail to the PATH station is possible too, but may be just as crowded as the ferry.)

Third, I agree that fireworks on the East River are something that should be seen if possible. Wicked may come in a road show to your town. Fireworks over the Brooklyn Bridge never will.

mclaurie

In case there's any doubt left in your mind, the fireworks are a must whether you go stand in the street with the mobs, take a cruise on the river or try to get a hotel room with a view. The Millenium UN Plaza will have some rooms with a good view and prices there are usually affordable. That hotel also has a rooftop enclosed swimming pool, not a typical NYC amenity. You can see a show any time.

ellenem

Here's an update: This year the fireworks will be on the Hudson River, not the East River, in honor of the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's arrival.