It will be crazy with tons of people, but we plan spending the fourth of July on the mall and staying for the fireworks. If you were going there, where would you choose to stand for a good location to see the fireworks?

What metro station should we use to get back to Dupont Circle? We imagine that all the metro stations will be mobbed with people trying to return home or back to their hotels, but is one maybe better to use than another? Thanks. Kathy

West of the Washington Monument facing the Lincoln Memorial.
Walk back to Dupont Circle.

Thanks vjp. Thanks for the location for viewing. But, I was hoping for a metro stop suggestion to get back to the hotel. Should that not be even considered? Will they be that busy?
We are 2 seniors, 2 adults and a youth. If it's a matter of waiting out the crowds, where would be a likely place for that?

I think the idea is that Dupont circle is so close that walking makes sense - rather than taking the metro. hopstop.com shows it as a 24 minute walk.

Hi kathleen!

I lived at Dupont Circle for years. We always walked down to the Capitol (yes it was hot and a bit of a hike) and sat on the steps. There's always a concert. The fireworks are right at the Washington Monument and the view is great. When they start the National Orchestra plays "Overture of 1812". The Metro will be really crowded after it's over. You could walk over to Union Station and get a cab. Or you could get on the red line there, but be prepared to wait.

If you don't want to walk that far you could just go down Conn. Ave. to 17th to the mall. Have a great time. It's real special!

The Metro really will be that crowded, and I can't imagine there wouldn't be a long line for cabs at Union Station, but I guess it depends on when you leave. You should plan to walk. Otherwise, you could wait at a Metro station for much longer than 30 minutes.

I wouldn't plan on STANDING...better to be sitting. Lots of people will have blankets, etc., although they are not absolutely necessary.

Be aware that many people go down for the entire day with their barbeque grills, etc., so by dusk it can be pretty mobbed.

The Metro, as was mentioned, will be JAMMED after the thing is over because when it IS over, EVERYBODY leaves.

Walking from Dupont? It is 1.8 miles to the Washington Monument. Google says it takes about 8 minutes...there is NO way!!!

Maybe you forgot to choose walking directions and that is why you got 8 minutes.

This is quite a consensus for walking! You are all making a very loud and clear point. So, after the fireworks we will heed your advice and walk back to Dupont Circle. No metro, no cab. This will be a once in a lifetime experience—seeing the fireworks over the reflection pool in a celebration for our nation! I think it will be wonderful even with all the crowds and hectic activity. It will be a long day and we’ll be exhausted when it’s over, but we can always get a late start for the next day’s events.

Thank you all for the suggestions.

Hi Sue! We’re usually crossing comments on the SC part of this board. For the fireworks, I think we want to be nearer the pool for the full effect. But sitting on the capitol steps as you did sounds like fun too, and it’s probably less of an angle for one’s neck.

Hi kathleen,

You'll enjoy it no matter what. Just be sure to take plenty of water. And tell all my old neighbors hey!

I would also recommend you walk. I took the metro once as I lived out near Silver Spring, so I had no choice, I had to. I took the Union Station metro, as I recall, and it not only took forever to wait for a car where you could get on, it was very frightening, actually, due to the crowds. People were just surging and pushing and pushing, it was horrible, you could barely move, and you could easily get hurt or pushed down the stairs or something. But if you have to and don't mind a very long wait, possibly, there isn't really a lot of choices, there are thousands of people there, there isn't going to be any metro station closer than walking to Dupont that isn't going to be very very crowded. if it is open (and I'm not sure it is), I would guess maybe Judiciary Sq on the red line would be less crowded than Union, of course. I wouldn't take a line where you had to transfer, that could make it worse as maybe you'd then have trouble getting on another car.

Thanks everyone for the advice to walk back to Dupont Circle after the fireworks. It worked perfectly.

The fireworks were truly spectacular and we were glad to have been part of the viewing crowd there to see them. We were partly on the grass and partly on the sidewalk at the reflecting pond-- a pretty good place for viewing.

Christina, I didn't get a chance to respond to your info, but I am glad not to have been part of the waiting metro crowd afterwards. We were tired but walking back was stress free, though long on our tired feet.

I'm SO glad you enjoyed it. i knew you would. Isn't Dupont Circle the best?