And if they’re sold out (which they usually are) there are tons–and we mean tons–of other opportunities to get on a boat for the 4th this year. Boston Harbor City Cruises will offer a dinner cruise on the Harbor side of the city (not the Charles River side)–and while you may not be right under the fireworks, it will still be possible to catch glimpses of them as you take in the city lights. For a more historic outing earlier in the day, City Cruises also offers an excellent daytime lunch cruise that brings you by several of the city’s most popular landmarks, and offers a waterfront view of the USS Constitution’s annual turnaround (once a year, she leaves her port in Charlestown to sail to South Boston, turn around, and come back).
Another pro tip for seeing fireworks from the water in Boston on the 4th–several operators offer tours to nearby Winthrop, located just across Boston Harbor from downtown, which offers a slightly smaller-scale yet infinitely less chaotic display. The Liberty Fleet of Tall Ships will set sail one of its gorgeous schooners from Fan Pier in the Seaport District to make the short trek across the water in time for the fireworks in Winthrop. The cheeky Tiki Boat Boston (a decidedly boozier, more adult-centric offering) also has some sailings available still.
For an even more turnkey experience, Martignetti Hospitality Group (of popular Woburn restaurant Sogno, twelve miles north of Boston) just launched Sogno-at-Sea, a 60-foot Azimut Yacht available for private charters complete with caviar, champagne, serving staff and all the lite bites you can handle. It’ll set you back $7,500 for twenty-five guests, but for some you can’t really put a price on having your own sunset charter under Boston’s most iconic fireworks display.
From the sky
Forr something a little more… elevated, View Boston, an observation deck that occupies the top three floors of the Prudential Tower, is offering a special adults-only July 4th viewing party. The $75 tickets grant access to both indoor and outdoor views—making this a great option in case of inclement weather—and includes two drink tickets. Regular everyday admission starts at $29.99 per adult, so the inclusion of two drinks on Boston’s biggest night (not to mention golden hour admission to the city’s most coveted Instagram spot of the moment, without any errant toddlers ruining your shot) makes this a pretty sweet deal.
From Cambridge, Charlestown, and remotely
The classic spot from which to watch the fireworks in Cambridge is the grassy quadrangle at MIT, where a giant screen live-streams the Boston Pops concert. The view from this side of the river—with the city skyline in the background and more sweeping vantage points over the Charles River—might just beat being on the Esplanade itself.
For something with more local flavor, head across the Charles over to Charlestown, the oldest neighborhood in Boston—also known as “The Town”—where The Anchor, a sprawling waterfront beer garden, offers plenty of space to move around and a clear line of sight to the fireworks barge. And if you’d rather catch the fireworks from the comfort of your own home, tune in on Bloomberg TV, or WHDH Channel 7.
Before the 4th
You didn’t think just one night of festivities would be enough for Boston, did you? Locals know that the real party begins in the days leading up to the 4th–specifically with Boston Harborfest, one of the largest Independence Day festivals of its kind in the country. The good times begin on the 1st, with several days of Revolutionary War reenactments, free clam chowder tastings (while supplies last), face painting and balloon art for kids, live music, and more. Don’t miss the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum’s annual “Revelry on Griffin’s Wharf” event, where guests will have access to replicas of the 18-century vessels present at the original Boston Tea Party, and also be able to throw tea crates themselves into Boston Harbor.
And if you aren’t able to make the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular held over the Charles River on the actual 4th, locals know that the Boston Harborfest Fireworks on July 2nd are just as grandiose. And since they’re held over the Inner Harbor, Harborfest’s fireworks can be enjoyed from a wider spread of vantage points, which means (marginally) less hectic crowds. For the best lookouts, check out Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park in the North End, Rowes Wharf by the Boston Harbour Hotel, or head across the water to East Boston, where the best spots include LoPresti Park or Griffin’s Wharf–or better yet, the covered patio at MIDA’s East Boston location, where you can snack on spritzes and charcuterie from the comfort of their covered outdoor patio. City Cruises will also offer a front-row experience to the Harborfest fireworks on July 2nd–where it will be possible to get much closer to the action on the water than on the 4th itself.
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