How should we spend the 4th of July in NYC?
June 28, 2022 4:02 PM Subscribe
We are heading to NYC, staying in mid-town and are looking for a place not too far away from that area for a picnic/fireworks. Optionally, we could be in the Chelsea neighborhood. We will be a group of 8 ranging in age from 15 - adult. Is riding the ferry up and down the river an option? Other suggestions? This question has popped up before, but all from several years ago so things may have changed.
Best answer: The ferry shuts down early for the fireworks show (presumably for safety reasons). The East River Park is currently in the process of being destroyed, so your options right by the water on the Manhattan side are limited. I think the BBP rec is a good one, but be aware you may need to get there relatively early.
posted by praemunire at 4:27 PM on June 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by praemunire at 4:27 PM on June 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Note fireworks are in Midtown this year and not visible from Brooklyn Bridge Park. I never thought standing on the FDR for hours sounded appealing, although it has some novelty. Gantry Plaza State Park is nice but will fill up quickly and could be a pain to get back from afterwards, but could make a nice daytrip to LIC.
I wonder if the Alexandria Center is planning something - they have a nice plaza space overlooking the water (Little River is the restaurant there and I see Riverpark wants $225/person for their event).
posted by casaubon at 7:13 PM on June 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
I wonder if the Alexandria Center is planning something - they have a nice plaza space overlooking the water (Little River is the restaurant there and I see Riverpark wants $225/person for their event).
posted by casaubon at 7:13 PM on June 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
There ARE cruise boats that will be deliberately parking in the river so people can watch the fireworks in the river. Here's one such boat; it'll most likely be expensive.
Another option - there are also fireworks down on Coney Island. Coney Island also does fireworks every Friday during the summer, so you could do two shows down there.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:02 AM on June 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
Another option - there are also fireworks down on Coney Island. Coney Island also does fireworks every Friday during the summer, so you could do two shows down there.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:02 AM on June 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: If i were you, i would take the 7 train one stop into brooklyn and bring a picnic to gantry state park, or elsewhere along the waterfront in Long Island City. bring the flat sheet from your hotel as a blanket and bring sandwiches or snacks.
other parks along the east river that would be good are transmitter park and martha p johnson. i've gone as early as 2pm and as late as 7pm and gotten pretty fantastic spots. here's the map showing the location of the barges from macys. they specify the FDR side locations closer to where you are staying in manhattan, but that's picnicking on a hard roadway, and personally i think it's nicer to chill out on the grass and watch the fireworks with the city skyline as a backdrop. can't speak to this at gantry, but there's porta-potties at marsha p johnson.
posted by wowenthusiast at 8:15 AM on June 30, 2022
other parks along the east river that would be good are transmitter park and martha p johnson. i've gone as early as 2pm and as late as 7pm and gotten pretty fantastic spots. here's the map showing the location of the barges from macys. they specify the FDR side locations closer to where you are staying in manhattan, but that's picnicking on a hard roadway, and personally i think it's nicer to chill out on the grass and watch the fireworks with the city skyline as a backdrop. can't speak to this at gantry, but there's porta-potties at marsha p johnson.
posted by wowenthusiast at 8:15 AM on June 30, 2022
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posted by sleepingwithcats at 4:17 PM on June 28, 2022 [1 favorite]