Seattle 4th of July, 5-year-old edition

July 1, 2013 10:13 PM

I'm thinking about letting my almost 5 year old stay up to see some fireworks on Thursday. What's a good place to see them that doesn't involve being stuck in traffic or having to camp out all day?

It doesn't have to be the Lake Union show -- he'd be happy just about anywhere I suspect. But since it's going to be past his bedtime I'm hoping to minimize travel time and other logistics. I live in NW Seattle near Carkeek Park.

posted by rouftop to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (9 answers total)

lol...look at your username! I live in L.A. and that's where I always go to see them...grab a ladder and be careful!
posted by sexyrobot at 10:26 PM on July 1, 2013

If you're up for a drive, come visit Sammamish. The city hall area does a great show, and there are food vendors and playgrounds. Plan to arrive no later than 7 p.m.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 10:33 PM on July 1, 2013 [1 favorite]

Just remember that fireworks never start before 10:15 or even later. The show is 15-20 minutes, then there's getting up, getting stuff together, getting to the car .... unless you are in fact watching from somebody's roof in your jammies (and are planning to spend the night with them), I'd wait a couple of years. Bedtime won't be until after midnight, which is pretty late. Other than Lake Union, there aren't really any fireworks closer to you than Kirkland, and traffic after that show (even going around the top of the lake), will be very heavy and slow.

Sorry. But as a winter treat, how about the bonfires at the Christmas Ship in December? They're at parks all around Lake Washington, for more than a week -- the ship pulls up, the Guest Choir sings, the ship sails on. But on shore: a GIANT bonfire. Most kids have never had a chance to be close to real fire that big (many adults ditto), and it's very thrilling. And since it's dark by 4:00, the schedule runs early.
posted by kestralwing at 11:32 PM on July 1, 2013

Wallingford ave below 40th, which is closed to traffic all day. The view from the hill there is the same a gasworks, minus the huge crowd. Bring lawn chairs, set them up in the street with everyone else at 930.
posted by victory_laser at 3:07 AM on July 2, 2013

Wait, you live right by me! (Loyal Heights here.) We also have a 5 y.o. (girl). We usually go to a pal's rooftop deck in Fremont and she's stayed awake for the whole night before! We'll see.
posted by GaelFC at 7:46 AM on July 2, 2013

I've always enjoyed Alki beach for New Years' fireworks - bet you'd get a decent 4th of July view as well...
posted by stenseng at 9:37 AM on July 2, 2013

Stenseng, I'm pretty sure there are no longer any 4th of July fireworks over Elliot Bay.
posted by carterk at 10:04 AM on July 2, 2013

Traffic on departure is the worst, especially when you want to get a toddler to bed. I would reserve full-on spectacle for when he's a little older, and figure the best sightlines for distant viewing (Ballard? Phinney Ridge?). That will allow you to to turn around and buzz home ASAP. Also, some of those booms can be scary for young kids if you're too close.

The usual disclaimer: though I lived in Seattle for 20 years, I haven't lived there since the early noughts.
posted by baseballpajamas at 3:06 PM on July 2, 2013

Response by poster: Ended up not going. Maybe I'll mark victory_laser's answer best next year, as that's what I would have tried.
posted by rouftop at 1:06 PM on July 15, 2013