The Best Us Cities to Celebrate Fourth of July

The Fourth of July holiday is fast approaching as the busy summer travel period is in full swing.

And while there will be crowds, perhaps the most difficult aspect of traveling this Independence Day will be deciding where to go. Fortunately, there’s some new research to help you settle on a locale. 

The team of experts at personal finance website WalletHub recently compared the 100 largest U.S. cities based on their ability to deliver a memorable yet affordable Fourth of July holiday.

WalletHub examined 18 key metrics ranging from average beer and wine prices to duration of fireworks shows to the Fourth of July weather forecast.

Here are the 10 U.S. cities that offer the best July 4th experience in 2023. 

Despite its hefty price tag, Los Angeles ranks as the best U.S. city for a July 4th celebration
this year. L.A. ranks tops in the all-important celebrations category, propelling it to a total
score of 76.95.

Second-ranked San Francisco ranks tops for attractions and activities this Fourth of July.
The category takes into account recreation friendliness, which considers entertainment
options, recreational facilities and parks quality as well as music venues per capita, parks
spending per capita and movie costs. Additionally, the Bay Area is tied for the best
Independence Day weather forecast

New York City ranks third or better in three of the five categories WalletHub analyzed,
including celebrations (second), attractions and activities (second) and safety and
accessibility (third). However, of the cities in the top 10, only Seattle fares worse in terms
of costs.

When it comes to spectacular holiday weather and hotel costs, Las Vegas can’t be beaten.
The Entertainment Capital of the World ranks best in the nation for both affordability and
Fourth of July weather, tying for the lowest price of a three-star hotel

Up the West Coast, Seattle edges out San Diego with a total score of 72.15. The Emerald
City ties for the best July 4th weather and ranks 13th or better in three key categories,
including celebrations (fifth), safety and accessibility (12th) and attractions and activities
(13th).

America’s Finest City stands out when it comes to a Fourth of July party. After all, San
Diego ranks seventh for both celebrations and attractions and activities. On top of that, the
SoCal weather is nothing to scoff at as visitors are promised plenty of sunshine and ocean
breezes.

The Theme Park Capital of the World is unsurprisingly a top destination this Independence
Day, ranking seventh overall and a stellar third for Fourth of July celebrations. Orlando not
only has the ideal weather but the entertainment to wow families this summer.

Four-plus hours north of San Antonio, Dallas is the best place to celebrate America’s
birthday in Texas this year. The southern metropolis ranks fourth nationwide when it comes
to Fourth of July celebrations so visitors can expect a show

San Antonio is similarly flying under the radar these days but the Alamo City is nonetheless
putting on one heck of a July 4th party, ranking 10th for celebrations, a category that
considers popularity, the legality of fireworks, party suppliers per capita, duration of
fireworks shows and Google search interest.

Perhaps one of America’s most underrated cities, Milwaukee rounds out WalletHub’s top 10
with an overall score of 67.15. The city’s locale along Lake Michigan in addition to being
the host of the world’s largest music festival in Summerfest makes it an ideal place to
spend Independence Day in 2023.