The National Parks have been called "America's Best Idea", and while we agree, we also think that America's other best idea, the Declaration of Independence, is worth celebrating as well. What better way to honor two of the best things that make our country so great (its beauty and its Founding Fathers, who had the guts to declare freedom for the country) than with Fourth of July events at our National Parks? Parades, fireworks, and cookouts combine with fascinating history and unparalleled natural beauty to make for an unforgettable holiday celebration!
Voyageurs National Park is pretty unique in that, because it's on the US/Canada border, it celebrates Canadian Independence Day on July 1st and America's Independence Day on the 4th. On Canada's special day, go to the Pat Roche Access to view fireworks from our Neighbors to the North, and head into the town of International Falls on the fourth to see the parade, entertainment, craft and food vendors, and tons more.
The view from the top of Scotts Bluff National Monument is pretty awesome... so it should come as no surprise that it makes the perfect vantage point for checking out a rad fireworks display! The park will shuttle visitors to the top in the evening, and once dark falls, the show will begin, lighting up the prairie in an explosion of color.
Parades are commonplace on the Fourth of July, but it's not every day that you get to see one wind its way through a forest of massive sequoia trees! Kings Canyon National Park's extra-awesome parade starts in the nearby town of Wilsonia and then heads into the Grant Grove of the park, where some of the tallest trees reside.
Sure, fireworks set to playlists and parades featuring elaborate floats make for a great July 4th, but back in the 19th century, people celebrated the holiday without all the bells and whistles. At Bent's Old Fort, you can get a taste for how they celebrated back when the fort was in its prime. You'll find games, cannon firings, speeches, refreshments and more... proof that you don't need elaborate pyrotechnics and massive amounts of hot dogs to have a good Independence Day!
Celebrate the Fourth cowboy-style! On the second of July, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve will hold a host of events, including classic games like tug-of-war, potato sack races, demonstrations and re-enactments of what it was like living on a ranch back in the day. There's also a "cowboy reading" of the Declaration of Independence!
Head to the Old Courthouse unit of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial to take part in the festivities put on by this St. Louis park. They've put together a special schedule of ranger talks, concerts, speeches, and tons more from the 2nd until the 4th in honor of the Fourth.
Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park's Point Park will have an epic artillery demonstration on July 2nd, inspired by John Adams' declaration that the 2nd of July should be celebrated with "Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more".
The Cumberland Island National Seashore will help put on a parade through the historic town of St. Marys, GA. There will also be a fun run, crafts, food, live entertainment, and, of course, fireworks, which can be viewed from a river cruise! Plus, you're on the beach, so take some time to soak up the summer sun as well.
Besides being a perfectly quaint town to celebrate the holiday, Harpers Ferry National Historic Park is also putting on tons of events centered around the Fourth of July. A lot of the events, talks, and demonstrations are through the lens of the Civil War and how Americans felt about the holiday as they faced down the possibility of their country being torn in half.
When else do you get to hear a renowned symphony orchestra perform a concert at a historic site? The Maryland Symphony Orchestra will put on a show at Antietam National Battlefield, and the performance will immediately be followed by a fireworks display. Pack a picnic dinner and you've got a perfect evening!
Valley Forge National Historic Park is going all out for the holiday. A cookout, dunk tank, musket demonstrations, photo booths, games, crafts, interactive events for kids, and tons more will all be set up here. Add that to the fact that this park played a major role in the American Revolution and the country's eventual freedom, and you've got about as perfect an Independence Day as you can get.
Independence National Historic Park offers endless opportunities to learn and celebrate America's birthday... after all, this is the exact spot where the Founding Fathers voted to declare freedom and signed the Declaration of Independence. One special event is a ranger talk focused on the man who wrote the declaration, Thomas Jefferson, and his role in the Second Continental Congress. Orations, re-enactments, and other events will be held throughout the weekend as well.
Anna Hider
Just a Civil War beard enthusiast, writer at Roadtrippers, and aspiring astronaut reaching for the stars.