I have been lucky enough to celebrate America's birthday in a few historical places in my short life, from Philadelphia to Mount Rushmore, but this year my mom and I decided to check another location off our bucket list: Washington D.C..
My dad was a history buff through and through and this trait was passed along to me. I enjoyed all my history classes during school, but always was fascinated with American history the most. I also enjoyed many historical movies, from documentaries to fictional movies like 1776, The Patriot, and National Treasure. My parents had taken me to Washington D.C. twice when I was younger, and while my dad did his research at the Archives and the Library, mom and I toured! But this was the first time I would be returning to the nation's capital as an adult, and I was excited to celebrate America's birthday there as well!
We only were in D.C. for three days and were able to see a lot of sites in that short time, but the main goal for our trip was to see the fireworks over the National Mall. This year the president decided to turn the usually non-partisan event into a political rally, thus changing the timeline of the day's events. Here is a rundown of how we spent our day, this year's Fourth of July events, and tips for anyone who wants to cross this item off their bucket list!
Mom and I had intended to start our day seeing some more monuments such as the Jefferson Memorial and the Martin Luther King Jr. Monument, but due to Trump's "Salute to America" Event and the Fourth of July Parade, many roads were closed. A fenced area was put up from 12th Street all the way down to the Lincoln Memorial, and many of the surrounding streets were shut down to both car and foot traffic as well.
Mom and I decided it was not worth walking around aimlessly trying to find a street that would allow us to visit the memorials on our list, and decided to explore the Northern part of the National Mall instead.
The parade line-up was taking place on the Mall and we could see floats, balloons, and bands preparing to march down the streets of the capital for the annual event. A truck pulling a rig decorated with Make American Great Again slogans was parked in front of the Smithsonian American History Museum, drawing many supporters to take pictures, get Trump merchandise, and to sign a petition to build the wall. I only saw a few anti-Trump signs throughout the day, but I think most of the protesters, inluding the Baby Trump Balloon, were located inside the fenced area on the Mall.
I found an electric scooter and claimed it for the next hour, while mom found a shady seat on a bench where she could rest from the heat and do some people-watching. I was able to scooter all around the Mall and up to the U.S. Capitol, which was preparing for the Capitol Fourth Concert. The only visitor center that was closed on the holiday was the Lincoln Memorial, since the stage was being set up for Trump's Speech that evening.
After a few hours at the Mall in the morning, mom and I headed back to our hotel to rest and freshen up. We were heading to our cousin's house to visit and have a Fourth of July BBQ for dinner. We watched the Washington Nationals baseball game on TV while waiting for dinner (we had gone to game the night before, and saw some pretty awesome post-game fireworks), and visited with family we hadn't seen in years!
Although Trump's "Salute to America" speech began at 6:30 PM, we really had no interest in listening to the speech, and decided we would wait to head to the Mall around 7 PM to grab a seat for the fireworks. A few Google searches provided us with the information that you could show up at 8:30 PM and still find a great seat on the Mall, and we found this information checked out.
We had brought a blanket and a small chair, and were easily able to maneuver the Metro station which spit us out right in front of the Smithsonians. I was surprised that there wasn't any security monitoring the flow of people or checking bags. We were easily able to secure a seat on the grass behind the Washington Monument so we could get a great view!
However, those who wanted seats to witness "Salute to America" definitely needed to arrive earlier in the day. The gated area had limited seating, and many people began arriving at 10 AM when the gates opened to get seats closer to the Lincoln Memorial. It was inside these gates that Trump protesters and supporters alike gathered for demonstrations. We did not venture into this area, although I wish I did to see the shenanigans going on inside.
The area of the National Mall behind the Washington Monument was completely open to the public with no security checks. When we arrived at 7 PM the first two grassy areas were filled with people, but the third grassy area was completely empty. It eventually filled up, and late arrivals simply stood in the walkways.
From where we were sitting, we couldn't see or hear Trump's Speech, but we were able to witness the four flyovers that were a part of the event. The Blue Angels even flew back over the Mall at the end of the "Salute to America" and wowed everyone in the crowd with their formation.
We had heard that Trump had decided to move the fireworks to over the Potomac River, and tried to find a seat that would provide a great view, but the first half of the fireworks show shot off directly behind the Lincoln Memorial, in keeping with tradition. The fireworks were mesmerizing as they illuminated the Washington Monument, and we are in awe of the patterns. There were even fireworks that spelled out USA up in the sky!
But the humid weather proved to be a problem for the firework show. The air was still and there was no wind to push the smoke out of the way. The first half of the firework show was slightly hindered by smoke, but still visible. However the second the fireworks moved to above the Potomac, you couldn't see anything. I felt like we were in a war zone. You could hear the booms of the fireworks, which sounded like cannons, but all that was visible was colored smoke. It made for a unique experience, but it was not exactly what we were hoping for.
Despite the disappointment over the second half of the fireworks, it was overall an amazing experience. I would highly recommend adding "Seeing the Fourth of July Fireworks on the National Mall" to your bucket list!
Here are a few final tips for anyone looking to spend the holiday in
Washington DC:
- There is no need to get to the Mall really early if you are just looking to see the fireworks. Arriving between 7 - 8 PM will give you plenty of space to choose from for your seat
- Visit as many memorials as you can before the holiday. You never know what streets will be blocked off on the Fourth of July
- Bring your National Parks Passport! You can get stamps at every Visitor Center, and some have stamps for more than one memorial
- Rent a scooter or a bike to see most of the Mall!
- Get an unlimited Metro Pass to save you time and money
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