We don’t know about you, but our favorite part of the Fourth of July is the fireworks. Unfortunately, the number of cities where fireworks are legal is increasingly dwindling. As a result, it’s gotten much harder to find quality fireworks in all corners of the Bay Area because most are concentrated in only one region. We at the Clog have searched long and hard to bring you the best places all across the Bay Area where you can see the bright flashes of color in the sky – ones that commemorate the birth of America!
Shoreline Amphitheatre
Head on over to this Mountain View location and check out fireworks on the lawn of the theater while enjoying the San Francisco Symphony orchestra! Fireworks start at 8 p.m. If you’d rather not spend money to actually go in the theater, you can walk around Shoreline Park until the fireworks start and watch them from (hopefully) solitude there.
Berkeley Marina
The Berkeley Marina is a great place to take part in Independence Day festivities for UC Berkeley students who want to stay in town. Plus, there’s nothing better than waterfront fireworks! Fireworks start at 9:30 p.m.
California’s Great America
Let out your inner child while watching glorious fireworks at Great America in Santa Clara. Watch fireworks upside down as you’re being dragged down the Drop Tower or from great heights on the Star Tower. Fireworks are July 1-4 and start at 9:45 p.m.
Fisherman’s Wharf
Stop by the wharf for spectacular waterfront fireworks! It gets super crowded here, so we suggest grabbing a seat at Ghirardelli Square or Treasure Island for the show. Fireworks start at 9:30 p.m.
Angel Island
Take a trip to Ellis Island’s western counterpart to watch panoramic fireworks all across the bay. To get to the island, there’s a ferry that costs $73 per adult and $52 per child under 12. This may seem pricey, but if you truly want a quality experience at Ayala Cove that’s not too crowded, surrounded by nature and unlit to enhance the full majesty of the pyrotechnics, then it’s worth splurging on! Most fireworks that can be seen start between 9 and 10 p.m.
Sausalito
San Francisco’s neighbor city will definitely give you a bang with its fireworks show at Gabrielson Park. Fireworks start at 9 p.m.
Foster City
Foster City is home to yet another grand waterfront fireworks display (what’d we tell ya, they’re the best kind) at Leo J. Ryan Memorial Park’s lagoon. Branded as some of the best fireworks in the Bay Area, Foster City’s show does get pretty crowded. We’re talking over 10,000 people, so be sure to get there really early if you decide to go there. Fireworks start at 9:30 p.m.
Mission Peak
Last but not least, the local favorite, Mission Peak! Climb up the base of Mission Peak in Fremont to enjoy fireworks sparkling everywhere in the night sky. Many families in the surrounding residential neighborhoods find seats on the hills below the mountain, which gives a great view of the bay and all the fireworks you could ever want to see.
And if none of these places work out, just get up somewhere high and enjoy the view! There’s luckily little to no fog this Fourth of July, so you can view those crystal-clear fireworks to your heart’s content.
