The Best Fireworks in South Orange County, California

July 4th in Orange County, California is quite a colorful spot. You have only to look up to see beautiful firework displays of all different kinds. The south part of the county is particularly wonderful about making sure everyone sees many different versions of their favorite bursts of gunpowder. Most start their fantastic shows at 9 p.m.. Just about every high school has a mini-shows-mainly due to the fact that there are so many local explosions going on!

South County is considered to be from Irvine down to San Clemente. Right on Pacific Coast Highway, all the beaches have their own displays going on after the bevy of surfing contests, chili cook-offs and art exhibits-depending on what it is you enjoy doing for the day of Independence celebration. Irvine has a tradition of having the Pacific Symphony perform at an outdoor concert venue which ends with a splashy 15 minute show to several traditional classical tunes-including the 1812 Overture and of course, The Star Spangled Banner!

The Lake at Mission Viejo has a full day of picnic and fun for it's members-however the music and fireworks display can easily be heard from any of the surrounding restaurants on the lake. Plus if you have friends or relatives that live anywhere within a 5 mile radius or happen to be at one of the many neighborhood parks, you can easily join in on the yearly celebration. The neighboring smaller membership lake in Rancho Santa Margarita can boast the same description. Lake Forest has a swim and tennis club that has a competing display for all to ooh and ahh at as well. The newest area sure to add to the yearly events will be Ladera Ranch.

Moving closer back toward the ocean, but yet not on top of the coast displays, is Laguna Hills and Laguna Niguel. Both cities have day long parties which are family orientated with games, booths, food venues, contests and then the cities cap it off with a full musical finish with the proverbial "bombs bursting in air" at their community centers. The Laguna Niguel center even has a pool for those who want to take and enjoy the day in a non-salty water area.

Normally, this part of the county is very upscale. During July 4th, everyone seems to "let their hair down" and get nostalgic with their families. Many type-A's can be seen doing ring tosses with their kids, learning to churn ice cream the old fashioned way, or tasting different restaurants versions of BBQ'd ribs.

One pastime that is a standard is the Laguna Beach Art Festival with it live action replications of classic masterpieces and the Sawdust Festival. Another place that many people consider to be "the best seat in the house" is the Balboa Bay Club and the surrounding Peninsula.

What makes the different areas so special is that even people who do not like crowds, perhaps cannot physically get to one of the communal areas or just enjoy having their own personal backyard activities can still take a chair, stand or even look through a bedroom window and have a great time watching the most magnificent versions of fireworks.