Watch the Annual Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration on the Promenade in Brooklyn Heights

Ever since I was a little kid, a student at a local school nearby and a Brooklyn resident, there is one special place I would always go to celebrate the Fourth of July. Even now that I live in Staten Island, I occasionally will come into the city to watch the Annual Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration at the Brooklyn Heights Promenade alongside the East River. The annual fireworks display, which features over 80,000 explosions, begins at 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 4, and is easily viewable from the Promenade, a long strip that overlooks the Brooklyn Queens expressway and faces not just the East river, but across the water, Lower Manhattan as well. This beautiful New York City landmark has been featured in Woody Allen's Annie Hall and Norman Jewison's Moonstruck, and offers spectacular, clear, and unobstructed views of the New York skyline. It is a peaceful, clean, safe, and even romantic place.

I would strongly recommend you get there early; after the entire Promenade is fronted by blocks of residential property. There are benches all along the Promenade, but those wil be taken up quickly by residents. Bring a cooler, filled with drinks and food, and perhaps a folding chair or two. I would consider eating first; have a nice meal at one of the great Brooklyn Heights restaurants nearby. I would recommend Tenda Asian, Eamonn's, Migita Sushi, the Brooklyn Heights Cafe, or La Traviata, which are all just a few blocks away on Montague Street. After that, head to the Promenade, grab a bench towards the middle of the strip, sit back, and enjoy.

Something to consider is that though there are likely to be portable restrooms alongside the strip, remember that there simply are not a lot of businesses close by. Keep this in mind before you leave a restaurant or your home.

Another thing to consider is that 1010 WINS radio station will be playing a musical program synchronized to the fireworks display. So bring a radio with you to heighten the experience.

To get to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, take the 2, 3, 4, 5, N, R, or M subway lines to Court Street-Borough Hall, or take the 2 or 3 lines to Clark Street. For more information about the fireworks display, call 212-494-4495 or visit macys.com. For more information about the Promenade itself visit the website of the National Parks of New York Harbor Conservancy.

Sources

Dana Schuster, Fourth of July Planner, New York Magazine

Brooklyn Heights Promenade, National Parks of New York Harbor Conservancy