With just 3 days until the biggest day of Summer have you made your plans for the 4th of July? 2016 marks the 40th anniversary of the Macy's Fourth of July fireworks display and I'm sure it's going to be one of the best shows we've ever seen. Although the Lil' monsters and I have voted to stay home to watch the spectacular show of lights from our rooftop here in Queens we definitely think if you're up to it, going out to see it up close will be an amazing and fun filled evening. Sometimes it feels like by living in Queens we miss a lot of the cool events and parades, so I was so excited when we discovered last year we could take in amazing views of the city skyline, have the kids play in the park and relax with our favorite people right in the midst of the beautiful Gantry Plaza State Park as we counted down to the show above us.
With the iconic Pepsi-Cola sign as a vibrant & retro back drop, stunning views of midtown Manhattan overlooking the East River and lots of green space and seating to lay out, run around and play it was a really mellow place to hang out for the holiday, one of our favorite places to visit in Queens.
We couldn't have asked for more perfect weather and had to show off our Minion tee's that we scored at Target, literally the day before{I love that I can still fit into tween boys shirts}. The boys were beyond excited because we were not only spending the day with their auntie Coco {my sissy}who lives in Astoria, we'd also be joined by our favorite vlogging family Betsy, Bobby and Zianna of ThatsBetsyV and blogging boo Shaniqua and her son DJ of BrownMediaMama.
You aren't allowed to do any grilling at Gantry Plaza State Park but bring on the picnic blankets and your favorite snacks and treats. If you'd rather just buy something or forgot to pack an item for the day there are a handful of restaurants and stores you could order from or head to for necessities like napkins or juice boxes. I had to pass on sandwiches and headed to the buffet nearby but be prepared to pay a pretty penny, many people will tell you L.I.C prices are comparable to Manhattan.
Aside from going for the 4th of July heading to Gantry Plaza State Park is just a great, leisurely way to spend the day. The playground is really unique in comparison to many of the others in Queens and the kids won't want to leave. There's live entertainment which makes it pretty awesome for a date night, the hubby and I have strolled through after having dinner nearby.
As we got closer to showtime the grass became fully covered in colorful printed blankets, folding chairs and coolers but it was a great crowd. Police officers were nearby but everybody seemed really friendly and just out to have a good time.
The views from our blanket were perfect, I mean they couldn't have gotten any better and I'm so glad we didn't trek out to the city to see them. As the show started to come to an end, we packed up to get a head start to the train with the tremendous crowd, and as we made our way out we could still see the grand finale.
For 2016 the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks show starts at 9:25pm and make sure to check out the new Pyro-writing technique that will spell out U.S.A in the sky!
Gantry Plaza State Park is an unofficial spot to see the fireworks and with that said there's always a chance the park could be closed early at the discretion of the city, so beware the risk but I've read across the web that chances are pretty good, just not over by Hunters Point South. Here's Macy's official list if you hadn't made plans yet.
Where are you planning to spend your Fourth of July?
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