From sea to shining sea: July Fourth fireworks cruises
Independence Day means fireworks and waterfronts—and tour operators across the country are rolling out Fourth of July cruises and adventures to take your group close enough to see and hear.
From the Red and White Fleet in San Francisco to the Circle Line in New York, boats are offering food, dancing, entertainment—and of course fireworks—at every price range.
Statue cruises, the Official Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island Service Provider, for example, already has sold out its three-hour New York harbor cruise. It is directing customers to Hornblower Cruises, which offers a five-course sit-down dinner and a DJ, and of course close-up views of the world-class Macy’s fireworks, for $250 per person.
Also in New York, The American Princess is offering fireworks plus a light meal of sandwiches, salad, cookies, and fruit for $125 per person; Viatour offers a DJ and food for sale, for $85 per person.
There’s the Spirit of Washington on the Potomac, the Mystic Blue off Navy Pier in Chicago, the double-decker Island Time in Boca Ciega Bay, off St. Petersburg, Florida.
For the adventurous on a budget, there’s the Seadog Baltimore Inner Harbor cruise, 90 minutes on a speedboat, for $43.86 per person.
For the timid, there’s the Circle Line Pier in Manhattan, where you can watch the show without ever actually leaving dry land. (Or of course you can take the Circle Line cruise, which also has a DJ).
Want something a little more Southern? There’s the Volunteer Princess, a luxury yacht offering cocktails, a four-course plated dinner, and a leisurely cruise down the Tennessee River from Knoxville ($69.95, $34.95 for children 10 and under).
In San Francisco, you can watch the fireworks over the bay with Golden Gate Bay Cruises for $230, with a rain check in case of fog or rain.
And in Long Beach, California, Harbor Breeze Cruises is offering a trip to view the firework displays of the world-renowned Queen Mary cruise ship and the City of Los Angeles, near Cabrillo Beach, at an early-bird special rate of just $35 a person.
In short, wherever there’s water, there’s likely to be a July Fourth cruise your group will enjoy.
by Cheryl Rosen
Cheryl
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