2014 Fireworks

Last year was my first time seeing New York City's (aka Macy's) fireworks on the 4th of July, which Trent and I watched from the New Jersey waterfront. This year, they brought the fireworks back to the East River after a five-year detour on the Hudson.

We were at a friend's apartment in Brooklyn Heights, so we walked out to try and get on the Promenade about a half hour before the fireworks started, but there were so many people that they had actually declared the Promenade "at capacity." We expected crowds, but it was kind of insane so we didn't have a great spot and didn't end up staying too long.

Despite all that, we were able to see more of the fireworks than I initially thought we were going to be able to, and while we were walking back to the apartment we got to see them from a few different vantage points. I will never not love fireworks, and New York's are definitely the biggest and best I've ever seen. This year they shot some off from the Brooklyn Bridge as well as the usual river barges, and from where were standing we could see the World Trade Tower (and its patriotic spire) through a break in the trees.

As much as the selfish New Yorker in me thinks the fireworks should always be on the East River, we found ourselves wishing that we could somehow replicate our New Jersey viewing experience because it had been so much less crowded and much more enjoyable. I'm pretty sure they'll stay on the East River for a while, though, so I have one year to make friends with someone who will invite me onto their DUMBO/Brooklyn Heights rooftop for next year's show.