Plan Your Best Fourth of July!

Good day!

I wanted to help you start planning your Fourth of July celebration now that we have reached Memorial Day. As you know, the summer has only one holiday in it in the United States before Labor Day. When holidays are separated by so much time, I always see that as an opportunity to do something special . . . while spending less than five dollars extra a day.

Here's a good place to begin: Think about where you want to be on the Fourth this year. Each location offers special opportunities.

I live in Boston where the festivities tie back into early American history quite well. One of the major historically related events most years is when the U.S.S. Constitution (better known as Old Ironsides) is taken out of her berth in Charlestown and turned around in Boston harbor each Fourth of July. On other days of the year, you can go aboard old Ironsides. Why not plan to do so on either July 3 or 5 to tie in with your celebration of the Fourth? You can see the whole reberthing event quite well from many places in Boston harbor. One of my favorite locations is along the Fort Point Channel in South Boston. If you have a friend who has a boat, you can go out into the harbor and follow along as well. How much does all this cost? It's free!

You may also know that Boston puts on a free extravaganza along the Charles River on the Fourth of July that is nationally televised. The Boston Pops perform along with well-known singers. The concert is followed by fireworks over the river.

While hundreds of thousands of people will camp out to attend this event, baking in the sun for 12 hours or more, you have better choices. Many people don't realize that the same concert is also held on July 3 as a free rehearsal. The crowds are smaller and the event is in many ways more pleasant. But that summer sun can still be brutal. How can you enjoy the concert more? You can get a great seat by taking a canoe, kayak or boat onto the Charles River to right next to the concert area. And you don't have to arrive very early at all. Many will arrive after the sun goes down and still have a great view. In addition, many condos and apartments on Beacon Street back onto the performance area. From one of those, you can watch in air conditioned comfort except when you want to wander out onto the terrace to enjoy the air. You just have to know someone. If you do business with anyone in Boston, ask them to help you secure an invitation. If you don't mind being further away, many office buildings also have good views of the concert and fireworks . . . and companies host clients and potential clients there as well. If none of those options work out, you can always watch from across the Charles in Cambridge along the grassy waterfront. The crowds are much smaller and you can arrive late and still see well. Finally, there are a number of delightful harbor cruises that will let you enjoy the fireworks along with cocktails for a deliciously cool evening while you dance the night away.

Boston has many other famous historical sites related to its Revolutionary history. You can walk the Freedom Trail for free (and visit Paul Revere’s house and Old North Church) and visit Lexington, Concord and Bunker Hill to see where skirmishes occurred. You can pursue those events on the Fourth of July or before or after the big day.

You can find an inexpensive hotel room by selecting a five-star hotel in the suburbs on Priceline.com and then offering a low price. A superb room is usually available at that quality level for less than $80 a night. Rather than fight the Boston traffic, plan to park at a commuter lot and travel in and out of town by train. You can buy passes by the day or week that will give you inexpensive rapid transit into downtown that will get you where you want to go faster than a billionaire's limousine.

You could also tie-in your Fourth of July celebration into a week's vacation. By starting in Boston or Yorktown, Virginia, and visiting Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Valley Forge, New York and various battlefields in New York and New Jersey, you can come in touch with much U.S. revolutionary history in less than a week. Few billionaires have had such a jaunt! With Priceline.com reservations, you can enjoy inexpensive hotels and rental cars to make the trip more pleasant at whatever quality level you want to enjoy.

Where else might you go? Well, I've often been abroad on the Fourth of July, and it has been a special experience to meet with fellow Americans for simple celebrations there. A great location is on the French Riviera. Many people forget that our French allies were essential to winning independence from Great Britain. Every year, there is a 10 day celebration on the Riviera that begins with the Fourth of July and ends with Bastille Day. There are usually many American war ships in port, and many sailors along the shore. It's not hard to find other Americans to visit with and to think back on our shared heritage of devotion to freedom and democracy. Also, people in that part of France usually like Americans. This is, of course, a very expensive area to visit. But if you rent an inexpensive home in the country an hour or so north, you can commute down into the Riviera on the Fourth (or to just see the sights along the shore) whenever you want. You will also find that hotels are usually less expensive along the Italian Riviera and you can drive over into France from there. For a special night, rent or bring dress clothes and go gambling (on a budget you can afford) at the casino in Monte Carlo. You'll feel like James Bond!

Once you've picked your location, talk to people you know who live there to ask them what the best, inexpensive activities are for the Fourth of July and the days before and after. Call your hotel or your landlord and ask the same thing. Read the on-line versions of the local newspapers to find other events. Call the concierge desk at the best hotel in the area and ask for recommendations as well.

Here's the most important part. Find out what each person in your family wants to do after you share the choices with them. The optimal holiday celebration is one that everyone enjoys.

I've also found that dressing the part can add a lot of fun. It's usually hot on the Fourth of July so you'll want to avoid clothes that make you feel hotter. If you do some research on-line, you can probably come up with a cool costume you can wear to put you in the Revolutionary spirit. March by the television cameras with a fife and drum you've rented for the day, and you'll probably meet as many people as you want . . . while being broadcast to millions.

Food is another way to celebrate the Fourth in true Revolutionary fashion. Rather than simply gorging on the traditional favorites, why not enjoy an authentic Colonial meal? You could even stop by Plimouth Plantation or Old Sturbridge Village to eat your picnic in more authentic surroundings.

For those of a more historical bent, a fun thing to do is to stage a family play about the founding fathers on July 4th.

Whatever you like, whether it's music, dancing, socializing or counting your blessings, connect the activity to what our Revolutionary forefathers did and you'll find yourself having a much better time.

If you have experiences you want to share from other fourths of July, please add comments to this blog to help others plan their special day. The best ideas may appear in my new book.

Donald W. Mitchell, Your Dream Concierge

Copyright 2005 Donald W. Mitchell

This blog's entries begin on May 14, 2005. By reading backward through the prior posts, you will eventually see an index to all the posts. You can achieve the same result by clicking on the button for the May 2005 archive of my posts which can be found in the right hand column.

Be sure to check out my blog dated May 16, 2005 on how to plan Your Dad's Best Father's Day!