Some RV enthusiasts build history tours around their Fourth of July celebrations, using nearby campgrounds as base camps for their Independence Day activities. RV enthusiasts visiting Washington D.C., for example, can stay at Cherry Hill Park in College Park, Maryland, the closest campground to the capitol, and use it as their base camp for visiting museums and historical sites as well as the Independence Day festivities.
Visitors to Washington D.C. can begin their July 4th festivities at 11:45 a.m. by watching the annual National Independence Day Parade on Constitution Avenue between 7th and 7th Streets. Later in the day, visitors can head to the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building to attend a free concert with multiple genres of music, from military bands to classical musical orchestras and celebrity pop and rock artists. The fireworks begin around 9 a.m. and can be seen from many locations, from the National Mall to the Lincoln Memorial, as well as from the other side of the Potomac River in neighboring Arlington.
Many campgrounds and RV parks are close to major July 4th celebrations, such as Liberty Harbor RV Park, which is just minutes from New York City, where RVers can enjoy everything from a visit to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty to spending the day at Coney Island USA as they await Macy’s famed fireworks display. Some even take a dinner cruise and watch the fireworks from New York Harbor.
Across the country, Houston, Texas is planning six hours of Independence Day festivities for its annual Freedom Over Texas event, which includes local, regional, and nationally known entertainers and a musically choreographed, “Texas-sized” fireworks finale.
RVers visiting the Houston area have numerous camping options, including relatively new RV parks such as Medical Center RV Resort, which is close to downtown, as well as parks on the periphery of Houston. This includes Katy Lake RV Resort as well as parks that are close to other popular attractions in the Houston area, such as Space Center RV Park, which is just minutes away from Space Center Houston, the Official Visitor Center of NASA Johnson Space Center, and a Smithsonian Affiliate.
Of course, many campgrounds are strategically located near launch points for major fireworks displays. Most independently owned and operated campgrounds and RV parks also organize special activities for families and children to celebrate our nation’s independence. Here’s a sampling of what’s planned at campgrounds across the country over July 4th weekend: