Line up along Constitution Avenue with thousands of other Americans and catch the National Independence Day
Parade. Expect to see everything from fife and drum corps and military servicemen and women to elaborate floats
and VIPs galore. The parade begins at 11:45 a.m. and is held on Constitution Avenue between 7th and 17th streets.

Sip a glass of Rioja Alavesa wine on the National Mall and feel like you’re in the heart of the Basque Country at
the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, June 29-July 4 and July 7-10. Artists, artisans and performers will bring the
culture to life through concerts, a festival marketplace, dances and presentations at this annual free festival.
Music lovers will want to catch the Sounds of California program, which celebrates the rich musical diversity of
communities from around the Golden State.

Canal Park is a popular urban meeting place with a view of the U.S. Capitol. This sustainable park delights visitors
with 42 dancing water jets, green spaces with tables and umbrellas and a wood-fired pizza restaurant called Il
Parco. On Friday nights, including July 2, Capitol Riverfront hosts a free concert in Canal Park.

The Washington Harbour in Georgetown is an ideal location for a celebratory dinner before the fireworks show.
The riverfront restaurants in this waterfront plaza provide convenient access to a viewing spot. Make your reservations
at Farmers Fishers Bakersor Tony and Joe’s Seafood with waterfront dining or the fresh-food favorite, Fiola Mare.

A presidential election year is an interesting time to explore The National Portrait Gallery, specifically the “America’s
Presidents” exhibit. This permanent collection displays images of 43 American Presidents, including Gilbert Stuart’s
official state portrait of George Washington. Besides paintings, sculptures and cartoons, the exhibit features a film
celebrating Presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt to Bill Clinton.

Georgetown Waterfront Park is a modern park operated by the National Park Service. With refreshing water features,
Potomac River overlooks, a labyrinth and a shady pergola, explore a bit, then settle in for the evening of spectacular
fireworks from the stadium-style steps. The vistas here are hard to beat.

One of the most exciting Fourth of July weekend highlights is the grand reopening of the National Air and Space
Museum‘s permanent exhibit, Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall, on July 1. New to the main hall exhibit are jumbo
jet engines, a lunar module and a model of the Star Trek Starship Enterprise. As part of its 40th anniversary
celebration, that same Friday evening, the museum will also host the free All Night at the Museum event, from
8:30 p.m. to 8 a.m. You’ll never get another chance like this to visit the museum into the wee hours of the morning.
Enjoy special tours, demonstrations, giveaways, food and films on space and aviation.

Take a ride on one of Washington, DC’s Potomac River cruises. Besides viewing the monuments and memorials
away from the National Mall, you’ll join other enthusiastic boaters on the water. Board a cozy, six-seater on an
Embark DC sightseeing boat at The Washington Harbour in Georgetown, or take to the seas on an Odyssey cruise
from the Southwest Waterfront. Advanced reservations recommended.

Get out to George Washington’s Mount Vernon, about 30 minutes south of Washington, DC by car or bus, for an
all-day, turn-back-the-clock Fourth of July. Marvel at gorgeous scenes of the Potomac River from the back of the
Founding Father’s estate, and listen to Revolutionary War-era music while savoring Colonial-style ice cream. The
event also includes a special day-time fireworks display.

Smithsonian’s National Zoo offers free programs from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Observe elephants in training, help to
feed the fish, meet a Great Ape keeper or explore a rain forest habitat. Hoping to see Bei Bei, the adorable panda
cub born in August of 2015.  Zookeepers recommend lining up at 9 a.m. at the Panda House for the best viewing
opportunities.

The hotly anticipated and immersive ICEBERGS installation held inside the National Building Museum‘s Great
Hall opens to the public on July 2. Step through this uniquely designed experience and you’ll get a glimpse of what
it’s like under the ocean’s waterline from the ground floor — or see it from above the waterline on the third balcony
of the massive space. The exhibit was designed by James Corner Field Operations, the same urban design firm who
developed New York’s High Line.

When making hotel reservations for Independence Day inquire whether your hotel offers a viewing station for
guests. Hotels with rooftop bars are especially festive. Popular destinations include The W Hotel with its POV Bar.
The Graham Hotel in Georgetown has a 360-degree view of Georgetown’s historic rooftops. Both Capella Hotel in
Georgetown and The Embassy Row Hotel in Dupont Circle have stylish rooftop pools with bar service.

For a smaller spectacle than the National Independence Day Parade, attend a neighborhood version in Barracks
Row on Capitol Hill. Participants in the parade distribute beads, the Marine Commandant’s band performs and
Capitol Hill’s Continental Soldiers march. Or get your Fourth of July parade fix in the Palisades neighborhood,
just northwest of Georgetown, which has become a hot spot in the city to experience a small-town Fourth of July
parade vibe. Locals line up along the Whitehaven Parkway at 11 a.m. for the parade, which has been running since
1966 and concludes with a free picnic at the Palisades Rec Center for a neighborhood celebration with hot dogs,
watermelon, pony rides and moon bounces.

Head to the Air Force Memorial in Arlington and enjoy the U.S. Air Force Max Impact Band from 6-9 p.m.
Following the concert, look toward the National Mall and spot the fireworks’ colorful bursts and blasts, as they
light up the sky around DC’s iconic skyline.

Visit the Smithsonian American History Museum to watch “We the People,” a 20-minute film investigating the
meaning of democracy and freedom. The film travels back to July 4, 1776, the nation’s first Independence Day,
to the present, honoring each generation’s contribution to the building of America.

Storey Park in the NoMa neighborhood kicks off its annual community celebration with a moonbounce, live bands,
food trucks and street performers. This friendly green space is just blocks from Union Station.

Head to Georgetown for Tudor Place‘s 200th birthday party. Get there early if you want cake baked by Dog Tag
Bakery. While you’re there, play some old-school outdoor American games, take a self-guided garden tour and
make some patriotic crafts with the kids. Inside the museum, you’ll find exhibits often involving the 18th- to 20th
-century collections of the home’s former inhabitants, the Custis-Peter family.

The Washington Nationals are in town all Fourth of July weekend. Catch Friday night’s game against the Cincinnati
Reds, guaranteed to end with a bang during the Postgame Freedom Fireworks, or watch your kids run the bases
after Sunday’s matinee. On July 4, the Nats kick off a three-game home stand against the Milwaukee Brewers. Nearby,
The Yards Park provides a scenic riverfront space with water for the kids to splash around in, and it also hosts free
Friday night concerts all summer long. While you’re there, grab a bite on the Osteria Morini patio, cool down with a
treat from Ice Cream Jubilee or stop by Bluejacket brewery for a cold beer.