So no big city fireworks display this year—just a mini-show at Navy Pier. That’s okay. The Fourth is on a Monday, anyway. You aren’t planning on anything too crazy. Then again... plans change. Be ready with our guide to the Fourth, ranked by relative sweat level.<br />
If you’re looking to avoid the crowds at the beach, it doesn’t get much simpler than a good beer, $1 hot dogs and a horseshoe tournament. Thomas Jefferson would’ve wanted it this way.
You’re willing to brave the crowds and head to the beach. Great. Your real line in the sand: you are not packing a picnic basket. Smart move because you’ll find 500 pounds of spit-roasted pig and sugarcane-melon margaritas at this all-you-can-eat tribute to the American appetite.
So you want to see fireworks from a prime vantage point yet avoid the Navy Pier crowds. Join this kayak flotilla, which paddles its way to the pier. They have everything you need: flashlights, life preservers, a quick lesson and should you need it: kayaks built for two.
Paddling a kayak presents its own problems: no room for a DJ, dance floor, buffet or cash bar. (It’s so hard to shake a martini while paddling.) Suavely and comprehensively address all those concerns by booking passage aboard this three-hour fireworks tour. That was actually pretty easy.
Even if the city is on some money-saving mission, you’re under no such constraints. (Your bond rating: AAA.) So gather up to 119 patriotic friends aboard this chartered yacht, cozy up on cushioned sofas and sip champagne under the fireworks. This is what freedom tastes like.
