Where to see 4th of July fireworks in L.A. for 2023

AmericaFest at the Rose Bowl has been squashed due to budget reasons, but this MLS match certainly isn’t a bad subsitute. Thanks to a bit of inclement weather at the start of the season, the L.A. Galaxy and LAFC will now play in Pasadena on July 4, with a post-match fireworks show shot off from the adjacent Brookside Golf Course.

With the match slated to start at 7:30pm, expect the fireworks to commence well after 9pm. Since tickets are sold out, you’ll only be able watch from the areas around—but not in—the Arroyo. This is where things get a little tricky this year: Traditionally most people flock toward the Colorado Street Bridge and the neighborhoods west of the 210, as well as parking garage rooftops in Old Pasadena for a somewhat distant show. But AmericaFest only had patchy attendance in part of the stadium, whereas the hometown soccer rivalry will bring 70,000-plus ticketholders to the stadium and countless others in nearby bars—in other words, expect things to be more crowded than normal.

There’s something about watching fireworks over the ocean. Every year in Marina del Rey, fireworks explode over the marina channel and spectators gather all over to watch: at Burton Chace Park or Fisherman’s Village as well as from Marina “Mother’s” Beach, waterfront hotels and restaurants, and on boats. Fireworks start at 9pm and usually last for about 20 minutes. Arrive early to the area’s county lots.

The Hollywood Bowl hosts a fireworks-filled summer bash each year, and this time around the Beach Boys will have the honor of tackling the show. Bring a bottle of wine and sit through the show (tickets start at $29 way in the back) and then stick around for the post-concert pyro, held after all three dates.

Psst: Looking for more fireworks at the Bowl? You’ll catch them after the Game Awards 10-Year Concert (June 25), Tchaikovsky Spectacular (Aug 18, 19) and Maxwell (Sept 8–10).

Roll out a blanket, crack open some beers, listen to some tunes and pose in the photo booth during a night of fireworks over Hollywood Forever Cemetery. After a staggering three fireworks-filled evenings last year, Cinespia is back down to a single event, a screening of Pee-wee’s Big Adventure on July 1 with a pryo-filled after-party.

The Queen Mary isn’t quite ready to partake in a fireworks show again, but the rest of Long Beach sure is. This Fourth of July, you’ll find pyro over Queensway Bay around 9pm for a free show easily viewable from most of the Long Beach waterfront’s attractions. If you’d rather watch from the water, Harbor Breeze Cruises has two different boats departing from Rainbow Harbor ($50–$75) on the Fourth. In addition, you can see a show on the eastern edge of the city over Alamitos Bay on July 3.

Cruise on up to the Palisades for a beachy Independence Day extravaganza. Things kick off in the afternoon with a 2pm WWII fighter plane flyover to herald the start of the parade. The baton twirlers and marching trombonists will begin their promenade on Sunset Boulevard, between Via de la Paz and Drummond. There’s also an early evening concert, followed by a 9pm fireworks show at Palisades Charter High School (tickets required).

Dodger Stadium hosts fireworks on Friday nights throughout the season, but they do it up extra on the Fourth of July. Buy tickets to see the team take on the Pittsburgh Pirates on the Fourth and then stick around for a fireworks show you can see from your seat; line up on the field level near the end of the game and you can even watch from the outfield grass.

Burbank’s Starlight Bowl is putting together a whole evening of 4th of July festivities, starting with a performance by Bruce Springsteen and U2 tribute bands. Then it’s on to the fireworks show around 9pm. If you’re not really into the programming but still want to see some pyro, we’d suggest scoping out Castaway just across the canyon, which typically offers fireworks seating and some pretty killer views of the Valley.

Make your Fourth of July an all-day blowout by heading down to this legendary, long-running fest at the Huntington Beach Pier. The festivities kick off with a 5K run and fitness expo. Walk the parade route to the beach and then put on your Uncle Sam hat for the four-day Pier Plaza Festival, where you’ll find live entertainment, family activities and all-American eats. Scope out a spot or grab a VIP seat for the fireworks display at 9pm, which ends in an epic 500-round finale.

Disneyland shoots off fireworks practically every night of the year, but you can see “Celebrate America!,” a patriotic red-white-and-blue display especially for the Fourth. Just a heads up that you currently need a reservation to visit Disneyland (though the fireworks are visible sans music from pretty much anywhere near the park—look to the sky around 9:30pm).

The storied movie studio and theme park fires off a Fourth of July pyro extravaganza with fireworks synchronized to both Universal-themed music and patriotic standards. Though we’re still awaiting all of the details for 2023, the past few years have added other holiday touches along the way, including themed décor and a fife and drum band. You’ll be able to view the 9pm fireworks from two locations, most likely the Universal Plaza in the upper lot as well as near the Transformers ride on the lower lot (if you were thinking of getting away with watching from CityWalk, you should expect limited to no visibility from the shopping district).

Theme parks, fireworks and Coca-Cola—talk about a patriotic trio. Six Flags will shoot off fireworks over four straight nights at its Valencia park. As far as the carbonated sponsorship goes, expect to be able to slurp down some festive concoctions while you’re there. Look out for the fireworks over the Full Throttle Plaza and Main Gate Plaza around 9pm.

What’s more American than spending your Fourth of July listening to the roar of revving engines and loud booms? That’s the idea behind Kaboom, an annual celebration at the Fairplex that features motocross and monster trucks, followed by a fireworks spectactular at 9pm.

We’ll be upfront: Yes, Big Bear fires off some impressive pyro, but you really shouldn’t go if you don’t already have overnight accommodations. The traffic getting into and out of the mountain resort, as well as around the lake, is abysmal over any long weekend. Toss in some fireworks as well and everything around the mountain lake becomes a downright nightmare. If you are going to be there, you’ll find the best visibility for the half-hour show (which starts between 8:45 and 9:15pm and runs for over a half hour) on the eastern half of the lake, with mostly clear views from the north shore (there’s also a mountaintop party at Snow Summit). But remember, you’ve been warned.

Though it’s shot off fireworks in the past, this year Grand Park will host a 12-minute-long drone show—a flurry of some 500 iluminated drones above the Music Center—around 9pm.