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The Best 4th of July Fireworks Views in Brooklyn
From Greenpoint all the way down to Coney Island, these are some of the best places to post up for this year's fireworks displays in Brooklyn
Fireworks in Brooklyn aren’t exactly a novel or irregular occurrence. Hell, you’re liable to come across a stray bottle rocket, sparkler, Roman candle, or, frankly, something unseasonably large and loud, on any night after Memorial Day. But with the Fourth of July now just days out, if you haven’t already, it’s time to start scouting your spots for the main event(s).
Luckily, the borough itself is the big show on the Fourth, lighting up the skies in all neighborhoods and in all directions. This means there are virtually no bad angles of approach (unless, of course, you’re staying in for the night, which is fair, though certainly a missed opportunity). But for those of you looking to make a meal of it (and we fully encourage you to do so), we’ve come up with a few options that are worth the time, sweat, and sacrifice it takes to post up properly.
For our dollar, these are some of the best 4th of July fireworks experiences Brooklyn has to offer.
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Transmitter Park
For North Brooklyn residents seeking unobstructed skylines, Transmitter Park could provide an adequate post. The lawns will be lively, the views (depending on time of arrival) will be ample, and the transit options most bountiful (access to the G and L lines are just a few blocks away). However, what makes Greenpoint’s fireworks lookout top-notch isn’t necessarily the view—it’s the sheer range of post-event options within walking distance. No need to scramble for the next move when there’s high-fidelity heat spinning at Eavesdrop, some of the city’s best ice cream scooping at Caffe Panna, and tour de force tacos slinging at Taqueria El Chato.
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The Coney Island Boardwalk
If you’ve never done the 4th of July in Coney Island, shame on you, first of all. And second, you have missed out on what is a categorically singular fireworks experience in this city (or any other, for that matter). Whether you post up on the boardwalk, the beach, Astro La… err, Luna Park, or (cheat code) the West 8th Street subway platform, there’s no bad angles on the best pyrotechnics display south of all the bridges. And if you really want to make it special, hop on the Wonder Wheel right around 9:30pm for panoramic views, with the beachside show out on the water and the entirety of the borough lighting up in every other direction.
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Brooklyn Heights Promenade
Anyone planning to spend the evening in this quadrant of the borough has already submitted to the potential shitstorm the night could bring. And good on them for embracing the chaos and bearing witness to the unending spectacle of a 4th of July in Brooklyn. The Columbia Heights Promenade, propped up over the BQE and Brooklyn Bridge Park with absolutely peerless views of Manhattan, is precisely the place to encounter such madness—especially if you’re not already locked into a viewing location and don’t mind rubbing shoulders with fellow onlookers (or the lack of transit options to and from).
Photo by Michael Gonik
Valentino Pier
While the Macy’s fireworks will be barely, if at all, visible from this outpost, the Valentino Pier does have a pretty stellar view of the Jersey City show just across the river, soaring over Lady Liberty out on the water. It’s not the lone place to see the aerial theatrics in Red Hook —for more elevation, try to grab a table on the roofs of Alma or Brooklyn Crab nearby—but it is the only one within a few short steps of Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pies, which is about as essential of a local seasonal delicacy as you’ll find in these parts.
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Almost any rooftop you can (legally) access
Listen, we’re not here to push you into any precarious legal positions. But for what it’s worth, if there’s a roof you can get to—and honestly, almost any will do—forget everything you read here today, save yourself the hassle, and just get up there. If you’ve spent any Fourths here, you already know the real gift of an Independence Day in Brooklyn is that the borough itself is the show. Any block in almost any neighborhood is bound to be shooting fire and sparks at the sky with or without the official permitting. And if you’re creative enough to find a space that’s maybe three or four floors up, you’ll be better off than 99% of the people packing into the waterfronts.
