Parade & Fireworks
We went to the mall to see the 4th of July Parade, it wasn't a bad ride/walk and we found curb space in the shade within the last block of the parade, just past the White House. It was really hot and the parade was very long about 2.5 hours. By the end the marchers were really dragging, over 100 received medical attention for heat related problems.
The parade was really nice, the kids loved it, and since we were 1 block from the White House, we also saw the President's helicopter fly over during the parade. After the parade we walked back to the hotel to rest up during the afternoon before the fireworks. We stopped at TGIF for lunch/dinner and cool off from the heat.
We took a taxi as close as we could get for the fireworks after a bad thunderstorm caused them to evacuate the Mall around 5pm. We got there about 7pm after the rain stopped and only had to walk about 3 blocks. Once we got through security, we located a spot close to the Washington Monument and the stage for the Jazz concert. I enjoyed the 40-50s style music. We brought our picnic blankets, snacks, water and even though the ground was really wet, we stayed dry.
It wasn't buggy or hot after the rain and the fireworks were great. Our view was from the base of the Washington Monument facing the Lincoln Memorial. The fireworks were set off from the sides of the reflection pond we were overlooking, so it was great and loud.
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