Fireworks in Washington DC for July 4th

What to do for July 4th? That was the question my friend and I were asking at midnight on the 3rd.

Washington DC was the suggestion...only a 6 hour drive from Ohio. The fireworks at Washington Monument. Why not?

We drove the 6 hours to just outside Washington DC and parked at a Metro station making it into the city by early afternoon. The city did not seem overly crowded though there were plenty of police officers out and about. Constitution Avenue was completely shut down and we had to pass through security checks to get onto the National Mall. After walking around we chose to watch the fireworks display on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial looking down the National Mall towards the Washington Monument and the US Capital Building.

The fireworks were awesome especially with the Washington Monument in the background. My photos do not do it justice.

At 6am we arrived back on Ohio very tired. 12 hours of driving, 10 miles of walking, and 15 minutes of fireworks!! It was a crazy trip to do in one day but lots of fun and so worth it!