4th of July and Fireworks

I know I already shared some of our 4th of July activities with you,

but there are just a couple more things I'd like to share.

I have a 4th of July tip and

a fireworks video {it's at the bottom if you want to see it first} for you!

We got off to a late start yesterday, because we thought it would be a good idea to visit Clearwater Beach on the 4th of July. Lesson learned: Do your research! Never visit Clearwater Beach on the 4th of July! Okay, maybe I'm being a little melodramatic here, but we spent what felt like hours {it was probably more like 20 minutes} driving around 'hunting' for a parking spot. It was less than an enjoyable, and we felt that being charged $30 for parking was highway robbery! {yes, some parking lots, the ones that still had spaces available, were charging that much to park for a few hours at the beach} Needless to say, we drove away from the Clearwater Beach area as quickly as possible and headed towards another beach that we had in mind.

After our little 'Clearwater setback', we drove off to our second beach of choice! Honeymoon Island is a Florida state park near the town of Dunedin, and we thought that the $8 entrance fee (for two people in one vehicle) might deter some people from spending the 4th of July there. That $8 entrance fee was well worth the peace of mind that came with finding a parking space the second that we pulled up to the beach! After parking and carrying our things to the beach, we spent a really lovely afternoon at the Honeymoon Island beach. The beach was crowded, and that was expected on a holiday. However, parking was easy, and that made us happy.

We parked our umbrella, blanket, and chairs and promptly headed straight for the water!

The sun was shining, and the breeze, thankfully, was blowing.

Our day on the beach would not have been complete without sipping a couple of Colorado-brewed beers. The red, white, and blue cans were appropriate for the holiday.

After the parking setback at Clearwater Beach, we were really happy with our decision to bail and head to Honeymoon Island instead. It was busy, but the smaller beach was more down our alley.

The 4th of July is obviously a very popular, and really busy, holiday in this country. People are on vacation, kids are out of school, and everyone wants a good party. Patience is key. Know what you're getting yourself into when you visit popular tourist destinations... especially when visiting them on a holiday.


I know myself well enough to know that I'm one of those people who would rather visit places during the 'slow time' of the year. Disney World is much more enjoyable between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The ski slopes in Colorado are great during the week days. After yesterday, I've learned to avoid any major beach destinations during the 4th of July. Have some patience, know yourself, plan ahead, and your holiday will go more smoothly.

Now, for the moment you've all been waiting for:
{warning: turn down your volume}

The Saint Petersburg Pier fireworks!

I hope you enjoyed them as much as we did. (: