Independence Day is a great place to be in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and other places in the San Francisco Bay Area. You can find a variety of special events, pub crawls, concerts and more to celebrate the holiday leading up to the big fireworks shows all over the Bay Area. 

San Francisco offers the most popular spot to watch the Independence Day Fireworks with two synchronized shows launching from Pier 39 and the Municipal Pier, which can be seen for miles. You can view the show up close from Fisherman’s Wharf, from a variety of rooftops like the San Francisco Art Institute and from elevated parks like Bernal Heights Park. You can also catch the show from across the Bay in Sausalito, Tiburon, Marin Headlands, Mount Tam, Treasure Island and more. 

Aside from the big show in San Francisco, you can also see fireworks show at Great America, The Marin County Fair, Concord Pavilion, The Berkeley Marina, Shoreline Amphitheater and lots of other spots. 

If you are heading out to see the fireworks at night, going to the Fourth of July Pub Crawl or going on an Independence Day Cruise, keep in mind that it is a really busy night all over the Bay Area so you can expect a lot of traffic. Make sure you give yourself some extra time to get to your destinations and, if you are planning on drinking, choose a designated driver or plan on taking an Uber home. Also, July in San Francisco can be cold, especially at night, so make sure you bring a jacket or some warm clothes.