All across the fruited plain on this fine summer morning, American families are making their Independence Day plans. It's a day worth celebrating, and many American families will do so in the traditional manner: Grilled burgers and dogs, maybe a picnic, a cold beverage or two, and of course, a fireworks show. It's also the height of the vacation season - believe you me, the Parks Highway has exploded with the usual summer parade of rental RVs headed north for Denali and points beyond.
So, if an American family is looking for the ideal city in which to spend the 4th, which would it be? Well, Fox Business has some tips, but I'm not sure I see their logic. The metrics used in the WalletHub report that they mention are duration of fireworks shows, weather, affordability, attractions, safety, and accessibility. Here are what they are calling the five best cities to spend Independence Day:
- Las Vegas, Nevada. Sin City gets points for food offerings, and I can vouch for that. But they get points for having a 15-minute fireworks show, which seems on the short side. Plus, Las Vegas, in July? Why not just stand in a furnace?
- New York, New York. You've got to be kidding. New York, the sanctuary city, second-best?
- Los Angeles, California. Well, I'll qualify this one. There are parts of the city that are attractive and clean. But stay away from downtown; Karen Bass's LA is a city in free fall.
- Minneapolis, Minnesota. The report plays up affordability in touting Minneapolis, while noting that the weather is unseasonably hot this year. Affordability, though? Well, supply and demand. Plenty of folks vacation in Minnesota, for the lakes, the fishing, the outdoors. But who goes to Minneapolis?
- St. Paul, Minnesota. The same applies, although you're marginally less likely to find a mob trying to start fires in Minneapolis's sister city.
Let's face it, a lot of our major cities are a right old mess.
The five worst, though, all fall into the category of "belaboring the obvious."
- Newark, New Jersey. I've been there. For the nearly two years I worked in New Jersey, out in the nicer, greener western part of the state, we flew in and out of Newark when returning home. The city is like a demilitarized zone. We got in and out as fast as we could. Fox says if rates are high on "safety and accessibility." Seriously?
- Aurora, Colorado. I lived there for 30 years. I'm disgusted to see what's become of the city I once called home. Many of Aurora's problems are spillovers from Denver, granted, but it's just not a place I'd travel to for fun. If you go there, stay east of I-225 and south of Mississippi Avenue, and you should be OK.
- Laredo, Texas. Now that the border is closed, it seems like Laredo would have a little more appeal. I've been there, but it's been some time; my most recent visit was, if memory serves, in 1988. I remember it as a pleasant enough place.
- Cleveland, Ohio. Well, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is there. Other than that? Meh.
- Jersey City, New Jersey. It's almost serving a stereotype that New Jersey comes in twice on the "worst" list, but there you are. The report says Jersey City ranks as the #1 winner for safety and accessibility. Color me skeptical.
Most folks, likely, will be celebrating Independence Day right in their own community. We will. There's a local parade not too far from our Susitna Valley lodgings, and we'll probably go to that; the parade route runs less than a mile, so it's not a big time investment. And fireworks? Well, it doesn't really get dark this time of year.
Whatever you dear readers do, enjoy your day, enjoy America, and while you're celebrating however you do, remember the commitment and grit of the brave men whose defiance of the world's greatest empire gave us this Independence Day.
Help RedState continue to tell the truth about the Trump administration's accomplishments as we continue to usher in the Golden Era of America. Join RedState’s VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership today.