If you’re planning on hitting the beach this Fourth of July - be prepared, it’s a mess out there. The sand will be lined with towels, parties will dot the coast, and parking… forget about it.

Last year,  one parking lot in Newport was demanding $50 for a spot.

But if you’re determined to curl up on the sand to watch fireworks light up the sky, with water reflecting the vibrant colors, check out this guide to help you navigate the coast.

SEAL BEACH

Seal Beach is pretty mellow compared to other coastal cities, but a firework show out of Long Beach can be seen from the beach. Get there early, parking is scarce.

Fireworks: The show from the Queen Mary in Long Beach is  back this year. Starting time is  9 p.m. Click here for more information.

Parking: Public parking lots at First, Eighth and 10th streets are $3 for two hours or $6 per day. Free street parking in nearby neighborhoods also available.

HUNTINGTON BEACH

While Huntington Beach used to be pretty nuts on this holiday, the city has transformed itself into a family affair. Back in 1978, more than 2,000 people in Huntington Beach shot illegal fireworks, broke windows and threw rocks and bottles.  It got really bad in 1993, when 500 people took over the corner of Olive Avenue and Seventh Street, dancing on vehicles and setting bonfires in the streets. By 1996, police cracked down, arresting 549 people for violations including riding bicycles on sidewalks .The tactics were later criticized by some residents as heavy-handed. The biggest draw these days is a parade that starts along Coast Highway. Click here for more info.
There’s usually about 250,000 who cram the downtown streets throughout the day, and at least double that end up on the beaches.

Traffic and Parking: Be warned that all of Coast Highway will be closed from Golden West to Beach Boulevard from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. because of the parade, and from 7 p.m. to about 11 p.m.  for the fireworks show. Metered parking along that route will also be closed during those times. City run parking – on both sides of the pier and the downtown parking structure at 200 Main Street — cost more than usual. Expect to drop at least  $20 for a spot.

Fireworks: The city puts on a show from the pier at 9 p.m. to about 9:30 p.m. If  you want a spot by the pier, 1,000 VIP  tickets are on sale for $10 a pop. Click here for more info. Fines for using personal fireworks could get you a ticket for $500, $1,000 for subsequent violations.

NEWPORT BEACH

If you’re looking for a party, head to the West Newport area, where about 150,000 revelers jam the streets of West Newport. Lots of bikinis. The party doesn’t get as crazy as it used to, police will be out in full force. Be warned that fines are tripled from 12:01 a.m. July 4 through 3 a.m. on July 5 in West Newport – from 32nd to 54th — in the Safety Enhancement Zone (some call it the War Zone). Arrests have gone from a record 193 in 2001 down to about 125 in recent years. Last year officers gave more than  340 citations for various violations and issued over 600 parking citations.

The most significant problems deal with drinking in public, public intoxication, fighting, uncontrolled parties, possession of fireworks and igniting them in public.
It got really bad in 1986, when rioters threw rocks and sand-filled bottles at police officers. The most common arrest is for being drunk in public. Fines can be up to $1,000. Down on the beach, crowds usually hit about 100,000.

If you have a boat and want to decorate it, enter it into the Newport harbor boat parade, which starts at 1 p.m. Check out more info here.

Fireworks: The Newport Dunes, near Jamboree Road and Coast Highway, puts on what they call Southern California’s largest fireworks display. There’s a day of activities starting at 1 p.m., and the firework show starts at 9 p.m. Cost is $50 per car. Click here for more info

Parking: The lot at Balboa Pier is at Palm Street and Balboa Boulevard. Cost: 50 cents for 20 minutes with an $8/day maximum. The Corona del Mar lot is south of the intersection of Jasmine Avenue and Ocean Boulevard. Cost is $10/day for cars, $20/day for buses. There’s about 2,600 metered parking spaces around town, many along Coast Highway. Rates are 50 cents or $1 per hour. Private lots can demand up to $50.

LAGUNA BEACH

Laguna is always packed, and this weekend is no exception.  There’s no barbecue allowed on the beach, except for the tables at Heisler Park, which are usually taken by about 5 a.m. Tents or pop-ups larger than 6 feet by 6 feet are not allowed.

Parking: There’s metered parking around town, but the biggest tip is to just get there early. A free shuttle is available  from Laguna Canyon, across from the Lumber Yard.

Fireworks: The city puts on a show from Monument Point at Heisler Park, which is viewable from Main Beach. It starts at sunset about 9 p.m. Click here for more info.

DANA POINT HARBOR

Fireworks: The city puts on a firework show, last year they were really late because of technical reasons, only to start it up when most people had given up and gone home. The best spots to see it are at Heritage Park, Lantern Bay Park or Doheny State Beach.

To check out the show from a boat, contact Dana Wharf Sportfishing at (949) 496-5794 for ticket prices and departure information. Jump on a boat for a jazz firework cruise out of Ocean Institute, or Dana Wharf. Click here for more info.

Parking: The city offers free shuttle service from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. from Dana Hills High School, 33333 Golden Lantern. All entrances to the harbor close at 7:30 p.m., and the only way in will be via the shuttle, which drops off at Golden Lantern and Dana Point Harbor Drive. They will leave from the harbor until 11 p.m.

If you want to help clean up the aftermath of the celebration, show up at this beach bright and early on July 5. The Doheny Longboard Surfing Association puts together a clean up ever year, starting about 7 a.m. Believe me, it’s a mess, and they can use all the help they can get.

Fireworks: The Dana Point show is visible from the sand.

Parking: Lots open at 6 a.m. and are usually full by 10 a.m., cost is $10.

SAN CLEMENTE

Fireworks: City show shoots off from the pier about 9 p.m. Best location is a quarter-mile out from either side of the pier.

Parking: Lots north of the pier and nearby metered parking for $1 an hour fill up quick, spots usually gone by 10 a.m. Also lots by the pier at North Beach and Linda Lane. Downtown parking is free but limited to two hours. Click here for more info.

Get a complete map of fireworks displays in Orange County.

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