HOW TO SPEND THE FOURTH OF JULY ON THE WATER
Thankfully, hosting safe gatherings with friends and family is becoming more feasible than they were a year ago. With July approaching, now is the perfect time to put together a great celebration for the Fourth. If the weather’s warm near you, there’s no better way to celebrate than taking a boat onto the water to enjoy good company, cocktails, and fireworks. Even if you’re new to the world of boat parties, we’ll show you the ropes. Check out the guide below to learn how to spend the Fourth of July on the water correctly.
FIND THE BEST VIEW
If you want to enjoy the fireworks from the water, look for boating spots where you can still see fireworks clearly. There are plenty of firework displays to watch across the country, so do a little digging into local shows to find one close enough to a body of water where you can rent a boat. That’s one of the best things about celebrating on boats—the vehicle’s mobility lets you travel to various areas across the water to drop anchor and hang out for the evening. If fireworks aren’t your concern, you should at least find a spot with an exciting view that’s worthy of photo ops. To put it simply, make the most of your aquatic venue.
RENT A BOAT
To spend the big day on the water, you need to rent a suitable boat. Once you know where you want to view the local fireworks display, look for rental providers on the water. Before committing to any single service provider, look into previous customer reviews to ensure the company is worth hiring. Likewise, learn about the rules the rental service expects you to follow when aboard their boats. For example, on our party boats in Austin, TX, you can bring alcohol, but don’t assume every rental service follows the same restrictions on the subject. Homework isn’t always fun, but, in this case, it’ll pay off.
PACK THE ESSENTIALS
The best tip for how to spend the Fourth of July on the water is to pack everything you need. Aside from your booze of choice, don’t forget to bring the essentials with you. For boat rides, essentials include a cooler, water, ice, first aid kits, sunscreen, towels, a second set of clothes, and dry bags. If you’re unfamiliar with dry bags, their purpose is right there in the name—they’re bags for safely storing personal items you don’t want to get wet or lost, such as phones, wallets, and so forth. Make a checklist of everything you need for the big day and double-check before heading to the dock. If you spend the afternoon in the water only to realize there are no towels in your bag, “festive” and “joyous” won’t be the words flying through your head. By double-checking the essentials, you can prevent rookie mistakes from ruining the celebration.