Fireworks, barbeques, parades, and live music—no other holiday spells summer fun quite like the 4th of July. Although you could just as easily celebrate America's birthday by watching the festivities on TV or setting out some lawn chairs and a grill in your backyard, some Independence Day celebrations are worth the trip, especially if they're right up the road from you. Here are our picks for the country's top ten places to ring in the 4th.

10. Mount Rushmore, South Dakota
With the faces of our country's most venerated presidents etched indelibly in the stone of the Black Hills, this national monument epitomizes American history and pride. Attend interpretive talks at the historic Sculptor's Studio throughout the day on July 3. At night, watch the B-1 Flyover by the Ellsworth Air Force Base and the fireworks display, which will light up the faces of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt.

9. Greater Williamsburg, Virginia
Celebrate July 4th with living history in the Greater Williamsburg area, the center of political events leading up to the American Revolution. Catch four nights of fireworks from July 1-4 at Boom'n July at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg. Or go back in time and celebrate the colonial way with the fife and drum militia parades in Colonial Williamsburg. In nearby Yorktown, where American independence was won, you can stroll through Historic Yorktown and enjoy live entertainment, a children's fun center, a patriotic concert, and an additional fireworks display.

8. Miami, Florida
A holiday smack dab in the middle of summer just begs for a beach party. The Miami Beach Fourth of July Celebration (at 8th Street and Ocean Drive) kicks off with a swearing-in ceremony for some of the country's newest naturalized citizens, and continues with live music 'til nightfall when fireworks begin. Downtown, America's Birthday Bash gets rolling at 3 P.M., and you can enjoy live multicultural music and taste international food from the many booths. A little further south in Key Biscayne, watch the floats, music, and fireworks during the Fourth of July Parade.

7. San Diego, California
Okay, so make that two beach parties. During the day, Pacific and Mission beaches will be packed with holiday sunbathers. At the Del Mar Fairgrounds, have some good ol' American fun on the rides at the San Diego County Fair and listen to live music. On the Embarcadero at San Diego Bay on July 3, 4, and 5, the San Diego Symphony presents a Star Spangled Pops concert each evening at 7:30. And on the night of July 4, watch the Big Bay Boom, the biggest fireworks display in the region, shooting out from barges floating in the bay.

6. New Orleans, Louisiana
Like every festival N'awlins hosts, it's always a roarin' good time, and the 4th of July is no exception. The city's Go 4th on the River festival offers concerts at the French Market and a free Mardi Gras-style party with live music, food, and door prizes. The main attraction is the Dueling Barges Fireworks Extravaganza, where tug boats and barges battle it out for the best pyrotechnics show over the Mississippi River.