Macy's 4th of July fireworks show is set to blast off from the Brooklyn Bridge and four barges nearby in 2025. An annual unforgettable highlight of the summer, on Friday, July 4, 2025, the Macy's 4th of July fireworks explode in the 49th edition of this incredible Independence Day celebration. More than 60,000 shells are set to light up the night sky.

Spectators should be able to see Macy's 4th of July fireworks from many neighborhoods along the waterfront in Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. New this year: a city-sponsored lottery doles out FREE tickets to public viewing areas. Looking for more FREE summer fireworks displays in NYC? Check out our roundup of where to see fireworks all summer long here, and bookmark our Ultimate NYC Kids Summer Vacation Guide for all our top seasonal picks.

New York is the ultimate city for foodies, including for kids with adventurous palates. While there are restaurants on just about every corner with nearly every possible cuisine to sample, there are also lots of unique and fun food experiences for NYC kids to discover. Think interactive cooking, edible adventures, and one-of-a-kind dining experiences. If you've got a budding foodie in your house, we've rounded up eight culinary adventures sure to create some tasty memories.

For more tips on dining out in NYC with kids, check out our comprehensive NYC Kids' Guide to Family-Friendly Restaurants. We've got neighborhood-specific information about the best places to eat and the best insider tips.

The NYC Parks Department's FREE swimming lessons have returned for the summer season, and we have the details to get you—and your child—back in the pool. These FREE swimming lessons require entering an online lottery for each session, which run year-round in spring, summer, fall, and winter. Registration is now open for the FREE summer swimming lessons.

Read on for the details on where to swim for FREE, or check our directory of paid kids' swim classes, and mommy-and-me swim lessons for babies and toddlers.

New York City is one of the most bustling places in the world, which can make outings with any child tough, but things get particularly tricky for parents of kids on the autism spectrum, who might worry about overstimulation in even the most kid-friendly settings. That’s why many museums and cultural centers have created comfortable, sensory-friendly, safe spaces for families with special needs to explore, often in tandem with educators and specialists.

We’ve gathered up the best of the bunch, from programs at The Met and Intrepid Museum to an after-school Subway Sleuths program, as well as several FREE options. Peruse our NYC Special Needs Guide for more helpful tips and local programs.