When planning the ultimate summer road trip to celebrate the nation’s birthday, the usual historic heavyweights probably come to mind. You might think about fighting the massive tourist crowds on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., navigating the sweltering streets of Philadelphia, or booking an expensive coastal hotel room in San Diego. But according to a massive new nationwide poll, the absolute best place to witness Independence Day this year is a vibrant, midwestern river city that might not even be on your radar.
In a major upset, the annual Independence Day Celebration in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was officially voted the number-one best Fourth of July festival in the country by the readers of USA Today’s 10Best. The Steel City managed to completely beat out the nation’s most iconic historic hubs to claim the top crown.
According to USA Today, what sets this specific celebration apart from the rest of the pack isn’t just the sheer scale of the pyrotechnics, but the jaw-dropping, dramatic backdrop of the city’s distinctive, glittering skyline reflecting across the water as the fireworks launch over the famous Three Rivers…