South Lake Tahoe Fireworks Ranked #6 in America

Fireworks in South Lake Tahoe

I've seen fireworks displays in at least a few dozen locations in America, over cities, theme parks, mountains, the ocean, and lakes. This Summer I saw the best I've seen yet, in South lake Tahoe. Ranked #6 on the top 15 by AOL, (July 4th Fireworks: 15 of the Biggest Shows in America Ranked), it offers some of the most interesting and innovative burst patterns I've seen. The pace is great, choreographed to music playing on a local radio station.  If you live within driving distance, it's definitely a show to put on your bucket list.

Impeccably choreographed fireworks display.

Fireworks Photography on the July 4th Weekend, 2010

Fireworks Over Lake Tahoe, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

Even landscape photographers take a day or two off from time to time, but that doesn't mean that we can't still take our cameras along! On Saturday I enjoyed fireworks and a BBQ at a friend's house overlooking Napa Valley, then headed up to Lake Tahoe the next night to enjoy fireworks there as well. Before the fireworks began, I spent some time exploring the prolific lupine growing along the shoreline.  Tahoe is a great place to catch fireworks, since there are many displays around the lake, and some towns avoid the competition from other displays by scheduling theirs for July 3, so you can actually pursue fireworks 2 nights in a row!

There used to be a great display at Squaw Valley resort, but in recent years that has been suspended due to increased fire danger in the recent drought years.