Where to watch fireworks - easy to find parking (Austin: home, neighborhood)

[Indigoblue]

I'll be watching fireworks with my four little boys, hubby, and parents and don't want to go somewhere that involves getting there really early to get a good parking spot. We're way up in super NW Austin so am assuming we would have to drive to see good fireworks Any lesser known good spots to park that are not hard to find/access in the dark and we could get to fairly last minute and still be able to park at? The boys won't be able to handle camping out/sitting for extended periods of time anywhere at all Thank you!!

PS. A plus would be that I could easily plug the location into my GPS

[mark311]

We've gone to the Barton Creek Square mall parking lot in the past to watch the fireworks and it was great. The parking lot is huge and as long as it's a clear night, you'll have a great view. You don't need to walk away from your car at all. Some people just setup their chairs in the beds of their trucks and watch them from there. However, traffic getting out of there will probably still be heavy when the fireworks are done.

[10scoachrick]

Sounds like you are near Cedar Park...they had a very nice fireworks display last year. We did get caught in some traffic--especially since we had been here only 4 weeks at that point...who knew Lakeline Blvd. went East-West and North-South?

Linky for Cedar Park activities:
City of Cedar Park - Fourth of July (http://www.ci.cedar-park.tx.us/cp/pr_events_fourth.aspx - broken link)

[Indigoblue]

Thanks for the tips so far Free watermelon at the Cedar Park one sounds good I was told that the Leander fireworks trumped the Cedar Park fireworks. Which makes me wonder - does Austin have the best fireworks show? Does Round Rock do something fantabulous?

I live where CP, Austin, and RR meet

[Indigoblue]

Here's info on Austin fireworks from About.com
Austin 4th of July Events

July 4th in Austin:

The fourth of July in Austin is a very festive time in the city. There is always a major fireworks event downtown, which is open to the public. Additionally, there are always fireworks and events in the Lake Travis area. Read on to learn about the various events to celebrate Independence Day in Austin in 2009!

H-E-B Austin Symphony July 4th Concert & Fireworks:
This is the largest 4th of July event in Austin. Held at Auditorium Shores at The Long Center, more than 100,000 Austinites will attend. The Austin Symphony will perform patriotic music, including the 1812 Overture, which will feature the shooting of cannons by the Texas National Guard Salute Battery. Fireworks will be shot over Lady Bird Lake. The orchestra will begin playing at 8:30 p.m. and fireworks start at 9:30 p.m., lasting through 10. Arrive early to grab a good spot! The event is free and open to the public. Please note that alcohol and glass containers are not permitted, but concessions will be sold.

Volente Beach 4th of July Fireworks:
Volente Beach Waterpark, which is on Lake Travis, offers another wonderful way to celebrate July 4th in Austin. There will be live music and a firework show that starts at dusk. The event is free to guests who purchased park admission prior to 8 p.m., and costs $5 for guests entering the park after 8.

July 4th Celebration in Lakeway:
The city of Lakeway, which lies on the outskirts of Austin, has its own Independence Day celebration. At 8:30 a.m., there will be a 4th of July parade down Lakeway Drive. The Pageant at the Lakeway Activity Center for the Grand Marshal Speech begins at 10:30 am.. Starting at 6 p.m., attendees will enjoy food, live entertainment, and fireworks. The events will end at 10:00 p.m.

Carlos 'N Charlies Fireworks Extravaganza:
The infamous restaurant and bar on Lake Travis hosts its annual 4th of July party, though it is on July 3rd. The details are to come, but you can expect live music and an incredible fireworks show.

[Indigoblue]

For the 100k people one at the Long Center - is it worth fighting the crowds? How early do you have to get there to get a good spot? Are there shuttles bringing people from faraway parking areas?

http://www.austinsymphony.org/tickets/events/h-e-b-austin-symphony/ (broken link)

Directions:
http://www.austinsymphony.org/visitor/directions

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by Indigoblue

For the 100k people one at the Long Center - is it worth fighting the crowds? How early do you have to get there to get a good spot? Are there shuttles bringing people from faraway parking areas?

H-E-B Austin Symphony July 4th Concert & Fireworks | Events | Tickets & Events | Austin Symphony (http://www.austinsymphony.org/tickets/events/h-e-b-austin-symphony/ - broken link)

Directions:
Directions & Parking | Visitor Information | Austin Symphony

CapMetro had an ad in today's paper showing route #s to/from as well as some hours. It suggested planning your trip on their site.

Hey, why don't we take the Metro train into town to see....oh, wait...never mind. Maybe NEXT year!

[love roses]

yes, RR does fireworks as well.

[mimimomx3]

Traffic is terrible coming into Austin on the 4th. I'd stay as close to home as I could to enjoy my local fireworks and save the aggravation. Austin's fireworks are nice, but I'm not sure I'd deal with traffic, etc. for them....they're not that great.

[robino2001]

If you want easy last minute parking, I'd go to Round Rock for their show... it's quite good sized. I'd imagine it's the second biggest in the area (behind CoA naturally), plus there are tons of little side roads around the park that'll give you great views. You can easily take 79 towards the park (and Dell Diamond) and turn left onto Joe Dimaggio (the entrance to Legends Village) and just park in Legends Village or on Joe Dimaggio itself. People do that every year, but it's never crowded to the point where you can't find a spot to park.

We're in a neighborhood adjacent to the park and have a perfect view of it every year (not to mention every Express game fireworks show) and people often will just park along the main road to the neighborhood for a view.