Your ultimate guide to Fourth of July Weekend in Dayton

Are you ready for the boom and the pop?

So are we. 

Luckily, there are a heap of ways to celebrate America’s independence, get your grub on and enjoy a  little R & R in Dayton over the Fourth of July weekend in the Dayton area.
And good news, it looks like the weather is going to cooperate.

PLAN YOUR KABOOM 

Make your firework plans.  We’ve done the heavy lifting for you.

Here are the  absolute best places to watch fireworks in the Dayton area right here.

FLAME ON 

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Zinks Meats and Fine Wines. CONNIE POST/STAFF

Dayton has the meat.

Hit up a meat market for your cookouts. There are several: Brunks Cut N Carve Meat Shoppe; Keener Farm's Butcher Block East Dayton Meat & PoultryDot's Market and Zink's Meat Market included.

Not interested in grilling (say it ain't so)? Get some delicious food from a local deli, then head to one of these great picnic destinations.

BE AMUSED, BE VERY AMUSED

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The rides at Soak City at Kings Island bring thrills and fun. Contributed photo.

Amusement is a short drive from the "D." The Beach Waterpark and Kings Island are open for business and ready to splash you and blast you through the air. A few thousand of your friends are likely to be there, too. 

TAKE A HIKE 

There are some fantastic places to explore in the Dayton area, from Huffman, Eastwood and Taylorsville MetroParks to John Bryan and Glen Helen.

Maybe you'll even see guys with cameras on their heads.

EAT OUT 

What better time for patio dining than now? What better places than these 14 Kickass Dayton patios?

And while we are talking about outside eats, the long weekend is the perfect opportunity to visit some local favorites who make it easy to grab a cone, root beer or burger from your favorite local "outside" restaurant. 

SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM

There are plenty of places in the area to get ice cream and other frozen treats, from the guilt-free vegan paleo Fronana in downtown Dayton to the well-known, well-loved local staple Graeter's. And who could forget Young's Jersey Dairy, or JD's Custard in Englewood? The options are endless.

HIT THE ROAD LIKE YOU MEAN IT

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La Piazza’s patio. Contributed photo by Alexis Larsen

Gas up your car.  How many of these 7 must-see sights within driving distance of Dayton have you visited?  Explore your own back yard. When was the last time you visited  Troy or Fairborn? If you're a history buff, don't miss these 5 Underground Railroad sites near Dayton.

BEER ME, BEER YOU

It's time to take a walking brewery tour. This is definitely one of the most popular items on our Dayton Bucket List 2016. Start at the Fifth Street Brewpub and walk down Fifth to the Oregon, you can then hit Toxic, Warped Wing, Barrell House and the new Dayton Beer Company. The best part of the tour is you can stumble to all five breweries in just under a mile.

GRAB A BIKE 

The Dayton and Miami Valley area has received national recognition for its awesome bike trails, so get some exercise and catch some sights while you're at it. Or you can grab a Link Bike and explore downtown Dayton.

And as you can do it safely.

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