San Diego's 4th of July Fireworks & Parades 2017! Graff Realty's Top Picks

Happy (almost) 4th of July from Graff Realty! If you’re like us, you already have your red white and blue outfit on display in your closet and have placed your patriotic pet bandana order on Amazon. A trip to Party City for additional accessories (we like the light up necklaces and glow sticks) may also be on this week’s to-do list.

As San Diegan Realtors®, we’re always being asked for restaurant suggestions, along with our opinions of best beaches and fun things to do in neighborhoods across this sunny beach city. 4th of July is one of our favorite holidays to celebrate in San Diego, so if you don’t already know where you’re going to watch the fireworks this year, you’re in luck! Based on our personal opinions and a quite a bit of research, we’ve compiled a list of this year’s best bets for a memorable San Diegan 4th of July! 

Note: The event times and locations listed below are subject to change and possible cancellation due to inclement weather or unforeseen circumstances.


San Diego's 4th of July Fireworks & Parades 2017! Graff Realty's Top Picks

LA JOLLA

Family photo at Bird Rock's Parade, 7/4/16

PARADE: Bird Rock's 38th Annual Beaumont Avenue 4th of July Parade (This year’s theme is “Tiki Time”)
·      When: July 4th at 10am
·      Where: Beaumont Ave. between Camino de La Costa and Via Del Norte

Arrive early to find parking and get a good parade-viewing spot! This is our go-to 4th of July morning event, as the huge majority of attendees are festively dressed and many of Beaumont Avenue’s homes are donned in red white and blue. Last year, there was live music, a free photo booth and food trucks at the parade's finish line. For additional information, please refer to page 15 of the Bird Rock Newsletter HERE.

FIREWORKS: La Jolla Cove Fireworks
·       When: July 4th at 9pm
·       Where:  Ellen Browning Scripps Park, 1180 Coast Boulevard, La Jolla, CA 92037

This is by far our favorite firework-viewing spot in SD! We bring beach chairs and claim our spot amongst the crowd on Girard Ave. & Coast Blvd., as the road is on a nice downslope and the fireworks are close enough to appear beautifully enormous. Prefer a more sophisticated firework-viewing option? George's at the Cove is is offering "Fourth of July Dinner and Fireworks", which includes a three course meal. Learn more and book your reservation HERE.


Other noteworthy 4th of July events and firework displays happening across coastal San Diego:

DOWNTOWN

FIREWORKS: “Big Bay Boom”
·       When: July 4th at 9pm
·       Where: Various Locations along San Diego Bay (Map out your game plan HERE)

This is by far San Diego’s biggest firework show! Fireworks will be launched from four barges across North San Diego Bay.

CORONADO

PARADE: Independence Day Parade
·       When: July 4th at 10am
·       Where: Orange Ave from 1st Street to Churchill Place


ADDITIONAL EVENTS: Concert in the Park by the Coronado Community Concert Band (Review a full list of the day's events HERE)
·       When: July 4th at 4pm
·       Where: Spreckels Park (601 Orange Ave.)


FIREWORKS:
·       When: July 4th at 9pm, set to music on 96.5FM
·       Where: Glorietta Bay (The Coronado Golf Course and Stingray Point are both excellent viewing spots!)

DEL MAR

PARADE: Del Mar Foundation's Annual 4th of July Parade
·       When: July 4th at 9:30am
·       Where: Starts at Powerhouse Park (1658 Coast Blvd Del Mar, CA 92014) and makes its way up Coast Blvd.

Live DJ and complimentary refreshments provided by Jake’s Del Mar and Gelson’s Del Mar.

FIREWORKS: San Diego County Fair's Firework Show
·       When: July 4th at 9pm
·       Where: Del Mar Fairgrounds, at the Heineken Grandstand Stage

OCEANSIDE

PARADE: 23rd Annual Independence Parade
·       When: July 1st at 10am
·       Where: Downtown Oceanside Parade Route Map


ADDITIONAL EVENTS: 16th Annual Decorated Dinghy Parade (Review a full list of the weekend's events HERE)
·       When: July 4th 1-3pm
·       Where: Oceanside Harbor


FIREWORKS: Oceanside Fireworks Show
·       When: July 3rd, 6-10pm
·       Where: Rancho del Oro (north of Oceanside Blvd.)

Bring a beach chair and stake your spot on Rancho del Oro. Food trucks will be parked along the street. 

OCEAN BEACH

FIREWORKS:
·       When: 9pm, set to music on 96.5FM
·       Where: Ocean Beach Pier (Newport Ave.)  


Enjoyed reading San Diego's 4th of July Fireworks 2017! Graff Realty's Top Picks?  Subscribe to our blog HERE to follow our fun conversations about the sunny San Diego community that we love. We'd love to hear about your opinions about San Diego's firework shows in our conversation below!  Interested in buying or selling a piece of real estate? Learn more about Graff Realty's exceptional Realtors® HERE, who will make sure your next transaction is a smooth and simple one.

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THE BEST CHICAGO STYLE PIZZA IN SAN DIEGO

We've tried lots, disliked most and concluded that true Chicago style deep dish pizza could only be found in Chicago. That is until we stumbled upon two local pizzerias in San Diego that serve pies that are pretty darn close to the authentic culinary masterpieces that we enjoy while visiting Chi-town.  If you have yet to hit these neighborhood hotspots, now's the time to discover The Best Chicago Style Pizza in San Diego!

Image Credit: Eric Chan

Image Credit: Eric Chan

BUT FIRST YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF, "DEEP DISH OR STUFFED?"

How about one of each! There are two versions of Chicago style deep dish pizza, traditional deep dish and stuffed. Deep dish is the original when it comes to Chicago style pizza and was first debuted at Pizzeria Uno in Chicago (Chicagoans refer to this locale as UNOs) in the 1940s, though it is debated as to who should be named the creator of the first deep dish pie.  

Stuffed pizza, taking deep dish to a whole new level, was introduced in Chicago in the mid 1970s.  Novice deep dish eaters can hardly tell the difference between the two styles of pizza by just looking at them. The only real noticeable difference is that stuffed pizza is a bit "deeper" than deep dish. Once cut and served, however, the difference is clear.  

The simplest way to explain it is that stuffed pizza has one more layer of dough than deep dish.  Both deep dish and stuffed versions are typically cooked in circular, high sided pans and are built "upside down" in a sauce-on-top manner.

Deep dish pizzas are usually built by first arranging the toppings on the crust, then adding cheese, and topping off the creation with a chunky red sauce.  Stuffed pizza starts off like deep dish, usually assembled with the toppings on the bottom and then cheese, but is then followed by an extra thin layer of pizza dough and more cheese before it is topped off with a chunky red sauce.

They're both phenomenal when ordered at the right establishments.  Therefore, we recommend both at certain pizzerias and neither at others.  Moving on...


CHICAGO'S LANDMARK PIZZERIAS

We've eaten pizza all over the globe and still insist that Chicago's pies tower over the vast majority of its worldly competition. The following is a compilation of our tried and true pizzeria favorites.  All four of these companies have transformed into chains, so please note that the locations listed are purposeful... and better than their chain imitators!

162 E. Superior Street, Chicago, IL 60611

29 E. Ohio Street, Chicago, IL 60611

730 N. Rush Street, Chicago, IL 60611

6649 N. Lincoln Avenue, Lincolnwood, IL 60712


TRUE CHICAGO STYLE - RIGHT HERE IN SAN DIEGO (SAY WHAT?!)

So, next time you're craving a slice of Chi-town goodness for dinner but still want to catch a stunning SoCal sunset at Ocean Beach Pier or atop Mount Soledad, keep these yummy pizzerias in mind!

Mission Hills Location:  4030 Goldfinch Street, San Diego, CA 92103

Image Credit: Lefty's

Image Credit: Lefty's

"THE PIZZA PIES ARE NOSTALGIC, LEANING HEAVILY TOWARD THE TYPE MY DAD USED TO BRING HOME FROM A PLACE NEAR WHERE HE WORKED IN CHICAGO."

-DONNA W.

"BEING FROM CHICAGO, IT IS GREAT TO HAVE A SOME AUTHENTIC CHICAGO FOOD NEARBY!"

-MARK M.

 

Testimonials Credit: TripAdvisor


UTC Location:  4150 Regents Park Row #100, La Jolla, CA 92037

Image Credit: @RegentsPizza

Image Credit: @RegentsPizza

"THIS IS THE BEST PIZZA IN SAN DIEGO. I'M FROM CHICAGO AND I HAVE TO SAY THIS PLACE WOULD BE 5 STARS EVEN IN CHI-TOWN."

-JPTSD2014

"REGENTS PIZZERIA DEEP DISH WAS THE REAL THING! VERY AUTHENTIC TO CHICAGO DEEP DISH, EXTREMELY TASTY WITH A GREAT CRUST AND FRESH FILLINGS."

-RUNNINGMAN61

Testimonials Credit: TripAdvisor


Enjoyed reading The Best Chicago Style Pizza in San Diego?  Subscribe to our blog HERE to follow our fun conversations about the sunny San Diego community that we love. We'd love to hear about your favorite SD pizzerias in our conversation below!  Interested in buying or selling a piece of real estate?  Contact Graff Realty HERE to learn about our exceptional services.