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A Complete Packing List for the Fourth of July Long Weekend

Going away next weekend? Perhaps on one of these last-minute Fourth of July escapes? Since the goal of the Fourth of July is just to relax and enjoy the balmy temperatures and lazy nights of summer, our biggest advice to you is not to overpack.

We fancy ourselves quite the expert packers; two weeks in Hong Kong on a single carry-on suitcase is de rigeur for us, and so we'd thought we'd share our own packing list for next weekend—with a few revisions allowing for your flexibility, of course...

The Complete Fourth of July Long Weekend Packing List:

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Fourth of July Travel / Fourth of July / Punta Cana Travel / Las Vegas / Big Island / → All Tags

Three Last-Minute Fourth of July Weekend Getaways

Where the heck has the summer gone? It's hard to believe that next weekend is the Fourth of July. But you procrastinators still have some time to plan a kick-butt Fourth of July holiday weekend, so book your travel now...

· Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
If fireworks and barbecue aren't your thing, escape the Fourth of July chaos with a trip to Punta Cana. This package includes four nights on the island as well as airfare starting at $585. Your beachfront vacay will be free of hot dogs and loud fireworks, but you'll want to sip a cocktail or two from your chaise lounge. We were just there ourselves recently, so be sure to check out all those special stories loaded with tips here.

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Holiday Travel: TomKat Fritter Away Their Fourth

Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes and baby Suri went for a stroll on Independence Day in Telluride, Colorado. Cruise has owned a home in the ski town for years, sharing the local mountain air with Oprah and Oliver Stone.

Other stars used their holiday weekend to visit summer homes, plan sexy getaways or just get out of the house for a bit.

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Fourth of July Bookmaking: Our Long Weekend Prognostication

We're somehow going to go three whole days without posting any travel news. In the meantime, all sorts of craziness will probably ensue because companies like to release bad news while everyone's on vacation and pounding beers at backyard barbecues.

So in order to give you the news before it happens--we're gonna be the ones doing the beer-pounding!--we've put together a list of things that just may happen over the weekend:

Midwest Airlines will declare bankruptcy: Seriously, a 40 percent pay cut for the CEO? Why not 100 percent, Hoeksema--and you admit your airline is doomed?

American and BA will call off their pseudo-merger: Why would British Airways want to get together with an airline that's laying off 7,000 people? Willie Walsh has enough problems as it is.

Someone will get wasted on a plane: Bet on it. And if they get charged with a federal crime in the process, we'll try to dig up his or her Myspace page on Monday!

Oil will hit $150 a barrel: We don't want it to, but that's what happens when it all runs out!

Related Stories:
· Fourth of July coverage [Jaunted]

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Fourth of July Travel: Independence Day in Independence

The weekend's finally here! By now you should've finalized some sort of holiday action plan, but here's one last Fourth of July suggestion: Independence, Iowa. With just over 6,000 residents at last count, the town is certainly small, but as they say, "Everybody observes the Fourth of July, we celebrate it!"

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Fourth of July Travel: SoCal Edition

If you can't decide on a place to celebrate the Fourth of July this year, then give Southern California a chance to impress. It's probably the only place where you can see some fireworks, hit a beach celebration, catch a baseball game and stop at an amusement park.

Start out the SoCal celebrations at the July 4th Fireworks Spectacular: A Ball at the Bowl with the LA Dodgers. The Los Angeles Philharmonic celebrates the team's 50th anniversary with greats from team history along with baseball music. They also welcome special guest Randy Newman. The festivities take place July 2-4 and each evening ends with, what else, fireworks. Tickets will run you at least $10 for this one.

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Celebrating the Phourth of July

When it comes to the Fourth of July, Philadelphia doesn't mess around. Things get started this Friday and continue through July 6 thanks to the celebration known as the Sunoco Welcome America Festival. This weekend there are family events during the day and free outdoor movies each night at different locations around the city, including a screening of "Rocky" on Saturday night.

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Fourth of July Travel: Goin' Quackers in Hawaii

If you love the Big Island of Hawaii and rubber duckies, then have we got a Fourth of July celebration for you: the 17th Annual Great Waikoloa Rubber Duckie Race. The whole day is filled with family fun including face painting, duck waddling contests and free-style quacking. There's even free popcorn and cotton candy.

The main draw of the event comes during the afternoon when the plastic ducks are released. The top 50 finishers are eligible for prizes, including a week-long stay at an Outrigger Villa or the Hilton Waikoloa Village. If your duck doesn't come in first, hope it comes in 17th, as that will get you 17 $100 bills.

Best of all, the proceeds from the event go to the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Hawaii. Last year the group was able to raise almost $40,000 for charity. Ducks start at $5 per bird, or get a $20 "quack pack" which includes three ducks and a shirt. If you didn't get up at the, uh, quack of dawn (sorry!), then you'll be able to stay up and enjoy the fireworks display around 9 pm.

Related Stories:
· Fourth of July Revelers Can Find Family Fun at Waikoloa Resort [Star Bulletin]
· Waikoloa Beach Resort [Official Site]
· Fourth of July coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: bitmap78]

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Fourth of July Travel: Stuck in the City Edition

We've talked about how great the fireworks offerings are at beaches around the country this year. Unfortunately, sometimes there's just no escape from the urban jungle. But there's no need to panic, fireworks fans, as lots of big cities do a great job of making you feel all warm and fuzzy without having your toes in the sand.

Where better to start than the nation's capital? DC starts the celebration with America's National Independence Day Parade at 11:45 am. With more than 300,000 people expected, the parade makes its way down Constitution Avenue between 7th and 17th Streets, passing landmarks like the Washington Monument.

Make a day of it and hang around until about quarter after 9 pm when the fireworks are launched from behind the Lincoln Memorial. Head over to the National Mall after the parade to get the best spot.

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Fourth of July Travel: Parade Nudity

The town of Ashland, Oregon has a classic Fourth of July celebration planned. The day starts with an early-in-the-morning six-mile run, then continues with food and game booths, arts and crafts and even a reading of the Declaration of Independence before the fireworks. The all-American festivities in Ashland have been about the same for more than a century, but when the parade kicks off at 10 am this year, one thing may be a bit different.

Jen Moss, known as the "the naked lady," plans march this year, wearing nothing but a hemp G-string. She moved to the town recently as she was intrigued by its nudity laws. Apparently the town only requires that genitalia be covered in public, leaving her "bottoms only" approach perfectly acceptable.

Understandably, the town's chamber of commerce is a little concerned about her participation, but we hope freedom-lovers will sit back and enjoy as the parade passes by.

Related Stories:
· Oregon Woman Plans to Parade Topless on July 4 [AP, via Google]
· Topless Parades Continue in New Zealand [Jaunted]
· Fourth of July coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: eob]

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Fourth of July Travel: St. Paul Rodeo

If you're looking for something a little different than fireworks this Independence Day, then look no further than Oregon. The 73rd annual St. Paul Rodeo is riding into town July 2. In addition to the usual rodeo festivities, there's a Western showcase featuring artisans selling jewelry, paintings, home goods and clothing.

If you come hungry, or are just a great backyard chef, July 5 offers a BBQ cook-off. The judges are looking for creativity, a fun team name and, of course, melt-in-your-mouth ribs. Prizes up for grabs are tickets to the rodeo, trophies, bragging rights and a trip around the rodeo ring as champion.

The cheap seats start at $12 each night. And, yes, even though they aren't the main attraction, there will be fireworks every night.

Related Stories:
· St. Paul Rodeo [Official Site]
· Fourth of July coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: ReneS]

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4th of July Travel: Best Beach Fireworks

Sure, fireworks above the skyscrapers in New York or the monuments in DC can be pretty spectacular. But with July 4th falling on a Friday this year, we'd prefer our three-day weekend with a little less city, and a little more beach.

So where to plan your 4th if you're looking for both fireworks and waves? Here's a sampling of some of the country's best beachside fireworks destinations.

For New Yorkers, rather than push your way through the East River throngs, train out to Long Island. The famous Grucci family, who put on the Manhattan fireworks show, also put one together in Southampton. If you can't get into a house share, grab a campsite at Hither Hills State Park in Montauk, where you can see the fireworks show from nearby Umbrella Beach.

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