Most of us have experienced Fourth of July celebrations that involved arriving early at the designated fireworks site, scurrying to beat other early birds to the best spots, spending long, hot, sticky hours on folding chairs or blankets waiting for the zero hour and then clawing through barely moving traffic to get home. Time can give those memories a certain patina, but the reality wasn't quite so charming, was it?

Now imagine a different scenario. You pile your family and friends onto your party barge early in the day. You spend the morning waterskiing, wakeboarding or tubing, then drop the hook in a sheltered cove for an onboard picnic lunch or tie up at a popular watering hole for a more lively meal. The afternoon is set aside for sunbathing, swimming, reading or napping. When it gets close to dinnertime, you move the boat into a prime viewing location for the fireworks and drop the anchor. You grill out (check out Agua Cafe for ideas!), savor the sunset and then curl up on spacious lounge seats and sunpads for the big show.

As fireworks explode across the sky, you're warm and comfortable, with all your food, beverages and warm clothes immediately at hand in the pontoon boat's convenient storage spaces. You have plenty of room; you're not shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers.

And there's a special camaraderie on the water. When a firework is particularly exceptional, the water erupts with appreciative horns, toots and whistles. Those tinkling sounds become a cacophony during the grand finale, uniting all boaters — at least for a moment — in a way you'll never forget.

As a pontoon boater, this can be yours. All of it. This Fourth of July could be one to remember for all the right reasons.

Party Tips

• Do a little research. Find out if any of your favorite waterfront communities are planning a Fourth of July fireworks display; choose a destination, and start organizing your float plan.
• Make a day of it! Talk to your invited guests, as well as any other pontooners whose boats might be joining you, and find out what everyone would like to do. When you have a consensus, start planning! Perhaps you want to make watersports part of your day. Or maybe you'd rather play it more low-key, with a leisurely cruise and perhaps nosing up to a beach or dropping the hook for some relaxing time in the sun. And if you're part of a marina community, you might have a great time just hanging out at the dock!
• Plan meals. If you are going to be out for the day, decide if you're going to tie up at popular waterfront restaurants or take advantage of day dockage in your chosen ports of call… or if you'd rather picnic or grill out aboard your pontoon party boat or at a waterfront park. If other families are joining you, you might want to consider having each family sign up to bring a different dish.
• Be prepared. Make sure you have everything you need on board, from swimwear, sunscreen, hats, towels food and plenty of beverages to safety gear, blankets, warm clothing and even rain gear. You never know if and when conditions might change, and if you're prepared, you can leave your worries at the dock.
• Think "kid." If you'll have small children joining you, there are a few things you can do to make their on-water experience a good one. Check out our Tips for Parents to learn more.
• Most importantly, be safe. If alcoholic beverages are going to be part of your celebration, remember to drink responsibly. The captain should never operate his or her pontoon under the influence, and all guests aboard need to be aware of on-water safety issues.

From all of us at PontoonBoatGuide.com, have a wonderful Fourth of July!

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