macy's fireworks

Extravagant=65,000 shells and effects during a 25 minute fireworks bonanza, with Coldplay as one of the openers.

Photos of NYC's waterfronts on the 4th of July.

Plan on getting there EARLY, and travel light. Here's everything you need to know about watching the fireworks in NYC.

The public is supposed to be able to enjoy Pier 17 whenever it is open.

It's the largest Independence Day party on the planet, and people packed onto the FDR hours before showtime to see it.

There will be seven barges shooting off 3,000 rounds per minute on the East River between 23rd and 40th Streets.

There will be four barges between 23rd and 37th Streets in the East River, and a double barge south of the Brooklyn Bridge.

The Macy's show is the biggest in the country—there are 40,000 effects over 25 minutes, with about 1,600 shells launched a minute.

This is the fifth year in a row that the fireworks have been held over the Hudson River.

Here are the access points for fireworks viewing.