Los Angeles has been recognized as California's leading city for Fourth of July celebrations, securing the fourth spot nationally in a recent ranking by WalletHub. The study evaluated 100 of the largest U.S. cities based on 18 metrics related to both enjoyment and cost.
Nationally, only Las Vegas, New York, and Orlando ranked higher than Los Angeles. Other California cities also performed well, with San Francisco at seventh, Sacramento at tenth, and San Diego at eleventh. At the lower end of the state's rankings, San Bernardino was identified as the least favorable city for Independence Day celebrations, placing 83rd out of 100.
The WalletHub analysis considered factors such as the average cost of beer and wine, hotel prices, the duration and safety of fireworks displays, accessibility, and weather forecasts. The report comes as national retail figures project U.S. households will spend approximately $9.4 billion on food for holiday festivities.
WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo noted that the best cities for the holiday offer affordable food, favorable weather, recreational opportunities, and impressive fireworks shows, allowing celebrants to maximize their experience.
Los Angeles achieved its high national ranking with a total score of 63.06, scoring eighth for its Fourth of July celebrations and eleventh for weather. Its overall score was impacted by lower rankings in affordability (58th) and safety and accessibility (61st).
San Francisco, despite its seventh-place national finish, excelled in specific categories, ranking first for attractions and activities and fifth for safety and accessibility. However, its high cost of living contributed to an affordability rank of 81st.
Sacramento benefited from favorable holiday conditions, ranking ninth for weather, while San Diego placed 30th for weather and fourteenth for attractions and activities.
California was represented by eight cities within the top 30 nationally: Los Angeles (No. 4), San Francisco (No. 7), Sacramento (No. 10), San Diego (No. 11), Irvine (No. 17), Oakland (No. 23), Fremont (No. 27), and Long Beach (No. 29).
Other California cities appearing lower on the list include Anaheim (No. 37), San Jose (No. 51), Fresno (No. 62), Bakersfield (No. 66), Stockton (No. 67), Santa Ana (No. 69), Chula Vista (No. 71), Riverside (No. 73), and San Bernardino (No. 83).
San Bernardino's low ranking was particularly pronounced, with the city finishing 100th in both attractions and activities and safety and accessibility, marking it as the state's lowest performer in the study. The top five cities nationwide were Las Vegas, New York, Orlando, Los Angeles, and Minneapolis.