Are you ready to celebrate the Fourth of July? KPBS has put together essential information on how you can safely enjoy this Independence Day in San Diego.
Fireworks Show
One of the most popular locations to watch the fireworks show is at downtown's Big Bay Boom starting at 9 p.m. Wednesday.
The U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista is also hosting a fireworks show, which starts at 9 p.m. The center opens its doors at 6 p.m.
Escondido will hold its 55th Annual Independence Day Festival & Fireworks. The fireworks fire off at 9 p.m.
Oceanside's 130th Anniversary & Independence Celebration Firework Show will be held Tuesday, July 3 at 9 p.m.
For more information about Independence Day events visit the KPBS Events Calendar.
Transportation
MTS will primarily run a Sunday service schedule in San Diego on the Fourth of July to accommodate the 250,000-person influx expected for the Big Bay Boom fireworks show, the transit provider announced Monday.
Enhanced service on the Sycuan Green Line between SDCCU Stadium and downtown begins at 3:22 p.m. Trains will depart every seven minutes until the start of the fireworks shows at 9 p.m.
Parking will be free and plentiful at the stadium, as well as other park-and-ride lots through the system, according to MTS.
On the UC San Diego Blue Line and Orange Line, trains will depart every 15 minutes throughout the day.
MTS recommends several fireworks viewing locations along the trolley line, including Little Italy, the Santa Fe Depot, Seaport Village, the Convention Center and the Gaslamp Quarter.
Frequent trolley service will resume for all three lines after fireworks conclude.
On Independence Day, MTS allows one person to ride free with a fare-paying customer on all routes.
Safety
The San Diego Police Department released three videos on Twitter detailing general beach rules ahead of the Fourth of July. They remind the public there is no smoking or drinking alcohol allowed at the beaches.
The ☀️ will be shining this weekend! Which means people will be headed to our amazing @CityofSanDiego beaches. Before you head to the beach, watch this video regarding general beach rules. Stay tuned for 2 more videos. Please share and retweet the video! pic.twitter.com/vWn1f8MjE0
— San Diego Police Department (@SanDiegoPD) June 30, 2018
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Officials also said there will be extra officers focusing on DUI enforcement. They also noted driving under the influence doesn’t just mean alcohol. Drivers can also be arrested for being under the influence of prescription drugs or marijuana.
If you are heading to the beach this Fourth of July, watch out for electric scooters. Rentable-scooters are all over Mission Beach. In May the San Diego City Council considered banning them because of safety concerns. Fourth of July crowds could make the scooters difficult to maneuver.
RELATED: San Diego City Council Rejects Boardwalk Scooter Ban
“We are seeing some accidents with the scooters,” said San Diego Lifeguard Sergeant Rick Strobel. “If not operated correctly you can lose control and if you’re not wearing a helmet we’re seeing some head injuries.”
Rules for the electric scooters include wearing a helmet and being 18 or over to rent. But San Diego Police say some parents are renting them for kids. People we talked to said they were not concerned about getting a ticket.
