Hotel Del: Fourth of July Lessons Before The Fireworks

In years past, I can remember my family’s Fourth of July parties vividly. The the men standing around the grill, the kids playing by themselves and the women chit-chatting as we do. Now that I am a mom to four little ones, the best parties happen when you are engaged with those you most care about. Every July, my East Coast family flies in for the month, so Fourth of July today is still very much a family tradition and something we look forward to year round.

I can’t think of a better place to reunite with my loved ones and celebrate our country’s Independence Day than at the Hotel Del Coronado. I first fell in love with Coronado when we were stationed in San Diego after my husband returned from Afghanistan. There is something so patriotic about this small island, from the picture-perfect homes on tree-lined streets to the many proud American flags blowing in the wind. I consider this place the quintessential American Dream and The Hotel Del is the one place where my family loves to gather, knowing we’ll be creating lifetime memories for both the children and the adults.

On July 3, 1781, Massachusetts was the first state to recognize the Fourth of July as an official holiday.

A Little History Lesson

Independence Day at Hotel Del is simply magical. From the festive strung lights to the elegant picnic displays, and the grand finale fireworks show, it’s picture perfect. But, before the fireworks display, there are a few key lessons I like to go over with the children. This day is so much more than fireworks, hot dogs and hamburgers.

Forth of July pointers to talk about with kids:

Independence Day is our country’s birthday! We declared independence from Great Britain on July 4th, 1776. It was worth the risk of war to win the freedom to govern ourselves.
Talk about our flag: Each part of our flag stands for something! The 50 stars stands for the 50 states. The 13 stripes stand for the 13 British colonies that declared independence. Our flag is a symbol and shows the world what we stand for. It also shows how we are connected with each other, we are on the same team (lets never forget that). Therefore, we always respect our flag!
Ask the kids what makes our country special? We have many freedoms like the freedom to go where we want, believe in the religion we choose etc. These freedoms are in the Bill of Rights and the US Constitution.
Talk about the President and ask the kids what they would do if they were the President.
And lastly, talk about what we can do for our country! By being a good citizen, helping others or keeping it clean. Keep the conversation going and ask the children about the different volunteer opportunities our country has.

Happy Birthday, USA!

Last year, we celebrated America’s birthday weekend as members of the Club At The Del. They kicked off the holiday weekend with a family beach bash. The lawn served as the perfect setting with crashing waves in the distance and the historic Victorian as the backdrop. Another reason I love the Del? They know how to mix classic with contemporary, and add fun for adults, too. They invited Tesla to show off four of their gorgeous models. The kids loved sitting in the drivers seats while Bobby and I daydreamed about them one day driving me around.

According to the American Pyrotechnics Association, around 15,000 fireworks displays take place around the US for Independence Day every year.

Night For the Family

The modern, open-air style photo booth that printed instant flipbooks was a major hit with the kids. We loved it so much, we did it quite a few times. While dad got his fix on barbecue fare, I took a few breaths and relished in it all. I wanted nothing more than to immerse the family in a loosely-bound summer and the Del set the stage for all the whimsy and wonder we could imagine. We had so much fun watching the kids play with their cousins, dancing the night away, and meeting new friends and fellow members.

There is so much joy in watching your children do something for the very first time. And when I saw Brody’s reaction to the fireworks, it was pure magic. Thank you, Club At The Del, for enabling the Schaffer six to be part of this enchanting legend! The Fourth of July will always be one of our most cherished holidays with the ones we love most, and spending it at Hotel Del, the place we love most, has become a tradition we look forward to every year.