Nashville ranked among best places in the U.S. to view fireworks; Tennessee also highlighted for best aquariums
Looking to get up close and personal with marine wildlife? How about the perfect firework show? Look no further, USA TODAY recently announced its list of winners for the best aquariums and best places to view fireworks in the country — and a few Tennessee area spots were included.
Nashville among best places to see fireworks
You won't have to go far to view a stellar firework show. Music City's "Let Freedom Sing," event was named as one of the country's premier firework destinations.
USA TODAY said the climactic fireworks display comes to life with a live performance by the Nashville Symphony, but also praised the various shows put on by rising and established country music stars throughout the city's multiple live music venues. In 2023, the event attracted 250,000 attendees and generated $11.6 million in estimated direct visitor spending.
The 10 best places to view fireworks in the United States
1. Navy Pier (Chicago, Ill.)
2. Ford Fireworks (Detroit, Mich.)
3. Concert in the Sky at the Amelia Earhart Festival (Atchison, Ka.)
4. Minneapolis Aquatennial (Minneapolis, Minn.)
5. Addison Kaboom Town! (Addison, Texas)
6. Wawa Welcome America (Philadelphia, Pa.)
7. Let Freedom Sing! (Nashville, Tenn.)
8. Big Bay Boom (San Diego, Calif.)
9. Fair Saint Louis (St. Louis, Mo.)
10. America's Freedom Festival at Provo (Provo, Utah)
Two of the country's best aquariums are in Tennessee
Taking the top No. 1 spot for best aquarium was the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium in Springfield, Mo., however trailing not far behind in the No. 3 spot was the Tennessee Aquarium located in Chattanooga, Tenn.
USA TODAY recognized the Tennessee Aquarium for its two separate buildings which allow visitors to embark on a journey from the mountains to the sea, while coming face-to-face with the animals that exist in the world's oceans and rivers. The Tennessee Aquarium also features an impressive IMAX theatre which not only screens Hollywood movies but also immersive, educational films about other habitats and environments.
Also included in the list was Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies located in Gatlinburg, Tenn. which came in at No. 6. The aquarium, which houses over 350 species, offers interactive, hands-on experiences and unique animal encounters. Shark Lagoon is the aquarium's most popular attraction said USA TODAY, however children love the penguin encounter, where they can marvel at endangered African penguins.
The 10 best aquariums in the United States
1. Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium (Springfield, Mo.)
2. Audubon Aquarium (New Orleans, La.)
3. Tennessee Aquarium (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
4. Adventure Aquarium (Camden, N.J.)
5. Texas State Aquarium (Corpus Christi, Texas)
6. Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies (Gatlinburg, Tenn.)
7. Maui Ocean Center, The Aquarium of Hawaii (Wailuku, Hawaii)
8. The Florida Aquarium (Tampa, Fla.)
9. Mystic Aquarium (Mystic, Conn.)
10. Georgia Aquarium (Atlanta, Ga.)
Methodology
A panel of experts at USA TODAY select their tops picks for the 10 Best and readers vote for their favorites.
Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @_leyvadiana
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville a best place to view fireworks; TN ranked for best aquariums
