Best apps for celebrating the Fourth of July

Get ready for Independence Day by having everything you need to celebrate right at your fingertips!

The Fourth of July is just around the corner. If you live in the US, you already know that it is a night for celebration. If you are planning a party at home, or want to hit the town, we've got a list of apps to help you make Independence Day sparkle.

Phantom Fireworks

If you are looking for a local fireworks stand, the Phantom Fireworks app has you covered. You can browse the current selection of flammables by type, including best sellers. If you don't know what a firework does, no problem. There are videos for each one so you know exactly what they look like and how long they last.

You can add your favorites to your shopping list so that when you are ready to buy, you know exactly what you want. Use the locator to find out where all of the nearby Phantom Fireworks booths are going to be this year.

If you like making a spectacle of beauty right in your own backyard, grab the Phantom Fireworks app today and start shopping before you even leave the house.

• Free - Download now

Weber Grills

The Weber Grills app is perfect for any backyard cookout. It has dozens of recipes for cooking all kinds of meats, veggies, and fruits over open flame. Check out the Grill Skills section to learn tips on such things as how to cut an onion, how to prepare skirt steak, and a beginner's guide to smoking meat.

If you already have your cut ready, use the Grill Guide to determine how long you should cook it, based on thickness and doneness. The in-app timer makes it easy to get ready for the big cookout. Queue up multiple timers and keep track of every main and side that's on the grill all at once.

If a backyard BBQ is your idea of the perfect way to celebrate Independence day, then make sure you have the Weber Grills app nearby.

• Free - Download now

Mixology Drink and Cocktail Recipes

When hosting a Fourth of July celebration, a healthy selection of cocktails is a must. The Mixology app is filled with recipes for all of your favorite drinks, including the proper glassware to serve them in. For only $0.99, you can add on the Summer Drinks list for libations that are just right for your party.

You can filter your search by category, ingredient, or what you have stored in your liquor cabinet right now. If you are just getting started with home bartending, find out what every good mixologist has on hand for making drinks.

If you are planing on making sure everyone has a drink at your Independence Day celebration, Mixology is a must-have.

• Free - Download now

DrinkAdvisor

Celebrating Independence comes in all forms, from backyard cookouts to movie marathons. If you are looking for some action in your town, grab DrinkAdvisor to help you track down the perfect celebratory location. You can find watering holes by type, like cocktail lounges, pubs, and dance bars.

You'll find hours of operation, contact information, a description of the venue, and reviews from others that have spent time in the bar. You can even see how far from your current location the next drinking spot is. Pub crawl, anyone?

If the Fourth of July means drinking with friends at the best bar in town, let DrinkAdvisor lead you to the right spot.

• Free Download now

Fireworks Creator 3D

Maybe you don't like being near all of those explosives, but you still like the idea of fireworks. If so, or if you live in a town where fireworks are illegal, use the Fireworks Creator to light up the night, virtually. You can launch dozens of sky-high beauties with just a tap. When you start your show, you can pick from specific fireworks, or just let them go randomly.

You can change the viewing angle to see the action from above or below, and even reverse where you are sitting. If you are feeling especially creative, go to the workshop and build your own firework from scratch using parameters for weight, size, charge style, color, and more.

Lighting off real fireworks isn't for everyone. You can still enjoy the beauty without the bang with Fireworks Creator 3D

• Free - Download now

American History Interactive Timeline

Go back as far as the late 1400s to learn about how America was discovered, populated with Europeans, and established as the United States. Each era includes a painting and short description of the importance of a particular date in history.

Scroll through nearly 300 years of historical events and read up on when the first British settlement was founded, what ended the French and Indian War, and significant moments in time leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

While cooking, drinking, and blowing stuff up is how Americans love to celebrate the Fourth of July, it's also important to learn about how the country came to exist.

• Free - Download now

Do you have any favorite apps to help you celebrate the Fourth of July? Let us know in the comments.