Boom! Report ranks Minneapolis second-best city for July 4th festivities

For patriots looking for Independence Day celebrations with extra sizzle, Minneapolis is the place to be.

It's the second-best spot in the nation to spend July 4th, according to a recent study by WalletHub, which applauded the city's walkability as well as its sundry patriotic events.

St. Paul ranked No. 29.

The personal finance website compared the nation's 100 largest cities using three categories: weather, entertainment and food, activities and events.

Metrics included the legality of fireworks, average gas prices and the number and cost of summer eats.

Seattle topped the list, while Laredo, Texas, finished last.

"This is for people who plan on traveling for the Fourth of July or who will be in one of these areas already," said Jill Gonzalez, an analyst for WalletHub. "They can know what to expect and can gauge it from these rankings."

Minneapolis snagged the top spot in the activities and events category for its pedestrian-friendly layout and quality parks, according to the study.

But St. Paul edged out its cross-river rival in the firework show duration category, with fireworks bursting a full half-hour on average — five minutes longer than in Minneapolis.

Minneapolis sells a slightly cheaper hamburger, WalletHub found, with burgers costing $3.63 on average, compared with $3.69 in St. Paul.

Both cities finished above average in the weather forecast category, which used 75 degrees as the ideal temperature benchmark. Forecasters predict the Twin Cities will be sunny with a high of 81 degrees on Monday.

Hannah Covington 612-673-4751