By Alexandra Pecci
Correspondent

Whether you’re cuddled on a blanket at Salisbury Beach or watching the Boston Pops from the Esplanade, there are plenty of ways to celebrate our nation’s birthday this year. Independence Day fireworks and parties can be enjoyed up and down the Seacoast, from Boston to Portsmouth and most places in between.

For a family-friendly night out, head to Salisbury Beach on July 3. During the day, Salisbury Beach’s main drag is transformed into a Treasure Island, inviting people to explore the beach’s sand sculptures, and festivities stretch all the way into the night.

According to spokesperson Carol LaRosa, kids can get a treasure map that will guide them through the sculptures. Each $2 map contains a number that treasure hunters can search for in the castles to win a prize. And for no cost at all, you can explore the new touch tank at the Blue Ocean Society’s Sea Life Discovery Center.

At night, pull up a beach blanket or lawn chair to check out the band Sugarfoot and the Brass Kickin’ Horns, which will play at 7:30 until the fireworks start at 10 p.m.

Come back to Salisbury on Sunday, July 4, for Bonfire on the Beach, where people will roast marshmallows and have a shoreline sing-along at the Salisbury Beach Center from 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Although there are free concerts and fireworks all summer long at Salisbury, LaRosa says there’s something special about Independence Day.

“It’s a longtime Fourth of July tradition on Salisbury Beach,” she says.

“There’s a different excitement in the air.”

If you’re looking for pomp and circumstance, head to Boston early to claim your spot on the Esplanade. Although there’s a Pops concert at 8:30 p.m. July 3, the real party is July 4, when the Pops play the famous renditions of

“The Star Spangled Banner” and “1812 Overture,” and share its stage with country star Toby Keith and comedian Craig Ferguson. The night will end with a half-hour fireworks display that’s considered among the premier Independence Day celebrations in the country.

Farther north, the fireworks in Portsmouth July 3 (rain date July 5) offer visitors a chance to celebrate the nation’s birthday.

“You can see them from anywhere in the downtown area,” says Portsmouth recreation director Rus Wilson. “If (visitors are) eating downtown, they’ll stick their head out of the restaurant.”

Visitors can picnic in Leary Field and listen to a DJ before the fireworks start at 9:15 p.m. There will also be plenty of food and novelty vendors. Wilson says Leary Field itself, as well as locations around the Mill Pond area, are great places to watch the fireworks.

“People make a whole night of it,” he says, calling it a “good family night out. A good way to celebrate our Independence Day.”

The celebration in Manchester also includes food vendors, music, and fireworks July 3. The city’s Independence Day Celebration starts at 7:30 p.m. at Arms Park, when the 39th Army Band plays into the beginning of the fireworks, which start at dusk around 9:30 p.m.

Here are some other July Fourth Events happening around the Granite State:

Canobie Lake Park: Fireworks choreographed to music over Canobie Lake, Salem, starting at approximately 9:30 p.m. July 3 and 4, weather permitting.

Derry: Fireworks on Sunday, July 4 at dusk (roughly 9 p.m.). Best viewing spots are Tsienneto Road, Hood Commons, Folsom Road, and Crystal Avenue. Rain date July 5.

Pelham: Food vendors, raffle, face painting, bounce house, obstacle course, music, and games July 3 starting at 4 p.m. at Pelham Elementary School. Fireworks begin around 9:30 p.m. Rain date July 10.

Salem: DJ, activities, and food on July 4 starting at 4 p.m. in field behind Salem High School. Fireworks at 9:30 p.m. Rain date July 5.

Windham: Annual Town Day July 3 at Griffin Park and Windham High School. Events start at 10 a.m. and include tennis, bouncy houses, cookout, DJ and games at Griffin Park; at 5:30 p.m. the parking lot opens at Windham High School, which will host food vendors, The Reminisant’s Band, and fireworks at 9 p.m.