---
title: "Finding Quiet on the Fourth: Escapes and Calm for People and Pets"
description: "Not everyone spends the Fourth of July cheering the booms. For pets, for veterans living with PTSD and for anyone who simply craves calm, the holiday's soundtrack can be a source of dread. Here is a guide to finding some peace — whether that means leaving town or riding it out at home."
category: "Los Angeles"
category_url: https://herald.la/category/los-angeles
author: "Simone Bishop"
published: 2026-07-03T04:38:28.000Z
updated: 2026-07-03T04:38:28.000Z
canonical: https://herald.la/article/finding-quiet-on-the-fourth-escapes-and-calm-for-people-and-pets
tags: ["Fourth of July", "fireworks", "pets", "veterans", "Los Angeles"]
---
# Finding Quiet on the Fourth: Escapes and Calm for People and Pets

Not everyone spends the Fourth of July cheering the booms. For pets, for veterans living with PTSD and for anyone who simply craves calm, the holiday's soundtrack can be a source of dread. Here is a guide to finding some peace — whether that means leaving town or riding it out at home.

The Fourth of July is a celebration for many Angelenos. For others — and for a great many of their pets — it is the loudest, most stressful night of the year. If you would rather trade the fireworks for some calm, here are a few ways to do it.

## Where to escape the noise

Southern California has plenty of places where the booms fade out. LAist's guide to quiet getaways points toward the mountains and the wilder public lands, where fireworks are banned outright: the San Bernardino Mountains around Big Bear, and national parks such as Joshua Tree, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, all of which prohibit fireworks and offer dark, quiet skies. For a coastal version, quieter beaches and Catalina Island — a ferry ride off the mainland — put real distance between you and the neighborhood's arsenal. Wherever you go, check each site's rules and reserve ahead; holiday spots fill fast.

## Keeping pets calm at home

Most people can't leave town, and many pets are more stressed by a strange place than by home. The Fourth is consistently one of the busiest days of the year for lost pets, so preparation matters.

- **Make a safe space.** Set up a quiet interior room away from windows, with familiar bedding, toys and water, where a frightened animal can hide. A fan, white noise or soft music helps mask the sudden cracks outside.
- **Check the ID.** Make sure collars and tags are current and that microchip information is up to date — the single best way to get a pet back if it bolts.
- **Keep them in.** Bring pets indoors before dark and keep windows closed. Stay calm yourself; animals read your stress.
- **Ask the vet.** If your pet panics every year, talk to a veterinarian ahead of time about calming aids or medication. Don't wait until the fireworks start.

## A word for veterans and the noise-sensitive

For some veterans, fireworks are not festive but triggering, echoing combat and setting off very real distress. The same is true for many people with anxiety, autism or sensory sensitivities. If that's you or someone you love, it helps to plan the evening in advance — a quieter location, noise-canceling headphones, a support person.

Veterans in crisis can reach the Veterans Crisis Line any time by dialing 988 and pressing 1, texting 838255, or chatting at VeteransCrisisLine.net, where trained counselors are available around the clock.

However you spend the holiday, the need for quiet is a legitimate one. A little planning — a drive to the mountains, a safe room for the dog, a number saved in your phone — can make the Fourth feel less like something to endure and more like a night of your own.

## Sources

- [Fireworks in Los Angeles? Where to go to escape for peace and quiet](https://laist.com/news/los-angeles-activities/fireworks-los-angeles-where-to-go-escape-peace-and-quiet)
- [Veterans Crisis Line](https://www.veteranscrisisline.net)