Surfing Into Saturday: July 4 celebration sites

From Marsha Walton
CNN

(CNN) -- As Fourth of July celebrations approach, CNN's Surfing Into Saturday segment offers some online destinations to enhance your holiday.

Fireworks.com

If you just can't wait to July 4 to get your fill of fireworks, this site lets you become a phantom pyrotechnician. You don't even have to celebrate in the United States. Pick a background from the Statue of Liberty to the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame to the Pyramids of Egypt. As Tchaikovsky's Overture "1812" booms in the background, you can choose elements from five common firework elements -- the willow, the salute, the palm, the peony and the crossette. Change the setting to auto and enjoy a big bang of a finale.

Fireworksafety.com

While your phantom show is guaranteed to be accident-free, many fireworks enthusiasts want the thrill of the real thing. If that's in your Independence Day plans, a quick check of the National Council on Fireworks Safety site is a must. Quick cartoon safety tips include such common-sense advice as buying from reliable sources, never pointing a firecracker at another person, not trying to re-light a "dud" -- and always having a garden hose or bucket of water on hand. You can also check the laws of all 50 states to see what's legal and what could force you to spend part of your celebration in the slammer.

Beerismylife.com

If your Fourth of July picnic tastes are more exotic than the cheapest six-pack at the convenience store, you could invest hours in this global roundup of good beer. Since 1992, a guy named Gak -- who works at a DePere, Wisconsin, brewery -- has tasted and rated 3,853 different beers. Not only do you get his descriptions and ratings of one of the world's most popular beverages, but you can also link to each brewery's Web site. Beers are listed alphabetically, by brewery, by style, or you can go directly to Gak's Hall of Fame. Warning: Reading about "hop aromas," "carbonation bites" and "burnt and malty noses" may cause thirst to develop.

Factsontap.org

Any serious research on Gak's beer suggestions should probably be conducted in the safety of one's home. But if there's any combination of drinking and driving, this site gives a general guideline on how many drinks a man or woman can consume before reaching the critical .08 or .10 alcohol levels that define DUI in most states. Depending on weight, three drinks in an hour, for example, could put a woman over the top at .11. For a man, three drinks could still be in the red zone at .09.

Petrix.com

Looking for a beach to play on for July 4? And not just any beach? Log on to Dr. Stephen Leatherman's best beaches site. Find the best places on the planet for walking, romance or "wild" activities. This professor uses 50 factors to rate the sand and surf, ranging from sand softness to air and water temperature to pests and litter.