Millions of Americans are expected to hit the road, taking advantage of the Fourth of July falling on a Friday this year.

Many retailers and grocery stores will remain open on the Fourth of July, though some may operate on different hours. Major retailers, stores and restaurant chains including Walmart, Starbucks and McDonald's confirmed to USA Today that they will still be serving customers during the holiday.

With the Fourth of July and the annual NASCAR Chicago Street Race making for a jam-packed few days ahead, Chicagoans can expect a hot — and potentially stormy — holiday weekend.

AAA Travel expects a record high of approximately 72.2 million people traveling at least 50 miles from home over the Fourth of July weekend.

A record number of Michiganders are expected to travel around the July 4th holiday, with more than 2.6 million hitting the roads or taking to the skies.

A tradition since 1976, the Macy's fireworks display has been a beloved part of America's Fourth of July celebration for nearly 50 years and features a dazzling array of rockets that light up the New York City skyline in a show like no other.

Just ahead of the Independence Day long weekend, beaches across the country have closed and issued advisories due to excessive levels of harmful bacteria.

Health officials issue warnings as bacteria and stormwater runoff contaminate beaches nationwide, closing popular swimming locations before the July 4th holiday.

Heading into the holiday weekend, 19 swimming spots in Vermont are under advisories for high cyanobacteria levels. Here's the full list. The following beaches and other swimming spots in Vermont are currently under bacteria alerts: Beaches can only become safe for swimming when their bacteria levels are back within the safe range,