With its widely attended parades, voter-filled picnics and overt patriotism, the Fourth of July may be the perfect holiday for a presidential candidate looking to connect with constituents during the long haul of the summer campaign.

And for the two men currently vying for the White House, Independence Day this year will the perfect opportunity for a festive photo-op showcasing, in Mitt Romney's case, his family man-cred and, in President Obama's case, his support for military veterans.

"It is a day for people of all political stripes, a day for holding faith with America," said Robert Allison, the chairman of Suffolk University's history department. "This is the one [holiday] that has it all: patriotism and a celebration of our history."

But for Romney and Obama, this Fourth of July is a balancing act between campaigning and vacationing.