Editor's Letter - Wyndham Vacation Resorts

from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier
Yorktown. The event starts at 5 p.m., with fireworks
at 9:15 followed by live entertainment.
You’re sure to enjoy your time in South
Carolina’s Lowcountry!
Fairfield Plantation Have fun in the sun
this summer with all sorts of water activities
at the resort’s three lakes — one dedicated to
fishing and one to skiing and water sports.
(Call for information on bringing your own
watercraft.) Golfers can tee up at one of seven
nearby locations, including Oak Mountain Golf
Course and The Frog at the Georgian Resort. •
It’s not called “Hot-lanta” for nothing! Six Flags
Over Georgia, with over 100 rides and attractions,
Whitewater Park and American Adventures
(for kids) are just a few of the attractions within a
45-minute drive. Events and concerts at Atlanta’s
Centennial Park (home of many 1996 Olympic
celebrations) will feature such artists as Mariah
Carey and James Taylor. Head for Underground
Atlanta for cobblestone streets and a variety of
shops, restaurants and entertainment including
street performers and face painting. Next door at
the World of Coca-Cola, learn of the soda’s history
begun in Atlanta over 110 years ago. Martin
Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, including
the birthplace, church and grave of the popular
civil rights leader, is also nearby. • On a more
relaxed note, scenic Stone Mountain Park offers a
remarkable evening laser show, an antebellum
plantation, sky lift, steam locomotive and car
museum. • On June 20, Atlanta Botanical
Gardens will host “BBQ, Bluegrass and Glass,” a
Father’s Day event featuring bluegrass, crafts and
more amidst “Chihuly in the Garden”
(featuring the works of glass artist Dale Chihuly)
and a barbeque lunch. This summer, witness
firsthand the hospitality the South is famous for
at Fairfield Plantation.
N O R T H E A S T
Fairfield Berkshires The Berkshires’ many outdoor
and cultural attractions are at their peak in
summertime. With Jiminy Peak just seconds
away, offering bungee jumping, alpine slides and
mountain biking, you’ll be challenged daily.
Photo: Stu Rosner
Tanglewood celebrates the 10th anniversary of Ozawa Hall
with a gala concert August 1.
Check out the annual Newport Flower Show June 26 and 27
at Rosecliff Mansion, with its Versailles-style gardens.
There is also an abundance of trout streams and
hiking trails just minutes from the resort. Bash
Bish Falls State Park in Mount Washington
features the state’s most dramatic falls at a plunging
200 feet. • July 3 and 4, head out to Ski
Butternut for the Berkshires Summer Arts
Festival, with over 200 artists, music, food,
unique items and more. • The Berkshires are
home to several acclaimed museums. Mass
MoCA is the largest center for contemporary arts
in the world. The Norman Rockwell Museum
offers a more traditional American appreciation
of art. Two new exhibitions will open there in
June — one presenting the artist’s original illustrations
for his only children’s picture book,
“Willie Was Different,” and “Hometown Hero,
Citizen of the World.” • Tanglewood, the summer
home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra
and Boston Pops, hosts stirring performances at
several venues. Guest conductor Marvin
Hamlisch kicks off the Pops season at
Tanglewood with his entertaining mix of music
and comedy July 14, and John Williams leads the
Pops in the perennial favorite Film Night August
14. Enjoy recitals and concerts including
Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker,” the Prokofiev
Suite from “Cinderella” and more throughout
July and August. • Visit fascinating Hancock
Shaker Village and purchase a piece of famous
Shaker-style furniture to remember your New
England vacation. An endless array of activities
awaits you in the Berkshires!
Fairfield Newport The “City by the Sea”
really comes to life this time of year. One must-do
is a cruise around Narragansett Bay. Choose from
a daily sail aboard a catamaran or a boat that once
raced in the America’s Cup. New this year, the
Spirit of Newport offers dinner and sunset cruises
on the bay. You can also rent kayaks and Jet Skis,
or venture out on a day fishing charter. • Historic
Newport offers an abundance of tours. Visit the
mansions of the Vanderbilts and other elite
socialites from the Gilded Age. There are walking
tours, ghost tours and even a tour of the oldest
synagogue in the country. (See your resort for discounted
tickets.) • Beach choices abound — from
small, secluded beaches to busy, more popular
beaches. Chair and umbrella rentals are available
at most locations. • Make time for family day at
Easton’s Beach with its carousel and small aquarium,
or take a tour of historic Fort Adams (a children’s
field day is available this year from the
resort). • Newport is home to many annual festivals.
Here are just a few: June 5, the Great
Chowder Cook-Off (3,000 gallons of chowder
from 25 of the nation’s best chefs), featured on
the Food Network Channel; June 26-27, the
Newport Flower Show held at Rosecliff Mansion;
Photo: Dale Timmons
Ocean City’s White Marlin Open is recognized as the
world’s largest billfishing tournament.
July 3, a traditional New England Clambake at
Kempenaar’s Clambake Club; July 4, a fireworks
show above Newport Harbor; July 15-18,
Newport Black Ships Festival featuring Japanese
art and culture; and August 11-15, the Newport
Jazz Festival, the grandfather of all jazz festivals,
now in its 50th year. You’ll never lack for something
to do in Newport!
Fairfield Ocean City This seaside resort town
boasts activities and events that appeal to every
member of the family. The 10-mile stretch of free
Atlantic Ocean beach offers swimming, surfing,
boogie boarding, surf fishing, jogging, kite flying,
amusement parks, boardwalk games, miniature
golf, water slides and a host of other pursuits. •
Throughout the summer, several car shows will
cruise through town, including the Photo: Mid-Atlantic
Dale Timmons
Classic Chevy Festival and the OC Car & Truck
Show, both held June 5 and 6. • Golfers can
choose from more than 15 award-winning courses
surrounded by wetlands and marsh near
Ocean City. (The resort provides great discounts
at select locations.) • Celebrate July 4th at
Jamboree in the Park with a family festival of arts
and crafts, food, live entertainment and children’s
activities from 5- 9 p.m. At 8 p.m., watch the sky
light up with a free concert and fireworks on the
beach. • Pamper yourself by attending free
Concerts on the Beach on Wednesday evenings,
July 14 and 21 (located at N. Division Street).
Also at the same location, snuggle up for Bonfire
Hour to hear interesting history, area things to
do, best-kept secrets and more on Thursdays,
July 15, 22 and 29. • Boat trips are available to
several islands off the bay as well as to the worldfamous
Chincoteague Wild Pony Swim on July
28, an event that draws thousands of spectators
as a herd of 140 or so Assateague ponies cross the
channel. • The White Marlin Open, the world’s
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