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Splashing in the summer sun: enjoy swimming, dining, shopping and dancing at popular American and Caribbean hot spots - includes car rental safety tips
Ebony, May, 1997 by Lisa Jones Townsel
Wade barefoot though the sun-drenched sands of a secluded tropical island.
Sink your teeth into tangy-rich ribs at a small-town fair. Take the plunge into the world beneath the sea on a daylong snorkeling excursion. Better yet, create your own vacation fantasies--in the U.S. or abroad--to welcome summer's sweet return.
It's the season of jazz festivals and art shows, outdoor cafes and jet skis, budding flora and flourishing fauna Summer is the universal symbol for rest and relaxation, and there are hardly enough activity-filled days and mysteriously warm nights to take in all of its charm.
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Summertime is full of fun things to see and do. But it's virtually impossible to enjoy its many sights and wonders without early planning. Families can get a head start in plotting exciting getaways by seeking bargains through newspaper advertisements, Internet travel guides and specials offered through credit card companies, rental car agencies and airlines. But before booking that dream vacation, travelers may want to also check with reputable travel agents about seasonal combos that offer savings on air travel, rental car rates and hotel accommodations.
Some air carriers, such as American Airlines, offer enticing discount packages for passengers interested in multicultural travel and for those who want to combine quick trips to Florida with jaunts to the Caribbean.
Deciding when and where to go isn't the only issue facing savvy travelers. Couples and families must also consider where they will stay once they reach their destination. Will a quaint, off-the-beaten-path bed-and-breakfast suit your traveling needs? Or will you require a hotel, replete with meal plans and on-site child-care services? Or, perhaps, an all-inclusive vacation plan that includes airfare, taxes, tips, meals and accommodations would put your mind at ease.
All-inclusive resorts help many travelers to budget better. With this specialized package, you get to relax and soak up the summer sun, and virtually travel money-less since most, if not all, expenses must be paid well in advance of your travel date.
Thrill-seekers don't have to look far to find fun, fireworks and food fests this season. Throughout the summer, small towns and major cities throughout the U.S. will celebrate by featuring musical headliners, art exhibits, creative work shops and scrumptious delicacies and desserts.
Are you ready to learn more about your historical roots while also soaking up the scenery at popular domestic hot spots? Many American cities, including Denver, Philadelphia, San Antonio and St. Louis, offer multicultural tours and attractions that highlight the rich diversity of each region.
Some states, including Florida, Louisiana, Maryland and Mississippi give tourists glimpses into rich historical pasts and offer the best in up-to-the-minute summertime fun. Visitors to the Sunshine State, for l instance, can choose to spend a day visiting with Mickey Mouse during Walt Disney World Resort's 25th anniversary celebration. This 15-month-long gala, scheduled to last through October 1997, entertains the young and old alike with a stellar lineup of shows, parades and resort offerings.
Yet, if hiking m the tropics, splashing in cool blue waters or sipping exotic beverages will help to invigorate your winter-worn body and mind, the Caribbean may be the prescription for you. Calypso, jazz, duty-free shopping and powder white-sand beaches are just a few of the many treasures the region of tropical paradises has to offer. Romance abounds in Jamaica, where couples dance until dawn, snorkel all day and sample the delightful cuisine in between. Bustling nightlife and enchanting coves and coral reefs are the rage on the Dutch Caribbean isle of St. Maarten. Famous straw hat markets, jazz festivals and watersports thrill visitors in the Bahamas. And visitors to the U.S. Virgin Islands are lured by the islands' vibrant street markets, clear blue waters and ornate festivals.
Let the sounds and sights of summer--in the Caribbean and at destinations closer to home--tempt you to relax and unwind this season. The City of Brotherly Love invites Brothers and Sisters to party-hearty. Called the country's best city for multicultural tourism by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Philadelphia overflows with a host of insightful and interesting multicultural festivities this season.
The city has teamed up with American Airlines and its Fly AAway Vacations' Ethno Tour promotion to offer special, discounted airfare and hotel rates to visitors. In addition, the city's Share the Heritage African-American Package, which offers bargains on heritage tours, dining and entertainment, will run through the end of September.
These savings are just in time for the socially conscious visiting crowd to enjoy the 22nd Odunde Festival, which gets under way June S. The street festival, which observes the African New Year and begins with an elaborate procession, features a number of musical guests and an open marketplace. Other highlights of the city's summer calendar include a Juneteenth celebration on June 16, an African-American Heritage Festival held July 19 and 20, the kickoff to Unity Weekend beginning August 15, and the African-American Extravaganza, which is scheduled for August 30 and 31.
