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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

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.

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.

Maryland, which is known for seafood, sailing and the Chesapeake Bay, is another exciting locale chockfull of heritage-rich fun. Baltimore celebrates its bicentennial all this year with a rousing lineup of exciting exhibits and festivals. The city will be home to the First Union Harbor Music Festival, which will run until September. And those looking to be fed spiritually and naturally can sample tasty seafood dishes at Baltimore's Gospel Music Crab Feast. This popular weekend event runs throughout the summer and includes all-you-can-eat crab and enough gospel music to spare. Other fun-filled state activities include the Annapolis Jazzfest held June 1, the Ethnic Heritage Festival held June 7 in Silver Spring and the Kunta Kinte Heritage Festival held August 9 and 10 in Annapolis.

Maryland is a close neighbor to the nation's capital and to Arlington, Va., where the Newseum--the world's only museum dedicated entirely to news--is located. Visitors can find out everything they've ever wanted to know about the media at this new attraction. Using state-of-the-art multimedia presentations and exhibits, this educational facility tells the story of the past, the present and the future of news. Highlights of the Newseum include a 126foot-long video news wall displaying dozens of satellite television feeds, plus a display of daily front pages from around the world. A domed 220-seat theater, a broadcast studio, store and cafe are also featured at this new, informative museum.

Families headed for the sunny Florida coast will no doubt include a stop to Orlando's Walt Disney World Resort in their travel plans. Once there, the young and old will enjoy the resort's assortment of fast-paced rides, thrilling water parks, and reality-suspending attractions. In the midst of celebrating its 25th anniversary, the amusement super-park community continues the party with the launching of a number of new and adventurous projects.

Among the new charms are the Magic Kingdom's Cinderella Castle, which has been transformed into a huge, fluffy pink birthday cake for the celebration, a new Hercules Parade at Disney-MGM Studios, and Epcot's new Test Track, a General Motors presentation that replaces the former World of Motion and takes guests behind the scenes of automobile testing.

Families and romantics looking for a more relaxed setting will enjoy the serenity and natural tropical paradise offered across the Atlantic in Jamaica. Lush, green mountainous terrain gives way to sparkling waterfalls and hidden gardens and beaches on this Caribbean island, which is just a few hours away from the Florida coast.

The warm climate and deep blue waters are perfect for those interested in deep-sea fishing, horseback riding, parasailing, waterfall climbing and snorkeling.

Vacationers seeking further adventures can dance to the continuous rhythmic beat of calypso, reggae and jazz, for the summer schedule is heaped high with listening pleasures. Top musicians from Great Britain, France, Holland, Japan, the U.S. and the Caribbean are scheduled to perform at the Ocho Rios International Jazz Festival on June 8 through June 15. And one of the largest reggae festivals in the Caribbean--the 20th annual Reggae Sunsplash at Runaway Bay--is scheduled for July 31 through August 3.

Another tropical nook full of dayand nighttime fun is the Dutch Caribbean island of St. Maarten, which shares the distinction with its northern, French neighbor--St. Martin--as being the smallest island in the world to be shared by two sovereign powers. By day, guests to St. Maarten can parasail, jet ski, take a walk along the beach front or stop by Mullet Bay's championship, 18-hole golf course. Diehard bargain-hunters may want to bypass those activities altogether to spend the day looking for bargains since both halves of the land mass make up the only completely duty-free island in the Caribbean. At dusk, island visitors can enjoy soothing tradewinds and sample local fare at any of the island's 300-plus restaurants, or they can try their luck at any of the island's booming casinos.

Summer's offerings are exciting and plentiful, so don't let the beauty, sites and sounds of the season pass you by. Plan ahead. Remember to check all dates, locations and time schedules with local tourism boards. Then kick up your heels and embark on the vacation of a lifetime.

RELATED ARTICLE: CAR RENTAL SAFETY TIPS

1. Make sure you have the proper amount of insurance coverage for collision, liability and personal injury, etc.

2. Secure directions and an area map from your rental agent prior to leaving the parking lot if you are unfamiliar with the area.

3. Make a visual check of the car's exterior and interior. Also check the trunk and glove compartments.

4. Familiarize yourself with the instrumentation panel.

5. Adjust seat and fasten seat belt.

6. Adjust mirrors.

7. If your vehicle is bumpd from behind, do not stop. Drive to the nearest well-lit public area and call for police assistance.

8. Park onlyy in a lighted area.

9. Keep doors locked and windows up when traveling.

COPYRIGHT 1997 Johnson Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group