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New Trends and Rides at America’s Amusement Parks

July 4th weekend might be in the rear view mirror but the summer has just begun. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit one of the hundreds of amusement parks across the country to sample some of their new rides. According to the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, the big new trends at amusement parks are virtual reality roller coasters and immersive 4-D attractions. On roller coasters, riders wear specially designed virtual reality headsets as they become part of the adrenalin-pumping storyline. For example, Six Flags Magic Mountain, celebrating its 45th anniversary this year, has added new virtual reality technology to the “Revolution” steel roller coaster, creating “The New Revolution.” Wind, water, and heat are just a few of the sensory elements, along with high-tech sound that ride designers are implementing to help create a 4-D immersive experience. At Epcot in Orlando, “Soarin’ Around the World” is a new 4-D experience that treats guests to an aerial tour of some of the world’s most distinctive landscapes.

 
 

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Kiteboarding the Madeleine Islands

In the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the dozen or so Madeleine Islands are unlike any other destination in Quebec—green hillsides, long stretches of beach, red cliffs, and the brightly painted houses of its inhabitants. Once there, you can explore the islands by horseback or bike, try deep-sea fishing, scuba diving, sea kayaking, or the latest craze, kiteboarding. Home of the Kiteboarding World Cup in 2006, the Madeleine’s strong, prevailing winds are ideally suited to a sport that uses a kite to propel you along the water. Give it a go at the first kiteboarding school in Canada, Aerosport, with more than 10 years of experience under their belt. 
 

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Spring Thaw Means It’s Time to Dust Off the Kayaks

It hit 60 degrees in Boston today and tomorrow could break a record with highs in the upper 60s. You know what that means. The spring thaw is almost upon us, the time of year that whitewater enthusiasts hit the rivers for both kayaking and rafting thrills. If you want a good list of rivers to run, check out my article for AMC Outdoors. I divulged coveted paddling routes from Maine to Maryland. Not just rivers for the intrepid, but quietwater paddling on placid pond and lakes for all ages.  

 
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A Great Time to Raft the Deerfield River in Massachusetts

Thanks to a far too wet spring, New Englanders are blessed with more water in our backyard than we’ve had in years. Many of the whitewater rivers, like the Deerfield that Zoar Outdoor runs, gain their momentum from dam releases at power plants. The more water these plants have in their reservoirs from snow and rain, the more water you have to surge over rapids in a raft or kayak. Raft Zoar Outdoor’s most popular trip, the Zoar Gap. Minimum age is 7 and rates range from $60-$104 depending on age. Their highly regarded white-water kayaking school is also one of the best places to learn the sport in the northeast.

 
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New Direct Flight Routes Across America

I wrote earlier this year about the exciting new direct flight from New York’s JFK Airport to Nairobi, Kenya on Kenya Airways, opening up East Africa to safari lovers. As of Monday, you can now fly LAX direct to the African continent and the country of Togo on Ethiopian Airlines. Southwest will soon launch direct flights from the West Coast cities of San Diego, San Jose, Oakland, and Sacramento to Hawaii. Boston’s new direct flight to Hawaii on Hawaiian Air will debut April 4, 2019. Boston will also be debuting direct flights to Lisbon and Edinburgh on Delta next May, along with a new Norwegian Air flight to Madrid and direct flight to Seoul on Korean Air. If you’re flying out of Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, expect new service to Athens, Lisbon, and Quebec City next summer. Out of JFK starting July 27, 2019, the low-cost carrier, LEVEL, will be flying direct to Barcelona. Newark already has a new direct flight to Singapore on Singapore Airlines and will be unveiling flights to Naples and Prague on United, and Nice on La Compagnie next May and June. Wherever you want to fly in 2019, ActiveTravels will find the easiest route possible. 

 
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Stormproof Waterproof Matches are Ideal for Camping

We’ve all been there before. You pack your matches in a nice dry plastic Ziploc bag, only to tip the canoe or spill the canteen and realize that even plastic bags can get damp. You reach for those matches that night to start a fire and the wet stick falls to pieces in your hand. That’s why I was excited to try Stormproof Matches, which the company states work when wet. So I bought a kit, kept the matches outdoors all last week in Boston where it pretty much rained every day. Then took out one of the long matchsticks and lit it easily. The flame also lasts a good ten seconds, about the time it takes me to light my 20-year-old Coleman Burner. The kit comes with a waterproof case and three strikers and can be purchased on Amazon for about $6.
 

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Time to Revisit Cooperstown

Now that Pedro Martinez is enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame, it might be time to take a side-trip to Cooperstown when I drop my son off at Cornell in the fall. I also want to make a stop at the Farmers’ Museum to view the Cardiff Giant. In 1869, con man George Hull paid someone out West to carve a ten feet long, 3000 pound statue out of gypsum. The Giant was then shipped back East and buried underground in Hull’s backyard. Hull hired a group of workers to build a well in the precise spot the Giant was buried, and, lo and behold, they found the world’s first petrified prehistoric man. Hull made a fortune as the Cardiff Giant traveled around the country tantalizing viewers into paying a hefty ten cents to see this incredible find. Evidently, P.T. Barnum desperately wanted the Cardiff Giant and when Hull refused, Barnum built his own replica and ended up making more money than Hull. Lastly, no one can visit Cooperstown without stopping at Brewery Ommegang for a taste of their heavenly Hop House, a Belgian-style pale ale. 

 

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