See New England as your vacation destination

By Natasha Clark-Senior Staff Writer

New England is touted for the beauty of its landscape. Travelers come from afar to delight in the rich hues of crisp autumn leaves. Families plan getaways in quaint inns, purge on delicious maple syrup and flock by the millions to the annual Big E Fair.

Despite its rich culture and diverse entertainment, New England and “summer destination hotspot” are not usually whispered in the same breath. However, Western Mass Women Magazine is challenging the status quo and highlighting the fabulous summertime activities available in the region. Comprised of six unique states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont), New England offers a bevy of happenings to make a summer memorable.

Connecticut, the first state to have a pay phone is calling all travelers. Known for lush communities like Greenwich and hip cities such as Hartford, Connecticut is bursting in regards to what it offers. The state’s major lures include casinos Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods. The latter’s summer entertainment lineup is nothing short of spectacular: Conan O’Brien, Denis Leary, Ringo Starr, Rihanna, Jerry Seinfeld, Jeff Foxworthy and Diana Ross. But for those looking for an entire family experiences, the top two I recommend are Lake Compounce and the Sports Center of Connecticut.

Lake Compounce is the oldest continuously operating amusement park in North America. Called “New England’s Family Theme Park,” Lake Compounce has more than 30 rides, a number of shows on their Outdoor Stage, Circus World Stage and Street Entertainment. This season the park will unveil its Text2Ride system. According to information released by the park, “The new Text2Ride system gives guests the opportunity to purchase credits and use those credits to reserve a time to ride Boulderdash, Zoomerang, DownTime, Thunder n Lightning, Wildcat, Bumper Cars, Ghost Hunt, Saw Mill Plunge and Thunder Rapids.

“Instead of carrying an additional pager or other bulky device, guests will use their own cell phones to send a text, and will then receive a text back confirming their time to ride. New attractions for 2010 include ‘It’s Magic!’ which will be performed in the Starlight Theatre daily, as well as a brand new cast of Cirque en Vol acrobats performing on the outdoor stage near the Zoomerang. Children’s entertainment will feature ‘Superstar Fiesta’ and ‘Dance-A-Long,’ to be performed in the kiddieland section known as Circus World.”

Lake Compounce, located in Bristol, Conn., is currently offering group discounts by advance reservation for the 2010 season. For more information, visit www.lakecompounce.com where you can watch video clips of many of the rides prior to your visit.

For the athletic family, the SportsCenter of Connecticut promises a splendid day of fun. The Shelton, Conn. locale is a unique family entertainment experience, featuring a weather-protected Golf Driving Range, 18-hole Hole Mini-Golf course, jungle-themed Lazer Tag arena, Fun Bowl Bowling, Game Zone arcade, Baseball/Softball Batting Cages, the world’s only double-decker ice-skating arena and a whole lot more.

It is a one-of-a-kind, year-round family sports and entertainment complex. SportsCenter’s 15-acre site features a Double Decker Golf Driving Range, 18 Hole Mini-Golf course with waterfall and river flowing, Jungle themed Lazer Tag arena, Fun Bowl, a dramatic fusion of technology and entertainment,Baseball/Softball Batting Cages, state of the art Game Zone arcade and the World’s only double-decker ice-skating arena, with two NHL-size rinks stacked one on top of the other. Check out its exclusive features at www.sportscenterct.com.

For cultural activities, Hartford is a smorgasbord of diversity. Each summer they host the Blackeyed & Blues Festival for absolutely free at Bushnell Park Pavilion. The June event is for people of all ages and has tasty barbecue provided by Black-Eyed Sally’s, delicious brews and fantastic music. Real Art Ways is a unique endeavor that brings art to the area in an interesting way. They offer exhibitions, movies, spoken and more. The organization is described by its members as welcoming environment for the convergence of people, art and ideas. It is a place where city and suburb meet, a comfortable place for people from different backgrounds.” They have open galleries and cinemas. The pricing is either below $10 for most events or only ask for a goodwill offering. Check out www.realartways.org for the scoop.

The Basketball Hall of Fame is one of Massachusetts’ staples. Massachusetts is never at a standstill when it comes to entertainment. The Quadrangle in Springfield is always jam-packed with speakers, art exhibits, poetry in the park and more. Downtown, on any given Thursday between July 1 and Sept. 2, you can find Bike Night at Stearns Square. Music, food, drinks – Bike Night brings out some of the coolest and revamped motorcycles in the Pioneer Valley. It is a sweet couples night getaway. For a few hours you and your sweetie can escape to admire the finest bikes while enjoying a mini-concert in the heart of the city.

You simply cannot mention summer without saying, “Six Flags New England.” The new Six Flags iPhone App is not the only innovative addition this year. Get a load of the musical acts that may be coming to a park near you: “Six Flags hosts the hottest concert talent all season long, plus this year the STARBURST® Summer Concert Series returns to Six Flags New England featuring Mitchel Musso, Jeremy Camp, Pitbull Ke$ha, Jason Derulo, Iyaz, We the Kings, Taio Cruz and more!”

Nestled in Agawam, Mass., Six Flags New England has a water park, Hurricane Harbor, that boasts two 500,000-gallon wave pools, more than a dozen slides, a children's play area, and the recently added water coaster, Typhoon. Hurricane Harbor is FREE with admission. With more than 40 rides to choose from, more than 20 spots to grab some grub and parades and shows offered throughout the day, Six Flags is a one-stop shop for family fun. Stop by http://www.sixflags.com/newengland/index.aspx for a list of activities.

Nearby Chicopee Fest of All brings families together in Szot Park for four days, June 24-27. Admission and entertainment is free. Everyday has something for the family to enjoy and there are several local restaurants and food tents to enjoy, including beer and wine for the adults. The hours are 5-9 p.m. on the first day and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the last three days. As of April, some of the vendors include Runway by B’Shara’s, Poppies Concession, Nutmeg Concession, Doogan’s Deli, Patriot Popcorn, Thai Taste, Quicky’s, Granville General Store, Rushing Waters Assembly of God, Dogs n Such, Moolicious, Hu Ke Lau and more.

JCC is offering many cultural activities including youth-oriented theater and a special needs summer camp. The Springfield JCC offers two weeks worth of camp programs for children with special needs. Contact Linda LaPointe for additional information 739-4715.

For over 20 years, families have been making fun-filled vacation memories at the Wildflower Inn, located in Lyndonville, VT in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, premier Vermont lodging. The reason their so popular as a family vacation destination is because they excel in offering a balanced mix of vacation experiences with great kids activities, private time for parents to be a couple, and unstructured time for family fun and togetherness. Visit www.wildflowerinn.com to see the activities and vacation packages they offer.