ST. PETE/CLEARWATER

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Wyndham Grand Clearwater, opened in January 2017

Wyndham Hotel Group is making waves and defining approachable luxury in Florida with the opening of its latest resort destination, the new-construction, 343-room Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach. The striking two-tower resort, sits just steps from Pier 60 and the white sands of Clearwater Beach. It offers direct Gulf Coast views, signature dining and contemporary décor and is located within 30 minutes from Tampa International airport.

Each contemporary guest room at Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach faces the ocean or Intracoastal Waterway and features water-inspired décor and floor-to-ceiling windows, with most offering balconies. The hotel’s bunk rooms are just right for family vacations with bunk beds for kids and separate king beds for adults, while two bi-level presidential suites offer the utmost in waterfront luxury with three bedrooms, separate dining and living areas, and private terraces.

Guests can dine and imbibe at DocK’s, the pool bar and grill; eSKPades, the barista and lobby bar; or Ocean Hai, the resort’s signature dining experience and the only Asian Fusion restaurant in Clearwater Beach. Additional services and amenities include an open-air lobby, a pool overlooking the beach, the full-service Spa Pallavi, and a 24-hour fitness centre.

Hyatt Place, Downtown St Pete, Opens in September 2017

Hyatt Place, Downtown St. Pete will be located in what will become St. Pete’s tallest building (41 stories) and will feature 175 rooms and 253 condominium units. Situated in One St. Petersburg in the heart of downtown, it will be close to the Waterfront Arts District where you will find the Museum of Fine Arts as well as the world famous Dali Museum which houses the most comprehensive collection of the artist’s works outside of Spain.

Fenway Hotel, Opens in December 2017

The 1920’s-era building, a Dunedin icon, returns to its original role as a hotel. Developer Mainsail Lodging is transforming the Mediterranean-style, waterfront building into a member of the Marriott International Autograph Collection. The reincarnated Fenway, which will feature a strong historical influence, is on pace to open in December 2017.

IT’S THE HEART OF A MAINE SUMMER

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July 2017 – It’s the heart of a Maine summer and the very best time of the year to enjoy the lakes, ocean and mountains of this amazing state. It’s a month when visitors flock to the ocean beaches and book early tee times at the state’s many golf courses. This summer, they can visit a world-class exhibit of paintings of the state of Maine by one of its most famous native sons, Marsden Hartley. There’s extraordinary music on the horizon, as well, such as the American Folk Festival in Bangor. The middle of summer is also a good time to look ahead and make fall plans for distinctive farm-field-to-farm-table suppers or plan a trip to one of the state’s many agricultural fairs. For writers, editors and bloggers looking for short-lead news, there are details under Happening Now. Those in search of longer lead news can scroll down to the Looking Ahead section

Happening Now
Marsden Hartley’s Maine opens at Colby College
After a highly acclaimed three-month run at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Met Breuer Galleries in New York City, Marsden Hartley’s Maine is coming home. The exhibition moves to the Colby College Museum of Artfrom July 8 – November 12, 2017. Marsden Hartley was one of Maine’s best-loved painters and the exhibition celebrates his work and highlights the American artist’s lifelong artistic engagement with his home state of Maine. It is a landmark show that is inspiring visitors to experience Maine this summer and retrace Hartley’s footsteps for themselves. At VisitMaine.com, they can find a map tracing the locations throughout the state that inspired Hartley along with suggested itineraries and sightseeing, lodging and dining recommendations.


Five Amazing Maine Beaches
Maine is blessed with some of the most beautiful beaches in the country and by mid-summer, they’ve warmed up enough to beckon swimmers off the sand and into the waves. Here are five of the best. Start with Old Orchard Beach, a seven-mile strand with a classic pier and a waterfront amusement park, arcades and fireworks. For those seeking a little more tranquility, Scarborough Beach State Park has waves that attract local surfers and a wide beach that’s ideal for families. Ogunquit Beach is ranked among the top beaches in the United States, thanks to three and a half miles of sand and grassy dunes, with great swimming, bodysurfing and shelling. Goose Rocks Beach in Kennebunkport has three miles of soft sand and moderate surf, ideal for a family day out at the beach. Finally, Popham Beach is a wilder beach in Midcoast Maine in Phippsburg, a beach with offshore islands, such as Fox Island, that can be explored at low tide. Look for more beaches at Visit Maine.


Maine’s Challenging Golf Courses
Maine has more than 100 golf courses, ranging from mountain courses and island courses to stunning seaside courses. Impressive oceanside courses include Sebasco Harbor Resort Golf Club and Samoset Resort Golf Course, overlooking Penobscot Bay. The Bar Harbor Golf Club is a links-style course while the Belgrade Lakes Golf Club is known for its scenic beauty. Among notable designers, Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed the Sunday River Golf Club while the Sugarloaf Golf Club in Carrabassett Valley is routinely singled out by GolfDigest as one of the best in the state. The Maine Golf Trail can help visitors plan their vacation around some of the state’s most famous links. Visit Maine has more info.

Looking Ahead

Farm-Field-to-Farm-Table Dinners
Farm to table? It got its start in Maine more than half a century ago at Helen and Scott Nearing’s Harborside Farm. But its purest form is Farm-Field-to-Farm-Table. Across the state, you’ll find farms serving creative fare harvested just hours before from the fields around you. They include Flanagan’s Table, at The Barn at Flanagan Farm, Buxton, a monthly dinner held to benefit the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. There’s also Wolfe’s Neck Farm in Freeport, a working organic farm, and The Well at Jordan’s Farm in Cape Elizabeth. Then there’s Nebo Lodge, on North Haven Island in Penobscot Bay, which hosts monthly barn suppers at nearby Turner Farm, which provides all of the lodge’s produce. Go to Visit Maine for more farms participating in this movement.

American Folk Festival, Bangor
From C.J. Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band to blues guitarist Selwyn Birchwood and the Afro-Mexican beats of the L.A. based Las Cafeteras, the American Folk Festival is a true cross-section of folk traditions from across the United States. This year’s festival, from August 25-27, also includes gospel singer Cora Harvey Armstrong and the Québécois group, Les Poules à Colin, appearing on stages along the Bangor Waterfront. The festival also offers traditional craft demonstrations and exhibits, a children’s area, and dozens of food vendors with ethnic food and regional specialties. The marketplace has unique, handcrafted items and “Taste of Maine” treats for sale. Visit American Folk Festival for more info.

Agricultural Fairs: The Fryeburg Fair and The Common Ground Country FairMaine’s county fairs are multi-day events that showcase the rural and agricultural traditions of Maine. The Common Ground Country Fair, from September 23-24 in Unity, is affiliated with the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. Started in 1977, during the back-to-the-land movement, it has become a beacon for forward-thinking organic farming techniques and a showcase for rural crafts, attracting upwards of 60,000 visitors. There are demos of spinning and carding wool, stonework, tree identification and raising animals. Anyone curious about sustainable beekeeping or how to purchase a used tractor will learn a great deal at the Common Ground Fair. On the far western side of the state, the Fryeburg Fair from October 1-8 is a classic county fair with team-pulling, 4H awards and the ever-popular pig scramble. A full arcade with classic carnival rides, harness racing, a sheepdog trial and tractor pulling are among the highlights of this fair that dates back to 1851. It’s Maine’s largest fair and attracts more than 170,000 visitors during its run. Go to Visit Maine for information on these and other agricultural fairs.

Four Decades in the Making, Evel Knievel’s Dream is Now Open!

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Yes, it’s true. Robert “Evel” Knievel’s dream of creating a museum to “house his life’s memorabilia” is now a reality. As early as 1976, Knievel announced his plans to build a museum. Surprising to many, the Evel Knievel Museum is not located in Las Vegas, Nevada (the venue of his infamous Wide World of Sports Caesars Palace jump). It is, in fact, in Topeka, Kansas. And when you hear the story of “Why Topeka,” Topeka, Kansas not only makes sense, but it leaves museum attendees wondering if Knievel’s influence from above isn’t as powerful as his earthly impact that created an enthusiastic generation of thrill-seekers and daredevils, inspired the X-Games, and earned him the irrefutable title of the “Godfather of Extreme Sports.”

In fact, half of Knievel’s crew was from Kansas, including Mike Draper (Wichita, Kansas). Draper says it’s an honor to be part of history, and is thrilled to help fill in the missing pieces. When restoring “Big Red,” Knievel’s Mack Truck, the Historic Harley-Davidson crew found Draper’s first-hand accounts priceless. “It’s this kind of detail and stories from people who were there that bring the museum to life and provide an amazing and memorable experience to visitors,” says Mike Patterson, Owner, Historic Harley-Davidson and Museum Co-Founder.
Visitors can see Evel’s motorcycles, including the original sheet metal painted by Evel’s artist, George Sedlak. On display is the X2 Skycycle launched at Snake River Canyon, perched on Evel’s ramp and installed over dirt brought in from the original location. Peek inside “Big Red,” Evel’s traveling rig and dressing room, resplendent in red, white & blue metal flake vinyl in the original stars and stripes motif. Another centerpiece of the collection is Knievel’s 1966 Bell Star helmet worn for the Caesar’s Palace jump. Hidden from view for decades, it’s still beautifully battered and likely saved his life that day.

Visitors can view clips of Evel’s Hollywood stints in a 1970’s-era movie theatre complete with marquee and costumes. Giant touch screens target Knievel’s broken bones, connecting injuries to the jumps that caused them with video of the actual events.

And intrepid Museum guests can even experience the rush of being a daredevil through the 4D Virtual Reality Jump Experience. Put on the virtual reality goggles and pilot a jump bike mounted on Evel’s actual jump ramp. This immersive jump experience is complete with rushing wind, and a rumbling motorcycle.

To read on, click here!
The Evel Knievel Museum at Historic Harley-Davidson
2047 SW Topeka Blvd, Topeka, KS 66612
785-215-6205,
Tuesday – Friday (10 AM – 6 PM), Saturday (9 AM – 5 PM)
Visit www.EvelKnievelMuseum.org for more information