Celebrate the Start of Summer at Callaway Gardens' Memorial Day Weekend Festival

It’s time celebrate the arrival of Summer at Callaway Gardens’ Memorial Day Weekend Festival, May 27-30, 2011. Catch a few rays, kick up a little sand, enjoy a variety of music and watch world champions compete at the 52nd Annual Masters Water Ski & Wakeboard Tournament®.

Memorial Day Weekend opens Robin Lake Beach for the Summer – with lots of new, exciting activities for 2011, including Light Striker Laser Tag*, Blaster Boats* and Aqua Island*, an expansive floating playground. Robin Lake Beach also will continue to offer its traditional activities of swimming, shuffleboard, table tennis, miniature golf and performances by The FSU Flying High Circus.

Inside the Gardens, guests can add some adrenaline to their day on Callaway Gardens’ newest year-round attraction, TreeTop Adventure*, which features 24 aerial challenges and zip lines. Reservations are suggested.

As is tradition at Callaway Gardens, Memorial Day Weekend is full of championship waterskiing and wakeboarding on Robin Lake, as well as the brand new sport of wakeskating. Watch dozens of the world’s finest water sports athletes representing more than 14 countries compete for more than $110,000 in cash and prizes in the Masters Water Ski & Wakeboard Tournament. Competition events include tricks, slalom, jump, wakeboard and wakeskating. The Junior Masters elimination rounds and finals will be Friday, May 27, at 8 a.m. The Masters elimination rounds will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday. Sunday will start with Opening Ceremonies at 10 a.m. and finals at 11 a.m. with participants competing for the coveted title of Masters Champion.

Special tournament activities on Robin Lake Beach will include water sports exhibitors, concessions and other festivities for spectators to enjoy throughout the event.

Growing the festivities for Memorial Day Weekend in 2011, Callaway Gardens has planned tons of fun following the competition each day. Friday will feature live music by pop/rock artist Kurt Scobie, a beach cookout* and the new Callaway Gardens Farmers Market, an opportunity to purchase locally grown produce and products. Saturday evening will take on a Cajun theme with a Low Country Boil*, live music by The Charlie Wooton Project and Zydefunk, and Beach Olympics for some friendly competition. To celebrate the end of the tournament, Sunday evening will feature the introduction of the newly crowned Masters Champions, a Barbecue* and live music by Running Down Romance. Since it is a long holiday weekend, the fun continues on Monday with two ski stunt shows by the Tampa Bay Water Ski Show Team, and a demonstration of Nautique boats.

Guests can enjoy the many attractions unique to Callaway Gardens that are available year-round including the Birds of Prey show featuring free-flight hawks, owls and falcons; butterflies flying about in the Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center; beautiful horticultural displays in the John A. Sibley Horticultural Center; and a bounty of growing vegetables and flowers in Mr. Cason’s Vegetable Garden. The 10-mile Discovery Bicycle Trail takes guests on a leisurely ride by all of these great attractions. A tennis match, round of golf, or time spent fishing by boat are enjoyable ways to begin or end a great day at Callaway.

Admission to this special event Memorial Day Weekend is $25/adult and $12.50/child (age 6 to 12). Children 5 and younger are admitted for free. Callaway Gardens Annual Passholders receive half-price admission. For this special holiday event, military personnel receive free admission for themselves and up to five guests in the same vehicle with presentation of active or retired military identification. Preferred Pavilion Passes are limited and are available on a first-come basis.

Make this experience a weekend getaway. Stay for the weekend and enjoy the new TreeTop Adventure and Callaway Gardens’ array of facilities, attractions and special events.

For more information or to make a reservation, call 1-800-CALLAWAY (225-5292) or visit www.callawaygardens.com.

Make this Memorial Day Weekend one to remember for a lifetime!

*Fee charged

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Number of Memorial Day Holiday Travelers Expected to Increase 5.4 Percent, AAA Forecast Says

/PRNewswire/ -- AAA today projected the number of Americans traveling on vacation this Memorial Day holiday weekend will increase 5.4 percent from 2009 with approximately 32.1 million travelers taking a trip away from home. Last year, 30.5 million Americans traveled during the same period.

"While the economy continues to be rocked by waves of occasional uncertainty, improved economic performance from one year ago should cause more Americans to take vacations this Memorial Day holiday weekend," said Glen MacDonell, director, AAA Travel Services. "AAA travel agents are reporting double-digit increases in the percentage of travelers making advanced bookings for tours and cruises, hotel bookings via AAA.com are increasing and AAA's many travel industry partners have reported improved business conditions this spring."

MacDonell cautioned, "Increased travel can also mean reduced availability, especially in markets like central Florida where the opening of exciting new attractions are expected to make the area one the summer's most popular destinations." MacDonell's best advice is to "talk to a travel agent to find the best package deals and be sure to jump on a bargain if you find one."

AAA's projections are based on economic forecasting and research by IHS Global Insight. The Boston-based economic research and consulting firm teamed with AAA in 2009 to jointly analyze travel trends during the major holidays. AAA has been reporting on holiday travel trends for more than two decades. The complete AAA / IHS Global Insight 2010 Memorial Day holiday forecast can be found at AAA.com/news.

Air and car trips to increase

Trips by auto are expected to increase in popularity with 87 percent or 28.0 million people reaching their destination by driving. This is an increase of 5.8 percent from last Memorial Day when 26.4 million travelers went by motor vehicle. This Memorial Day weekend AAA does not expect the price of gasoline to average more than $3.00 per gallon. Leisure air travel also is expected to grow slightly with 2.15 million holiday flyers expected. This would be an increase of 2.4 percent from one year ago when 2.1 million flew. Trips by other modes, including rail, buses and watercraft, will be the dominant means of travel used by 6 percent of all travelers.

Average spending will top $800 and average distance traveled will be 626 miles

The average distance traveled by Americans this Memorial Day holiday weekend is forecast to be approximately the same as one year ago, 626 miles vs. 620 in 2009, AAA reported. Median spending is estimated to be $809 this Memorial Day*. This is a sizeable reduction from one year ago, when Americans reported average spending plans of $1,052. Sixty-one percent of Americans will spend time with friends and relatives over the holiday.

Airfares will be unchanged, hotel rates remain a deal, and rental car rates will be lower

According to AAA's Leisure Travel Index, air fares over the Memorial Day holiday weekend are expected to remain unchanged from last year as air passengers will pay a lowest average round-trip fare of $176 per ticket. Weekend daily car rental rates will drop 15 percent from an average of $43.30 in 2009 to $36.65. Hotel rates for AAA Three Diamond lodgings are expected to remain a bargain, but will decline only one percent from a year ago with travelers spending an average of $141.60 per night compared to $142.45 last year. Travelers planning to stay at AAA Two Diamond hotels will pay four percent less at an average cost of $99 per night.

As North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides nearly 52 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.

*IHS Global Insight reported average spending last year rather than median spending. Average spending in 2009 was $1,052.

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Six Flags Friends Partners With 'Beyond Tribute' to Support War Veterans This Memorial Day Weekend

/PRNewswire/ -- Six Flags theme parks across the country will honor America's military veterans this Memorial Day weekend by partnering with Beyond Tribute to raise awareness and funds for veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury and related afflictions. Beyond Tribute, a 501c3 non-profit, is the first nationwide grassroots initiative specifically designed to leverage the Memorial Day and Veterans Day holidays to support veterans affected by these neurological problems.

Over 300,000 veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as countless thousands of veterans of other wars suffer from PTSD, TBI and other neurological problems. As a result, their rates of unemployment, substance abuse, homelessness, family conflict, and suicide are alarmingly high.

Through this new partnership, consumers will be offered an online "Everyone Pays Kids Price" coupon for admission to all domestic Six Flags properties from May 22 through May 25. One dollar of each ticket redeemed will go directly to "Beyond Tribute" to support research, treatment, and services for those veterans. "Everyone Pays Kids Price" offers a savings of up to $30 per ticket off the regular adult admission price, making fun more affordable for families.

Participating parks include Six Flags America in Bowie, MD; Six Flags Texas in San Antonio, TX; Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, TX; Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ; Six Flags St. Louis in Eureka, MO; Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, IL; Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, CA; Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville, KY; Six Flags Over Georgia in Austell, GA; Six Flags New England in Agawam, MA; Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, CA; and The Great Escape in Lake George, NY.

In addition, designated Beyond Tribute volunteers will be on site, encouraging park guests to log onto the Beyond Tribute or Six Flags websites (www.beyondtribute.org and www.sixflags.com/tribute) and signing a pledge demonstrating their support of the men and women of America's Armed Services.

The pledge reads: "Memorial Day and Veterans' Day need to be more than holidays that merely pay tribute to veterans; they should be meaningful days that truly benefit the men and women who have risked their lives and sacrificed their health and well-being in the line of duty. I pledge to seek out and support businesses and events that participate in Beyond Tribute over the Memorial Day and Veterans' Day holidays, because I know my support will help provide vital services for veterans who are suffering the wounds of war."

Park guests will also be able to view a video public service announcement hosted by "Sex and The City" star Kim Cattrall, the national spokesperson for "Beyond Tribute." The PSA will be played on Six Flags TV throughout the summer.

"Memorial Day is an exciting time at Six Flags as families head to our parks to officially kick off the summer season," said Jessica King, Director of Six Flags Friends. "Our partnership with Beyond Tribute is a great way to engage people of all ages across the country to do their part in helping our servicemen and women in a very tangible way."

Matthew Boulay, the former Marine who served in the Iraq war and who helped establish Beyond Tribute, echoed these sentiments, adding that, "Memorial Day was established to honor the sacrifices made by the courageous men and women who have fought for this country in defense of the freedoms and ideals we enjoy and cherish. By using the special Six Flags-Beyond Tribute coupon for admission, visitors to the parks are saying, "yes, we honor these sacrifices and support our veterans."

"Beyond Tribute" has identified three organizations that are engaged in providing vital services for veterans who are suffering from the wounds of war: U.S. Vets, the largest non-profit organization in the country dedicated to helping homeless and at-risk veterans and a nationally recognized leader in the field of service delivery to veterans; Wounded Warrior Project, which provides programs and services to severely injured service members during the time between active duty and transition to civilian life; and Bob Woodruff Foundation, which raises awareness and funds for service members injured in Iraq and Afghanistan and their families to assist in their successful reintegration into their communities.

For more information on the "Beyond Tribute" and the Six Flags Friends initiative, and to download the special Six Flags admission coupon, visit sixflags.com/tribute or beyondtribute.org.

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