Make the most of the last phase of summer vacation with a trip to a destination that is designed to make August special.
Geneva
It is a family affair at the city’s annual Fêtes de Genève (Geneva Festival). From August 3 to 13, the Festival offers an abundance of tantalising cuisine, lively evenings and entertainment to suit all ages. It will feature hundreds of free concerts, stands with food and crafts, and fair rides. Don’t miss out on the fireworks spectacle, scheduled to take place on August 12. Attracting hundreds of thousands of spectators, the fireworks display will stretch for nearly an hour above the city’s lakefront. Set off from around 40 stations around the lake, the event dazzles with a wide variety of pyrotechnics set to music to create an evening the whole family will remember.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is wonderful any time of the year, but if you are looking for fun times, August is the time to visit. The Edinburgh Fringe Festival will fill the medieval streets with buskers, artists and actors. There will be laughter and there will be fun with stand up shows and some of the famous acts taking up residency in the city. It is described as the biggest arts festival in the world, playing host to some of the exciting performers and comedians from around the world for three weeks (August 4 to 28). This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Fringe.
Tanzania
If a beach and safari holiday is on your August agenda, place your bet on Tanzania, whose game parks will be packed with wildlife. Ruaha and Selous, Tanzania’s two large game parks, promise to dish out unforgettable experiences. These game parks have bush camps and guides, besides its stock of wildlife. For a trekking experience with chimpanzees, try the Rubondo Island in Lake Victoria. And, with the weather turning its loveliest in August, you could even opt for a beach destination with azure blue seas beckoning you. Zanzibar and Spice Islands have also their share of sun, sea and sand.
The French Lakes
Head to the Alpine lakes of Lac De Bourget, Lac D’Annecy and Lac D’Aiguebelette, for fresh air and stunning scenery. The lakes are just what travel gurus would have ordered for beach goers, with clear water, great food and fewer crowds. You could also jet-ski at Lac D’Annecy. The mountain resorts promise clear and fresh air, while the ancient ruins and little towns present a peek into the French provincial life.
Memphis
Memphis is the place to be in August if you are a devoted fan of Elvis Presley. The Elvis Presley Week, scheduled to be held from August 11 to 19 at Elvis Presley’s Graceland in Memphis, will include the annual Candlelight Vigil, Elvis: The Wonder of You Concert Event, Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest, Elvis 101, the Elvis Fan Reunion, four Conversations on Elvis panels, concerts and much more. Special guests will include Priscilla Presley, Jerry Schilling, songwriters Mac Davis and Mike Stoller, Bill Medley, Elvis’ co-stars Marlyn Mason and Pat Priest, among others.
Black Rock Desert
Nevada’s Black Rock Desert is the place to be to witness the mammoth social experiment turned annual cult gathering called ‘Burning Man’. Scheduled to take place from August 27 to September 4 in the Desert, the event is scheduled to attract thousands of people. The annual gathering takes place at Black Rock City, a temporary city erected in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. The event is described as an experiment in community and art, where the participants go to the temporary community raised out of the desert sand to live out a week of artistic self expression, self reliance and camaraderie. It is usually held from the last Sunday of August to the first Monday of September.